Transcript The French and Indian War (1754-63)

The French and Indian
War (1754-63)
The Final Colonial
War
England vs. France
• Both sought control of
Europe + commercial
supremacy
• Colonial wars part of larger
conflicts in Europe
• Fought mainly at sea & in
colonies
• Ohio Valley - main area of
conflict
Ohio Valley Claims
• English, French, & Indians
had competing land claims
in lands west of
Appalachians
• VA formed Ohio Co. &
speculated in land & fur
trade
– Competing w/ France for
Indian fur trade
• French built chain of forts
to halt English expansion extended into PA territory
French and Indian War
• VA colonial militia under Col.
George Washington sent to
evict French forces (1754)
• Built Fort Necessity near
strategic French Fort
Duquesne (Pittsburgh)
• Washington forced to
abandon Necessity facing
superior French troops
(7/4/1754)
• Indian support faded w/ loss
Albany Conference of 1754
• Delegates of 7 colonies met
w/ Iroquois chiefs to discuss
mutual defense
• Plan of colonial union
proposed by Franklin
• A Grand Council would
oversee defense, Indian
relations, trade, taxation &
westward expansion
• Would have a royally
appointed executive with veto
power
Albany Plan cont.
• 1st plan of Inter-Colonial
Union
• Albany Plan rejected by
colonies & Parliament
• England feared colonies
would become too strong
• Colonies refused to
surrender control over own
taxation
–Even in face of real
danger
Early British Failures
• Braddock underestimated
French & unfamiliar w/
wilderness warfare
• 1755 - French & Indians
ambushed Braddock’s force
of British & Colonial soldiers
near Ft. Duquesne
• 900 incl. Braddock die vs.
23 French - Washington
leads survivors home
• 1756 - Montcalm (FR)
invades NY
British Failures cont.
• Most British regulars
committed to European
fighting
• Bulk of early fighting done
by colonial militia
• Poorly coordinated - gave
French & Indian allies an
early advantage
• Only early British victory
was in Nova Scotia (1755) expelled the Acadians
French Advantage
• Anglo-Americans
outnumbered French forces
20:1 but were ill-trained
• Colonies resisted providing
more troops
• Most enlisted for short time
• French well-trained & led
• Fought hard
• Canadians recruited in
large numbers
The Tide Turns
• 1757 - English Prime
Minister William Pitt took
control of fighting forces
• Sent troops, able leaders &
supplies
• Greater support for war in
England & colonies
• Raised # of colonial troops
by promising that England
would pay for the war
• 21K colonial troops in 1758
British Offensives
• Led by British generals Jeffrey
Amherst & James Wolfe
• Amherst took Ft. Duquesne &
Louisbourg in 1758
– Louisbourg guards entrance to
St. Lawrence River
• Drive French from northern
NY & Lake Ontario region in
1759
British-American invasion of
Canada
• Turning point of the war
• 1759 - Wolfe captured
Quebec -Capital of New
France & a military
stronghold
–Decisive battle of the war
–Montcalm & Wolfe killed
• 1760 - Montreal fell,
effectively ending French
resistance
Map 5.1: The Seven Year’s War in
America
Treaty of Paris of 1763
• France cedes Canada to
England
• England gave French back
the islands of Guadaloupe &
Martinique + 1/2 of Hispanola
• France gave Spain New
Orleans & all land west of
Miss. River
• England kept Florida
• Havana & Manila returned to
Spain
• England took India
Map 5.2: European Powers in
North America 1763
Results and Consequences of
the War
For England:
• England dominant in N. Am.
• National debt in England
doubled as a result of the war
• Parliament looked to the
colonies for additional money
–Would begin to tax colonies
for the purpose of raising $
• Wanted Americans to pay 1/3
of cost of their defense
Results & Consequences
For the Colonies:
• French threat removed
–Colonists less dependent on
England for defense
• Valuable military
experience for soldiers
–Learned importance of unity
& cooperation
• Colonials resent change in
economic & trade policy
• English ideas, language, &
institutions survive
Residual Friction
• Colonists resented lack of
credit given to militias
• British officers complained
about quality of militia men &
lack of civilian support
–e.g. supplying food &
shelter
• Colonist resented arrogance
of British officers
• British citizens resented
higher taxes to pay for war
–Pitt promised to cover cost
Residual Friction
• Colonial expansion into
west angered Indians
• Some (e.g. Pontiac) led
anti-British movements
• Attacked frontier forts
–Fighting cost England $
• Indians eventually make
peace
• Brit govt. issued
Proclamation of 1763 to
appease Indians
Proclamation of 1763
• England took control of
western lands
–Settlement, trade, etc
• Goal - organize expansion
• Recognized Indian claims
west of proclamation line
• Colonist thought they needed
western land to prosper
• Saw British troops who
enforced Proc. Line as
hindering needed expansion
Colonial Allegiance Tied To Events In England
English Civil
War - 1642
Stuart
Restoration - 1660
Imperial Control
Relative
Colonial Autonomy
Restoration Colonies
Navigation Acts - 1660’s
Dominion of New England
1686-89
Edmund Andros
Colonial
King William’s War - 1689-97
Resistance
Glorious Revolution
Queen Anne’s
1689 War - 1701-13
End of
Dominion
Protestant Monarchy
King George’s War - 1744-48
Increased Colonial
English Military
Satisfaction with &
Assistance in
Reliance on England
Colonial Wars