The French and Indian War

and its connection to European expansion in the Americas

Background Information1750s - France was Great Britain’s biggest rival when

it came to building a global empire

The French were not interested in creating settlements on their territory - they wanted furs and economic gains Native American tribes typically trapped the beavers and

traded the furs to the French for guns, hatchets, blankets, mirrors and lead

Because of their economic co-dependence, the Native Americans and French developed military alliances

Causes of the French & Indian

War

Look at the map and describe possible

causes of the French & Indian War.

Competing European ClaimsFrance and England

had competing claims for land in North America.

The French held trapping and trade routes in the Ohio Valley.

The English colonies were moving in on French territory as the population grew.

Competed over trade issues with the Native Americans in the disputed region.

European Claims in 1754

The Albany Congress

1754 - war was inevitable.

The colonies sent delegates to Albany to discuss strategy for common defense.

Approved a plan written by Benjamin Franklin A council would be made of elected

representatives from each colony and headed by a President-General appointed by the crown.

The colonies themselves did not support and it is unlikely that the British government would have supported the plan.

"Join or Die" (1754) published by Franklin is considered the first political

cartoon of the colonies.

Build-Up to the War

The French set up forts in Ohio River valley to protect their fur trading interests.

Some of these forts conflicted with English claims.

1753 - Virginia Governor sent a young George Washington to deliver a protest to the French. This protest was ignored.

The British sent a militia to construct a fort on the site of modern Pittsburg.

Young George Washington

War BeginsThe militia, led by Washington, established Fort

Necessity 60 miles from Fort Duquesne (French)

Washington’s militia attacked a small group of French soldiers and took some prisoners

However, the French retaliated on a much larger scale - Washington was forced to surrender

British Response June 1755: British General Braddock sets

out from VA with about 1,400 red-coated British troops and a some colonial militias to attack Fort Duquesne.

Braddock’s army took several weeks to trek through dense forest to Ft. Duquesne They marched in columns and rows, and took

time out everyday to sit and have tea

Washington tried to suggest changing their fighting tactics so they would not be as easily defeated – Braddock refused

The British force was defeated by the smaller French force and their Native American allies.

Both Braddock, and the French commander Beaujeu, were killed.

Pitt as Prime Minister 1757- William Pitt became the

British Prime Minister and vowed to lead country to victory

Pitt concentrated on: expelling the French from

North America buying the cooperation by the

colonists by stimulating the economy with a massive infusion of British currency

buying the support of the Native Americans with promises of fixed territorial boundaries.

The Battle of Quebec September 1759: British general James Wolfe finds a way to

attack the capital of New France: Quebec Perched high on a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River the

capital was thought of as impossible to attack

A scout for Wolfe found a poorly guarded path up the back of the cliff

Wolfe’s soldiers overwhelmed the guards on the path and scrambled up it at night

Waited outside the Fort on a field called the Plains of Abraham Here they surprised and defeated the French Army

Wolfe died in the battle

Alliance with the NativesTreaty of Easton

1758: The Treaty of Easton sealed France’s fate

British promised the Natives they would stop settling west of the Allegheny Mountains in exchange for Natives’ neutrality in the war.

French abandoned Fort Duquesne

1760 - Detroit and Montreal (the last two French strongholds in North America) had fallen.

The Treaty of Paris1763 - Treaty of

Paris ended the French and Indian War.

Spain gained all French land west of the Mississippi River

England gained all land east of the Mississippi River

Effects of the WarProclamation of 1763

Reserved British land west of the Appalachian Mountains for Native Americans

Gave British officials control of westward migration

Slowed movement out of cities that were centers of trade and prosperity

Effects on Native Americans

Weakened by war

British felt the Iroquois did not fully support them and no longer felt friendly toward them.

Proclamation of 1763 actually took native lands.

Settlers often ignored the Proclamation.