The French and Indian War

1. The French and Indian War Another Step in the Duel for North America

3. THESIS: • The French and Indian War was the major turning point in American colonial relations with the mother country Britain.

4. Background: King William’s War 1689-1697 • British fought the French and Indian Allies • Indian raids against Deerfield and Schenectady • British gained Port Royal but returned it in peace negotiations • British failed to conquer Quebec King William III of England

5. Attack scene at Deerfield Massachusetts

6. Background: Queen Anne’s War 1702-1713 • British fought against France, Spain and Native Americans • English failed to take Montreal and Quebec • Peace of Utrecht: England gained Acadia, Newfoundland, and trade rights in Spanish America Queen Anne of England

8. Background: The War of Jenkins Ear and King George’s War • English versus the French and Spanish • New Englanders under Mass. governor William Shirely invaded New France and captured Louisbourg- an important seaway fort • Louisbourg was given back to France in the 1748 Treaty King George II of England

10. The Iroquois: Pawns in the Game of Empire • They held the strategic position between New France and the British colonies • British tended to be more arrogant toward natives and French constructed military alliances with Indians to hold off British expansion • British goods were better, cheaper and more available due to British naval control

12. The War Begins: Fort Duquesne • Fort Duquesne was built to stem British expansion into the Ohio River Valley • Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie sent Washington to evict the French • Washington attacked an advance patrol, reinforcements and natives counterattack and defeat him at Fort Necessity Model of Fort Duquesne

13. Albany Plan of Union 1754

16. General Braddock • British sent large numbers of troops to the colonies, displaced the Acadians from Nova Scotia • With 2200 men, Braddock set out to avenge Washington’s defeat General Braddock

18. Braddock Defeated • Braddock was ambushed by Native Americans and French, suffering 1000 casualties • Washington directed the retreat and revived his military career

19. Engraving of the defeat of Braddock

20. Washington leading the retreat

21. Impact of Braddock’s defeat • Native American on the frontier were emboldened • French and Natives go on the offensive but French general Montcalm began alienating the Indians • French eventually “write off” Canada after poor harvests and numerical inferiority • French eventually destroy Duquense and flee, the British rebuild it as Fort Pitt 1758

22. Washington raising the flag at Fort Pitt

23. Prime Minister William Pitt • By changing generals and strategy: (focus on capturing strongholds: Quebec, Montreal, Louisbourg, not all of New France) he was the “organizer of victory” • 1758 General Amherst captured Louisbourg William Pitt

24. General Wolfe General Montcalm

25. Battle for Quebec 1759 • General Wolfe scaled the cliffs outside the city to reach the Plains of Abraham • Montcalm comes out of the fort for the first conventional battle in the New World • Both generals die as a result of the Battle, and Quebec falls to the British

26. British Landing at Quebec

28. The Death of General Wolfe: painting

29. The End of the War • In a three pronged attack, the British attack and defeat Montreal 1760 • 1762: Spain joins the war, hoping to limit the gains of the British, they too are defeated • 1763: Treaty of Paris • France gave Louisiana to Spain • Spain gave Florida to British • West Indies colonies were returned to original colonizers

30. Indian Rebellions • Cherokee on the N.Carolina frontier • Great Lakes and Ohio Valley forts were captured by Indians (except Detroit, Niagara, and Pitt) • Pontiac was blamed for “organizing” the native revolts. Most acted in their own interest

31. The Paxton Boys 1764

32. Paradoxical Victory • British helped train the “enemy”: Colonists that would eventually lead and fight in the Continental army (colonists lost some confidence in the British military too) • Pontiac’s rebellion and the Proclamation Line created tension between Britain and colonists • Large military presence in America concerned the colonists: What was the real purpose? • Costliness of the war led England to reconsider policy of salutary neglect, lax enforcement of Navigation Laws

33. More Paradoxes • The “Attitude” problem: British were arrogant toward colonials, some colonies traded with France and had to be bribed to fight • Growing strength of population and economy made the colonists more politically assertive • Colonies gain a sense of unity- they felt they were the “cutting edge” of the empire • Removal of the French “threat” gave colonists the chance to pursue more independent policies

34. Symbols and Images • Reflections of colonial efforts • French: Coureur de bois and jesuit priests • Spanish Conquistador • English Puritan or Virginia planter • Pontiac, Hurons, Iroquois- pawns • Washington- symbol of the double role of American and British subject (colonists were frustrated by “2nd class” role/status • French and Indian War: A Cause of the Revolution??