The French & Indian War

1. The French & Indian War DO NOW: Break up into 4 groups and answer one of the following questions; How did the French settlers differ from the British? Why were the French winning battles at the beginning of the war? Why did a rebellion begin with the Ottawa Tribe? How did it end? What problems stemmed from the war that led to tensions between the British and the colonists?

2. Rival Empires France was England’s biggest rival in the mid-18th century. Both countries raced to build a world empire, and one area in North America that was coveted was the Ohio River Valley. This valley was known for its fertile soil and river access, which was desirable for both the British and the colonist who wished to expand westward due to the population growth on the Atlantic coastline.

3. France’s North American Empire France first explored North America in 1534. The first permanent colony was settled in Quebec in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. The French Colony of New France did not grow as quickly as the British colonies. By 1754, the population of New France was only 70,000 which was small compared to the 1 million British colonists. In 1682, the entire Mississippi River Valley is claimed by Robert Cavelier and he names it Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV.

4. Differences Between French & British Settlers Typical French settlers were Catholic priests or missionaries and fur traders. Neither group had a desire to raise families or build towns. French developed friendly relationships with the natives since their trade relied heavily upon the Hurons, Ottawas, Ojibwas, and others to help them trap the fur bearing animals.

5. Tension Leads to Conflict In 1754, the continuous French-British conflict reignited when the French built Fort Duquesne in Pittsburg. The problem stemmed from the British slating this area for wealthy planters who were granted 20,000 acres by Virginia. What young, ambitious general led the Virginia militia to this fort to evacuate the French? George Washington, 22 years old, led these men and established Fort Necessity 40 miles from the French.

6. The French & Indian War May 1754, Washington’s militia attacked a small band of French soldiers. The French retaliated in July and forced Washington to surrender. These skirmishes were the beginning of the Seven Years’ War, a.k.a. French and Indian War.

7. French Success A year after Washington surrendered, he joined forces with British General Braddock who attacked Ft. Duquesne. The colonists began to doubt the superiority of the once invincible British army, and they would later use these same techniques to defeat them in the American Revolution! How was this attack thwarted by the French and Indian forces? The French used guerilla warfare tactics to ambush the formal British lines. Washington and his men stood brave, but the British fled. What impact did this have on how American colonist viewed the British?

8. William Pitt & The Iroquois William Pitt was placed in charge of the British forces in 1757 after an angry King George II selected new leaders. Pitt’s initial success led to the support of the fierce Iroquois tribe. This tipped the scales to the advantage of the British, and would even out the Native American support.

9. A Decisive Victory September 1759, General James Wolfe scaled the cliffs surrounding Quebec and caught the French Gen. Montcalm by surprise. The French & Indian War officially ended in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris. The treaty ceded all land east of the Mississippi to Britain, thus expanding the North American colonies by more than twice their original size!

10. The Ottawa Rebellion Native Americans of the Ohio River Valley were most impacted by the war. Chief Pontiac knew his people’s way of life was going to change since the British were claiming land ownership. He called together the Ottawa tribe and began capturing and laying siege to British forts. In 1763, Pontiac captured 8 forts and laid siege on 2 others.

11. Proclamation of 1763 Angry with the rebellion by the Ottawa tribe, British officers present small-pox infected blankets to Delaware chiefs during peace negotiations. This proclamation banned all settlement west of the Appalachians, but they did not enforce the law very well. The disease spread and weakened the natives and forced them into a speedy negotiation. The Proclamation of 1763 was drafted to avoid further land ownership conflicts with the tribes.

12. The Straining Relationship between Britain and the Colonies The Proclamation angered colonists because they felt it denied them expansion rights. Britain had doubled its national debt with their wars with France. The new Prime Minister, George Grenville, soon angered colonists. Massachusetts was cracked down on again, this time with customs officials having the right to search their premises. In 1764, he enacted the Sugar Act. This halved the duty on foreign-made molasses, place duties on certain imports, and strengthened the enforcement laws on smuggling.

13. Conclusions The French & Indian War impacted the colonists opinion of the British greatly. Their loyalties to the mother colony was backsliding due to seeing the weaknesses of Britain’s armies, dealing with the restrictive policies of the British officials, and finally being unfairly taxed. These feelings would soon boil over into outright rebellion. And soon enough, the Boston Harbor would be stained brown from a little party of men dressed up as Natives… expressing their dislike of Britain’s policies.

14. Reminders • Work on the review packet over the weekend. You should be able to complete all the short answer and get started on outlining the essay. • Leave the room better than you found it, and have a great day!