The French and Indian War

The French and Indian War “The War for North America”

North America – 1750

French Canada, Mississippi River Valley Here for: Fur Trade Overall good relationship with Indians Essential for fur trade Population of New France in 1750: 55,009 Trading posts Few cities Capital city, Quebec, had 8,000 people English Atlantic Coast Here for: Land, Colonization Overall shaky relationship with Natives Not necessary for obtaining land Population of English Colonies in 1750: 1.5 million 3 cities over 10,000 Philadelphia Boston New York French vs. English

Bad Blood • The French and English rivalry for North America had lasted over 80 years • King Williams War (1689-1697) • Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) • King George’s War (1739-1748) • Both saw North America as essential to their empire

French and Indian War • Colonial part of the “Seven Years War” • Would become Global conflict • Fighting lasted from 1754-1763 • Bloodiest American war in the 1700’s • It took more lives than the Revolutionary War • Its affects would lead to the American Revolution

Causes of Conflict • Both the English and French wanted control of the Ohio River Valley, and both felt that it was rightfully theirs • British wanted more land to expand their colonies westward • Believed their land claims stretched from sea to sea • French wanted control of Ohio River for transportation, trade & to prevent British encroachment • French had claimed the Mississippi River Valley, including Ohio River

The Forks of the Ohio • In 1752, some Virginians make a treaty with the Mingo chief “Half-King” for the rights to build a fort at the forks of the Ohio • Present-day Pittsburg • Began building one year later • The following year the French push the British off that land • The Half King saw this as an insult • The French build Fort Duquesne at the Forks in 1754

Meanwhile in Albany… • England knew that a war might be inevitable and suggested the colonies form an alliance with the Iroquois and unite for their own protection • In June 1754 delegates from most of the northern colonies and representatives from the Six Iroquois Nations met in Albany, New York • Pennsylvania delegate Benjamin Franklin drafted the Albany Plan of Union • Attempt to Unite Colonies and ally with Iroquois • Modeled after the Iroquois League • Under this plan each colonial legislature would elect delegates to an American continental assembly presided over by a royal governor • Franklin anticipated many of the problems that would beset the government created after independence, such as finance, dealing with the Indian tribes, control of trade, and defense.

Albany Plan of Union • The plan failed to achieve either of its goals • An alliance was rejected by the Iroquois • The plan of Union was rejected by England, Colonies • British officials realized that, if adopted, the plan could create a very powerful government that His Majesty's Government might not be able to control • The plan was rejected by the Crown and by the legislatures in several of the colonies

George Washington • In 1754, George Washington, 22, was sent to the Ohio Country to take Fort Duquesne and drive out the French • hoped to convince native people that England was the stronger force, so that they would ally with the British • He joined forces with the Half King and his warriors • Stumbled upon a small encampment of French soldiers • Washington attacked • After forcing surrender, the Half King tomahawked the French Commander • This breach of military conduct would enrage the French • Washington quickly built Fort Necessity nearby Washington in his Virginia Militia uniform

Battle of Great Meadows (Fort Necessity) • July 3, 1754 • A combined force of 600 French soldiers and 100 native allies overwhelmed Fort Necessity, marking the start of the French and Indian War • French had allied with the Algonquin and Huron tribes • Fort Necessity was built hastily and poorly planned • In a valley • Too near the surrounding forest • After a full day of battle in the rain, and 100 casualties, Washington agreed to the French terms of surrender • permitted Washington and his men to return to Virginia safely • they would not build another fort west of the Appalachian Mts. for at least a year • Placed blame on Washington for the tomahawking of the French commander • This was the first and only surrender of George Washington’s military career

Battle of the Monongahela • In July 1755 British general Edward Braddock (aided by Washington) and other colonial militia again tried to take Fort Duquesne • Marched 1500 soldiers, cannon, etc. 110 miles from Maryland through Pennsylvania • British were ambushed by 900 French and Indian warriors a few miles south of the fort • Utilized Indian tactics, where as the British fought in the European style • Huge defeat for the British (over 800 killed compared to 30 French/Indian) • Braddock killed • George Washington would prove heroic • he had two horses shot out from under him, and four bullets pierced his coat—yet, he sustained no injuries and showed coolness under fire. • After news of debacle reached London, Britain would formally declare war on France in 1756

Battle of the Monongahela The Shooting of General Braddock at Fort Duquesne by Edwin Deming

The Ragin’ Cajuns • The lone British Victory was at the Battle of Fort Beauséjour in June 1755 where British troops took control of Nova Scotia • Mostly New England militia • Fearing that the French residents would overpower them, the British forced them from their homes • First modern deportation of an entire people • Made their way to Louisiana, becoming known as Cajuns • The word Cajun come from “Acadian”

French Dominance • For the first three years of the war, the outnumbered French dominated the battlefield defeating the British at • Fort Oswego • Fort William Henry • Fort Ticonderoga.

French DominanceBattle of Fort William Henry • Perhaps the most notorious battle of the war was the French victory at Fort William Henry in 1757 (New York) • French laid siege to the Fort • Siege – the surrounding of a location, not letting anyone in or out • British general Daniel Webb surrendered under the terms that the 3,000 soldiers and civilians be allowed to leave the fort peacefully • After the British withdrawal, French-aligned Native Americans attacked and killed 300+ British men, women, children • The events of the battle were depicted in the 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans by James Fennimore Cooper

The tide turns… • The tide turned for the British in 1758, as they began to make peace with important Indian allies like the Iroquois • Under the new direction of Prime Minister Lord William Pitt, Britain began working more closely with colonial forces and adapting their war strategies to fit the territory and landscape of the American frontier. • Promised that Britain would reimburse colonial expenses • The French were also slowly abandoned by many of their Indian allies • War aims begin to change • More of a battle for North America than simply the Ohio Country

Britain takes control of the St. Lawrence River • July 1758, 14,000 British forces surrounded and captured the French fort in Louisbourg • in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the mouth of the French supply line • The British, under general Wolfe, moved up the St. Lawrence to Quebec • September 1759, A British scout discovered a hidden path that led up the cliffs to a lightly defended part of the French Capital City • During the night, thousands of troops slipped up the path and past the French guards to the Plains of Abraham, a wide open space outside the city of Quebec. French troops under general Montcalm awakened the next morning to find line after line of British troops waiting for them. • The battle raged for less than an hour and finally ended with the French surrender. Both Wolfe and Montcalm died soon after from injuries sustained in the battle. French General Montcalm enters Quebec mortally-wounded

Montreal • One year later, on September 6, 1760 Britain would descend on Montreal • After only a 3 day siege, the 2,000+ French soldiers would surrender the city to the British (17,000 British and 700 Iroquois) • Exhausted by years of battle, outnumbered and outgunned by the British, the French collapsed, climaxing with the defeats of Quebec and Montreal. • By September 1760, the British controlled all major French cities in North America; the war between the two countries was effectively over.

Treaty of Paris 1763 • The Treaty of Paris officially ended the French and Indian War. • The British gained control over the area west of the 13 British Colonies all the way to the Mississippi River • The French agreed to give up any colonies in North America, including all of Canada. • Since Spain had helped the French (1762), the Spanish were also forced to give up Florida • the Spanish still held their territory west of the Mississippi River and in Central and South America.

North America 1763:

Lasting effects • The results of the war effectively ended French influence in North America. • England gained massive amounts of land and vastly strengthened its hold on the continent. • It hurt relationships between the English and Native Americans • The effects of the War played a major role in the worsening relationship between England and its colonies that eventually led into the Revolutionary War • The costs of the war would lead to Britain's taxation of the colonies • Some colonial soldiers would harbor bitterness towards the British army • Mockery • Discipline

The Aftermath… • After the treaty of Paris, Britain replaced France as the major European power in the Ohio country • Unlike the French, the British wanted to build settlements on the land, bringing many new colonists to the region • This caused new problems with the Native Americans in the area

Pontiac’s Rebellion • Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe united the Huron, Miami, Delaware, and Shawnee tribes against the expanding British • In May 1763 Pontiac and his forces began the attack on Fort Detroit • Pontiac’s allies destroyed or captured 9 forts in the Great Lakes area in one month’s time

The End of Pontiac’s Rebellion • After attacking Fort Detroit for nearly 6 months and without much success, Pontiac’s forces grew tired and returned to their villages • More native warriors began leaving Pontiac as the British were more and more successful at resisting attacks. (i.e. Fort Pitt) • Pontiac finally surrendered and made peace with the English in 1766 Fort Detroit, mid 1700’s Chief Pontiac

Proclamation of 1763 • With battles erupting in the Ohio Country between British and Pontiac’s natives, King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 • This banned colonists from settling west of the Appalachians • Ordered colonists to remove themselves from existing western settlements

Proclamation of 1763 • Upset colonists • Felt that they had just fought a war for this land, and they should be able to settle it • Felt that King George had no business meddling in Colonial Affairs • Settlers continued to move west, angering native groups • This proclamation proved difficult to enforce • The colonists’ disregard for the proclamation displayed their continued dissatisfaction with British control.

Moving West • Daniel Boone discovered the Cumberland Gap in 1769 • A path through the Appalachians • Just north of the junction of the present day states of KY, TN, and VA • Boone and others would continue to move west and lead other settlers into the Ohio Country Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Cumberland Gap (George Caleb Bingham, 1852)

The French and Indian War