THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR In the French and Indian War, the British, French, and Native Americans fought for control of a large part of North America.

CONFLICTS OVER LAND The first English colonists in North America built small settlements along the Atlantic coast. The settlers wanted more land to build towns & farms, so they began to move west. The Native Americans were not happy!!

KING PHILLIP’S WAR The conflict over land led to war in New England in 1675. Metacom was the son of Massasoit (Wampanoag) and he began to battle the settlers, wanting to force them out. The English called him “King Phillip“ and the war became known as “King Phillip’s War.” Metacom was killed within a year, & the English controlled most of New England.

MOVING WEST Settlers continued moving west in the 1700s. Land along the Atlantic coast became expensive, so people began moving into “backcountry”, near the Appalachian Mountains. They built cabins, hunted, and had small farms.

THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY By the mid 1700s, settlers were moving even farther west. ~ They crossed the Appalachians & entered the Ohio River Valley. This area had rich forests & fertile land. But EVERYONE wanted to claim it…the French, the Native Americans, and George Washington!!

THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY Remember that when LaSalle explored the Mississippi, he claimed the region (and its tributaries) as French. Well, the Ohio River is a tributary of the Mississippi River! So the French began building forts to defend this area.

ENGLISH CLAIMS England (Great Britain) also claimed the Ohio River valley. In 1753, their leaders sent a letter to the French, stating that the land was theirs, & that they should leave. George Washington was sent to deliver the letter! But the French refused! So Washington moved west in 1754 along with 150 soldiers, with the idea to build a fort where the Allegheny & Monongahela rivers join to form the Ohio River. But the French were already there building Fort Duquesne. Uh oh! Trouble ahead!

THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR Washington & company never reached Fort Duquesne. They attacked & defeated a group of French soldiers in the woods nearby. So Washington & his men retreated to Fort Necessity in southwestern Pennsylvania. But the French attacked them; many were killed or wounded & Washington surrendered.

FRENCH & INDIAN WAR This was the start of the war; British forces fought against the French & their American Indian allies. The leaders of the British colonies met in Albany, NY in 1754 to ask the Iroquois League to help fight the French. They refused! They believed the land belonged to them. Hendrick was the Iroquois leader who feared total destruction over this fight.

THE FIGHTING CONTINUES….. In 1755 the British tried again to capture Fort Duquesne. George Washington was with British General Braddock’s army. They were attacked by French & Indian forces on their way & Braddock was killed. It was 1758 & the French were winning!

BRITISH VICTORY In England, they were worried about the war, so they sent more soldiers to fight. By 1758 the Iroquois agreed to join the British against the French. The key battle was fought in Quebec, the capital of New France. British General James Wolfe captured Quebec in 1759.

TREATY OF PARIS The war officially ended when France & Britain signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Britain took over most of New France, and Spain gained control of French lands west of the Mississippi. But what about the Native Americans??? They lost their lands!

PONTIAC’S REBELLION In 1763 an Ottowa leader, Pontiac, called on his people to revolt against the British. They attacked forts & settlements along the Ohio River valley. They won several victories until the British stopped the rebellion. King George III of England issued the Proclamation of 1763 which said that colonists could no longer settle on land west of the Appalachians. The king hoped this would prevent future rebellions, BUT the colonists wanted new land and they were NOT happy. Tension was beginning to grow!!!