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The French and Indian War
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Europe and their colonies became breeding
grounds for a series of wars.
King William’s War (1689-1697)
Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)
King George’s War (1744-1748)
The French and Indian War (1754-1763)
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The first war in colonial America between
France and England where the countries
fought for supremacy.
Each country wanted to control the fur trade.
In Europe, the British fought against French
expansion under Louis XIV.
The French mostly won the war, but the
treaty of Ryswick in 1697 returned territorial
holdings back to what they were during the
war.
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In the colonies, the British fought the French in
the North and the Spanish in the South.
The war in Europe was over who would succeed
to the Spanish throne (someone from either
France or Austria).
The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 gave the British
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and trading posts
along Hudson Bay – but boundaries are not
clearly defined.
The French keep a few islands in the Saint
Lawrence area and off the coast of Nova Scotia.
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The French attacked first and destroyed a British
stronghold.
New Englanders detested the French because of
Louisbourg being so close by and it being a French
Privateer base.
The New Englanders also disliked the French because
the French were Catholics.
The Colonists and the British take Louisbourg, but
they later give it back in return for the part of India
that France controlled.
The costs of war were high on both sides for the
French, British, Colonists, and their Native American
allies.
In Europe, the war was over who would succeed to the
Austrian throne.
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The previous wars served to antagonize and
cause immense hatred for each other when it
comes to the Brits and the French.
Unlike the other wars, the French and Indian
War is not a sideshow to what is happening in
Europe – but it is a significant showdown
between France and Great Britain for who has
supremacy of North America.
This war starts 2 years before it’s European
counterpart- the Seven Years’ War
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The Ohio River Valley
becomes important for
France and Britain to
control.
France wants the Ohio
River Valley because they
can go from Lake Ontario
to the Ohio River to the
Mississippi River, so that
France can travel easily
throughout their North
American empire from
Canada to Louisiana.
Ohio River
Valley
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The British had fur traders and
land speculators who wanted to
make money in the Ohio River
Valley.
There were also Colonists who
wanted more land and new
places to settle.
The French became worried
about British encroaching on
what they think is “their”
territory.
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The British government saw that there was
an impending doom of war on the horizon
with the French being wary of Britain
encroaching.
Britain attempted to have the colonies unite
together for a common cause.
The British also wanted the colonists to have
an alliance with the Iroquois because they
controlled the part of New York that was
between the French and the Ohio River
Valley.
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7 Colonies sent representatives to the Albany
Conference to meet with 150 Iroquois leaders
in 1754.
The Iroquois decided to remain neutral and
not side with Britain or France.
The colonies decided they needed one
supreme commanders of all British troops in
the colony that was to be chosen by Britain.
The conference had a few committees, and
one of those committees was led by
Benjamin Franklin.
 Franklin thought that the colonies should
unite to form a federal government.
 The Albany Plan of Union was rejected.
 The significance of the Albany Plan
is that is one of the first efforts of
colonial leaders trying to band the
colonies together for
common defense.
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New France’s governor
Marquis Duquesne
responded to British interest
in the Ohio River Valley by
having a series of forts built
from Lake Ontario to the
Ohio River.
He intended to expel the
British from the area and
have complete control over
the Ohio River Valley.
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The British respond by building a few forts,
and the government allows for the Ohio
Company to set up fur trading bases.
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Virginia’s Governor Dinwiddie
ordered a fort to be built in
western Pennsylvania, but the
French take the unfinished fort
and build Fort Duquesne instead.
Governor Dinwiddie is outraged
and calls upon an officer from
the Virginia militia who is in his
early 20s to help get rid of the
French nuisance.
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1754, Washington and the troops
he raised march on to the Ohio
River Valley from Virginia.
Washington and his men fight
against the French in the Great
Meadows area (in Pennsylvania).
The French forces are reinforced
with men from Fort Duquesne.
What does Washington do now?
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Washington and his men build a stockade
called Fort Necessity to protect themselves
from the French onslaught.
Fort Necessity only lasted about a month’s
time, and Washington had to surrender
because his troops were lacking in
ammunition and Fort Necessity was ill-placed
from a defensive standpoint.
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The French are not expelled from the Ohio
River Valley and instead continue to control
it.
Governor Dinwiddie blames the loss on lack
of colonial cohesion and aid to expel the
French.
Great Britain will try several times to expel the
French and take Fort Duquesne.
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General Edward Braddock
becomes the commander in
chief of the British forces in
America.
He arrives in Virginia in 1755
with 1,440 men.
He chooses Lieutenant Colonel
George Washington to be his
aide.
He intends to take Fort
Duquesne.
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Braddock underestimated the French and
their Native American allies when he marched
on Fort Duquesne.
General Braddock and his forces are
ambushed, and Braddock is killed in battle.
While Braddock had spoken highly of his
troops being well-trained and disciplined, the
troops are actually inexperienced and losing
Braddock threw the troops into chaos.
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Washington steps up from his aide position to
lead Braddock’s troops.
While Washington cannot work miracles, he does
save the British from being completely
decimated.
He and his troops retreat.
Significance of this Failure: The British showed
signs of weakness, and Native American groups
like the Delaware started attacking British settlers
who were in Delaware territory.
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Prime Minister Pitt was a man on
a mission, and he intended to
take France for all they were
worth.
He gambled to use most of
Britain’s soldiers, naval fleet, and
resources on taking France’s
territory in North America and
India instead of attacking France
and her allies directly in Europe
during the Seven Years’ War.
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Pitt’s gamble works.
He cuts New France off from getting supplies
and reinforcement soldiers from France.
The ‘neutral’ Iroquois realized that Great
Britain would win the war and they persuaded
the Delaware Native Americans to stop
attacking the settlers.
New France became isolated without the help
from their Native American allies or France.
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Since Braddock had of course died, he needed
to be replaced if the British were going to
continue winning the French and Indian War.
General John Forbes takes over, and he
attacks Fort Duquesne.
The British finally succeed…sort of.
The French burned the fort down and
retreated.
The British build Fort Pitt on top of the
remains of Fort Duquesne – and it is now
modern day Pittsburgh.
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General James Wolfe and his men sail up the
Saint Lawrence River and then march on
towards Quebec.
French General Louis Joseph Montcalm spies
Wolfe’s men and attacks.
1759 General Wolfe captures Quebec, but at
the cost of his life.
General Montcalm dies as well during the
battle.
The British victory at Quebec was the turning
point of the war.
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Spain enters the war in 1761 on France’s
behalf.
Britain took the opportunity to strike back at
the Spanish.
Spain was in decline and its colonies were far
flung and not well protected.
Britain easily took control of Spain’s colonies
in Cuba and the Philippines.
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The Treaty of Paris 1763 ended the French and
Indian War after 9 years.
After the war and treaty were signed,
◦ France only controls a few islands in Canada
◦ France gives New France and the part of Louisiana that is
East of the Mississippi to the British (except for New
Orleans)
◦ Spain gives Britain Florida in exchange for Cuba and
Philippines
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France gives Spain control of New Orleans and all
of Louisiana west of the Mississippi in a separate
treaty.