XVII. French & Indian War

1. A. Great War for Empire, French & Indian or Seven Years War 1. involved almost every section of globe a. Europe, Africa, Asia, & America. b. English allied to Prussians c. French allied to Austria and Spain. 2. Started in North America a. By middle of 1700s English expansion ran into French i. 1740s Pennsylvania fur traders set up posts up Ohio R. ii. George Croghan traded with Miami & Huron iii. 1748 built fort Pickawillany in Western Ohio iv. Virginia land speculators , Ohio Co. & Loyal Land Co. a. tried to sell land to settlers in Ohio Valley. b. French retaliated, attacked fort & ran off English c. French built more forts from Lake Erie along Penn. line 3. Pennsylvania chose to ignore action 4. Lt. Gov. Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia, investor in Ohio Co. a. dispatched young surveyor, warn French XVII. French & Indian War

2. i. George Washington went to Fort Le Boeuf 1753 ii. returned rebuffed by French, wanted all Ohio Valley b. Dinwiddie promoted Washington to lieutenant colonel i. gave him 150 men to take fort at three rivers. ii. Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers make the Ohio c. Washington inexperience and ill equipped i. out numbered four to one ii. surprised a French reconnaissance party iii. defeated small force but whole French army came iv. withdrew, built Fort Necessity as defensive position v. French surrounded him vi. French tricked Washington to sign a confession vii. claimed Washington murdered French officer. viii. let Washington and men leave. ix. Washington returns a hero as first one to fight French B. English had the advantage 1. over 1.5 million English to 90,000 French = 16 to 1 2. English disorganized and divided

3. 3. French disciplined and united. 4. Most Indians join with French. 5. English tried to convince Iroquois to help them. a. one of six nations, Seneca fought against English b. most Iroquois remain neutral until the end of the war c. Delaware a peaceful tribe turn against English C. English Crown could not allow local authorities to run war 1. mismanaged the war, stumbling from defeat to defeat 2. 1755 General Edward Braddock took charge a. 1,400 redcoats and militia marched on Fort Duquesne b. French ambush and kill General c. Washington took control & rescued 500 men back 3. 1756 war starts in Europe 4. King George II appoints William Pitt minister

4. a. Pitt puts all of British forces and treasury into fight b. Pitt cuts off communication between France & Canada c. Pitt promoted young talented men over influential i. started winning for first time d. Gen. James Wolfe takes Quebec i. 5,000 men scaled rocky cliff surprised French ii. 9/17/1759 on Plains of Abraham defeated French D. Spanish tried to stop British advances 1. British captured Manila and Cuba in 1762. 2. British take French Sugar Islands of West Indies. 3. British forces in India defeat French outposts there. E. Treaty of Paris 1763 1. Victory so decisive French forced out 2. French keep only two small islands on St. Lawrence River 3. British take Canada and eastern half of Mississippi Valley 4. French keep colonies in West Indies, India and Africa 5. Spain given French claims west of Miss. R. & New Orleans 6. Spain gets a separate treaty to keep Philippines & Cuba

5. a. they give up East and West Florida b. but regain it again in 1783 after the Revolution F. Social and economic effects of the war 1. economy highly inflated, high demand for most goods 2. Almost all production geared towards war effort 3. many merchants became privateers 4. 1/3 rd able bodied men in colonies died in conflict. 5. increased amount of widows and orphans 6. small depression follows war 7. large army without a job, a threat to the peace 8. large war debt. a. colonies forced to sell bonds b. English treasury depleted and needed to raise taxes 9. England would not bear burden of defending colonies alone a. 10,000 regulars left in Canada to police area b. this expense could not come from England c. English people taxed far more than Americans G. Social unrest & Economic Depression led to Revolution