What did the Royal Proclamation do?

• A. It gave colonists permission to settle west of the boundary into First Nations land.
• B. It forbade colonists from going west across the boundary into First Nations territory to claim land.
• C. It required First Nations to relocate to Britain.
• D. It established a joint colonial government with First Nations.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how the Royal Proclamation shaped western expansion by drawing a boundary and protecting Indigenous lands. After Britain gained control of the former French territories, the proclamation aimed to stabilize the frontier and prevent conflict with First Nations. It established a line west of which land was reserved for Indigenous peoples, meaning colonists could not freely move west and claim land there without a treaty with those nations. This is why the answer notes that colonists were forbidden to cross into First Nations territory to claim land.

The proclamation did not order Indigenous peoples to relocate to Britain, nor did it create a joint colonial government with First Nations. Instead, it emphasized Crown-led negotiations for land transactions and laid groundwork for future treaty processes.