Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 126, The Sugar Act. In our last episode, we

concluded Pontiac's War. After violently erupting across the West, the British had managed to calm

down the situation by reversing policies of the last few years. They promised to halt the

Westwood expansion and to restore trade and gift giving. They were forced into this

action largely due to events further east, namely a lack of money. Today we begin to get into all of that.

We'll start by returning to London.

Butte had fallen from power, and the new Prime Minister, George Grenville, was dealing with the John Wilkes scandal.

He had formed a triumvirate with Halifax and Egremont, who collectively shared responsibilities, but the ministry was unpopular.

In July 1763, word arrived of Pontiac's rebellion and the ever-worsening situation in North America.

Grenville recalled Amherst, but feared

his job. King George would have been happy to sack Grenville. The only thing holding him back

was a fear of making the crisis even worse. Grenville was relieved to survive a meeting on the 21st of August, but later that day,

he discovered that his Secretary of State for the Southern Department had just suffered a heart attack.

Later that day, Egremont died. George spent a week considering what to do.

He sought advice from Butte, considered bringing Pitt back into government, but Pitt's terms

included giving the treasury to Grenville's older brother, the Ill Temple.

This was unacceptable given Temple's involvement in the

John Wilkes scandal. George had no choice but to trust the incumbent, but the week's delay had shown

Grenville how little faith the king truly had in him. Another two weeks later, the reshuffle was complete.

Halifax was moved to the Southern Department, with John Montague, the Earl of Sandwich, taking the north.

Shelbourne was removed, and a protégé of Halifax, Will's Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough, was made president

to the Board of Trade. Bedford took the presidency of the Privy Council. Together, these men would

...