The French and Indian War

Read and Interpret A Cause of the War with Your Group

“By … the forts [the French] have already built, the British Plantations [settlements] are in a manner Surrounded by [French] Commerce with the numerous Nations of Indians…. [The French] may, when they please, send out such Bodys of Indians on the back [outskirts] of these Plantations as may greatly distress [threaten] his Majesty's Subjects here.”

— Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of Virginia

The Two SidesFrench and

Indians

British and their American Colonies

The “French and Indian War”, the colonial part of the “Seven Years War” that ravaged Europe from 1756 to 1763, was the bloodiest American war in the 1700’s. It took more lives than the American Revolution, involved people on three continents, including the Caribbean.

Causes 1. Competition over the Forks of the Ohio River 2. Conflict of interests in trade 3. Competition for the business of Native

Americans 4. Traditional conflict between French and British 5. Many wars back in Europe increase tensions

The French and Indians Take An Early Lead

British had more troops but French had stable forts along the rivers

British continue to use traditional fighting French and Native Americas use guerilla

warfare (huh?)

The Battle for Fort Necessity

July 9, 1755, 900 French and Native Americans surprised a force of nearly 1,500 British troops and 450 colonial militia armed citizens who

serve as soldiers during an emergency.

Battle of Fort Necessity

Fierce three-hour battle About a third of the British force was killed or

wounded British commander - General Edward Braddock

killed “We shall better know how to deal with them another

time” George Washington (young soldier under Braddock)

claimed the British ran away like “sheep running away from dogs”

The British Turn the Tide

With added money support the British begin to take the lead

Begin working to take fort by fort French begin to give up forts around the Great

Lakes and move back to New France The Iroquois shift their allegiance to the British

believing the French cause was hopeless

The Fall of Quebec

The British invaded New France and went for the capital at Quebec

General James Wolfe led about 9,000 British troops.

Marquis de Montcalm led 7,500 French troops

Quebec taken by British

Wolfe

Montcalm

How do the British win the war?

1. Parliament sent a whole lot of money to support the effort fearing the impact

on the empire if the French won 2. Better prepared, better led troops 3. Good strategy 4. Gain Iroquois as allies

The Treaty of Paris (1763)

France --> lost her Canadian possessions, most of her empire in India, and claims to lands east of the Mississippi River.

Spain --> got all French lands west of the Mississippi River, New Orleans, but lost Florida to England.

England --> got all French lands in Canada, exclusive rights to Caribbean slave trade, and commercial dominance in India.

North America in 1763

What changed?

Proclamation of 1763

Moved Georgia’s southern boundary to the St. Mary’s River

Forbade colonists to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains

Forced Creek and Cherokee to give up more land to the colony of Georgia increasing water access and farmland

Effects of War on Great Britain

1. It increased her colonial empire in the Americas.

2. It greatly enlarged England’s debt.

3. Britain’s contempt for the colonists created bitter feelings.

Effects of War on American Colonies

1. It united them against a common enemy for the first time.

2. It created bitter feelings towards the British that would only intensify.

3. The colonists can move further west because the French no longer occupy that territory

Effects on Georgia

1. Georgia settlers begin to move further west off the coast

2. Moves the southern border to the St. Mary’s river

3. Provide new water access for shipping

4. New farmland and forests for lumber