What proclamation did King George III issue in 1763 to prevent colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains?

• A. The Proclamation of 1763
• B. The Treaty of Paris
• C. The Homestead Act
• D. The Quartering Act

Answer: (A)

King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763, drawing a boundary along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains and forbidding colonial settlement west of that line. The aim was to reduce frontier conflicts with Native Americans after the French and Indian War and to keep the new western lands under clearer imperial control. This proclamation reflected Britain’s attempt to manage expansion and maintain peace on the frontier. The other options don’t fit: the Treaty of Paris ended the war and set territorial claims, but it wasn’t a settlement-restraining proclamation; the Homestead Act came long after and opened western lands for settlers; the Quartering Act dealt with housing soldiers, not drawing a western boundary.