Chapter 6 – Unit 1688-1763 – Four “world” wars New World involved in each Set the stage for American Independence

France finds a foothold in Canada: 1598 – Edict of Nantes – limited toleration of French Huguenots (Protestants) – but they were not allowed to go to New World 1608 – Samuel de Champlain – “Father of New France – he established Quebec (“New France”)

Huron Indian alliance with France (against the Iroquois Confederacy Intermarried with Indians – traded beaver fur with them Settled along the St. Lawrence River Autocratic government – no elected assemblies like the British colonies Slow population growth – only 60,000 by 1750 – therefore not a threat to Indian land like the British

Coureurs de bois – “Runners of the Woods” – French frontiersmen Jesuits – French Catholic missionaries French explorers: Antoine Cadillac – 1701, Detroit Robert de La Salle – 1682, Mississippi to Louisiana New Orleans, 1718 Blocks the Spanish; mouth of the Mississippi River; strategic location

The Clash of Empires King William’s War (1689-1697) and Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) British colonists vs. coureurs de bois (French frontiersmen) Primitive guerrilla warfare French & Indians were allies

Treaty of Utrecht - 1713

Now comes the BIG war! War of Jenkin’s Ear – (becomes King George’s War) British vs. Spanish (with help of France) British won – peace treaty in 1748 returned Louisbourg to France (New England colonists were outraged at the crown for this! Now comes the BIG war!

French and Indian War French and Indians vs. British (colonists) – yes, the colonists are still British at this point! The Ohio River Valley is a hot item! Everyone wants it. Why? English encroachment disrupts French-Indian fur trade networks British colonists want to move west; 1749 British speculators laid “legal” claim to 500,000 acres

The French want to link Canada with its Mississippi holdings. Built Ft. Dusquesne at Ohio & Allegheny Rivers Both sides also want the very fertile land there and the link to the Mississippi River for trade.

George Washington Starts the War! 1754 Lt. Col. Washington sent to secure VA claim to land at Ft. Dusquesne Virginians fire first and French retreat (that is after all, what they do best) At Fort Necessity – the French return and Washington is forced to surrender his entire command (July 4, 1754)

French and Indian War 1st Anglo-French war started in New World Started with George Washington - 1754 Became Europe’s Seven Years’ War Britain & Prussia VS. France, Spain, Austria & Russia Fought on 7 seas “(French) America was conquered in Germany” -William Pitt

1754 – Albany Congress Ben Franklin’s idea – “Join or Die” Attempt at inter-colonial unity – unsuccessful because colonies didn’t want to give up individual power to a central authority

General “Bulldog” Braddock 1755 – Braddock had 2,000 men at Ft. Duquesne French and Indians killed him & destroyed his forces (guerilla warfare) George Washington was Braddock’s aide – he had 2 horses shot out from under him, and 4 bullets pierced his coat; he is left with 300 men to defend the “scorched frontier” from Indian raids 1756 British launch full invasion of Canada, but British don’t attack main forts at Quebec & Montreal, which would have cut off supplies to other outposts

William Pitt – “Great Commoner” & “Organizer of Victory” 1757 Concentrated on Quebec-Montreal area 1758 – Ft. Louisbourg fell after siege Quebec - 1759 – French defeated and Montreal fell in 1760 France lost all power in the New World!

Treaty of Paris - 1763 French kept sugar islands in the West Indies French ceded Mississippi-Louisiana area to Spain Spain exchanged Florida for Cuba with British British dominant in North America & in the oceans

Restless Colonists – Results of the F & I War Colonists – increased confidence & military strength – (20,000 American recruits in military Shattered myth of British invincibility Friction between British and Americans: British refused to recognize militia commissions above captain (G. Washington) New spirit of independence among colonists

Another result of F & I War: Pontiac’s Rebellion Indians want to keep British out of Ohio country (1763) British don’t want to pay to keep colonists safe out there, but the colonists are land hungry Proclamation Line of 1763: Colonists can’t settle west of the Appalachian mountains!