King George III’s “Instructions to all the Governours of his Provinces in America” Broadside, 1763

We are pleased to announce our new rotating exhibit, Road to Revolution!
The exhibit features a selection of records that document major milestones in the journey from colonial resistance to American independence and the experiences of the nation's founding generation. The Road to Revolution exhibition is part of #Declaration250, the National Archives’ celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial in 2026 (‪@America250‬).
The exhibit’s first selection of records, Roots of Rebellion, focuses on the legacy of the Seven Years’ War, a conflict that connects to the American Revolution.
To quell unrest between the colonists and Native American tribes, King George III issued a royal proclamation on October 7, 1763, that forbade colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains. Three months earlier, royal Indian Agent John Stuart sent the Broadside of King George III’s “Instructions to all the Governours of his Provinces in America” to the Cherokee informing them of the King's intentions to protect "Indians in their just rights and possessions."
The proclamation line was difficult to enforce and did little to halt colonists from settling on tribal lands.
Follow along with #ArchivesRoadToRevolution and #Declaration250.
Road to Revolution is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of Comcast Corporation and Microsoft Corporation.
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📸: Broadside of King George III’s “Instructions to all the Governours of his Provinces in America.” July 4, 1763.
Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention
📸: Kitchin, Thomas, -1784, and Andrew Millar. A new and accurate map of the British dominions in America, according to the treaty of ; divided into the several provinces and jurisdiction, Projected upon the best authorities and astronomical observations. [London Printed for Andrew Millar, 1763] Map. www.loc.gov/it.... Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.
📸: Map of the British Colonies in the Year 1765
Records of the National Archives and Records Administration