The French and Indian War Another Step in the Duel for North America

New France: founded in 1608 by Samuel deChamplain Only Catholics (Huguenots weren’t allowed)

THESIS: The French and Indian War was the major turning point in American colonial relations with the mother country Britain.

Background: King William’s War 1689-1697 British fought the French and Indian Allies Indian raids against Deerfield and Schenectady British gained Port Royal but returned it in peace negotiations British failed to conquer Quebec King William III of England

Attack scene at Deerfield Massachusetts

Background: Queen Anne’s War 1702-1713 British fought against France, Spain and Native Americans English failed to take Montreal and Quebec Peace of Utrecht: England gained Acadia, Newfoundland, and trade rights in Spanish America Queen Anne of England

Background: The War of Jenkins Ear and King George’s War English versus the French and Spanish New Englanders under Mass. governor William Shirely invaded New France and captured Louisbourg- an important seaway fort Louisbourg was given back to France in the 1748 Treaty In exchange for returning Louisbourg, the British got back conquered territory in Flanders and India. The decision to return Louisbourg was unpopular in Britain too King George II of England

The Iroquois: Pawns in the Game of Empire They held the strategic position between New France and the British colonies British tended to be more arrogant toward natives and French constructed military alliances with Indians to hold off British expansion British goods were better, cheaper and more available due to British naval control British had about 1.5 million people and tended to bring settlements French had about 70,000 men, dispersed throughout the wilderness. Their string of forts presented less of a threat to the Indians than the British did Coureurs de bois… traded and lived like natives, came in smaller numbers too

The War Begins: Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne was built to stem British expansion into the Ohio River Valley Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie sent Washington to evict the French Washington attacked an advance patrol, reinforcements and natives counterattack and defeat him at Fort Necessity Dinwiddie, and probably Washington too had financial interests in the Ohio River valley region through land companies This was the first “world war” that began in America and spread to Europe, the other three (WAGS) began in Europe and spread to America Washington surrendered on July 4th and returned to Virginia Model of Fort Duquesne

Albany Plan of Union 1754 First attempt at colonial unity, due to oncoming war with France and Indians. It failed as both colonists and Parliament rejected it

General Braddock British sent large numbers of troops to the colonies, displaced the Acadians from Nova Scotia With 2200 men, Braddock set out to avenge Washington’s defeat Braddock looked down his (prominent??) nose at both colonists and Indians. Quote on page 429 of Alan Taylor General Braddock

Braddock Defeated Braddock was ambushed by Native Americans and French, suffering 1000 casualties Washington directed the retreat and revived his military career The war was going on in Europe (England and Prussia versus Fr, Sp, Austria, and Russia) as well as India

Engraving of the defeat of Braddock

Washington leading the retreat

Impact of Braddock’s defeat Native American on the frontier were emboldened French and Natives go on the offensive but French general Montcalm began alienating the Indians French eventually “write off” Canada after poor harvests and numerical inferiority French eventually destroy Duquense and flee, the British rebuild it as Fort Pitt 1758 6800 French soldiers with 2700 colonists and natives versus 45,000 British soldiers and colonists Also, as the British navy gained control of the Atlantic, French trade goods dwindled and some native American groups (Shawnee and Lenni Lenape) deserted the French and reopened trade with Pennsylvanians Fort Pitt was approximately ten times larger than Duquesne… The Natives were right to view the British as a greater threat

Washington raising the flag at Fort Pitt

Prime Minister William Pitt By changing generals and strategy: (focus on capturing strongholds: Quebec, Montreal, Louisbourg, not all of New France) he was the “organizer of victory” 1758 General Amherst captured Louisbourg William Pitt

General Wolfe General Montcalm

Battle for Quebec 1759 General Wolfe scaled the cliffs outside the city to reach the Plains of Abraham Montcalm comes out of the fort for the first conventional battle in the New World Both generals die as a result of the Battle, and Quebec falls to the British

British Landing at Quebec

The Death of General Wolfe: painting

The End of the War In a three pronged attack, the British attack and defeat Montreal 1760 1762: Spain joins the war, hoping to limit the gains of the British, they too are defeated 1763: Treaty of Paris France gave Louisiana to Spain Spain gave Florida to British West Indies colonies were returned to original colonizers At the end of the war, the question was, now that Britain had a huge empire, could they protect it?? Spain and France now waited for a chance to get revenge on Britain…hmmm

Indian Rebellions Cherokee on the N.Carolina frontier Great Lakes and Ohio Valley forts were captured by Indians (except Detroit, Niagara, and Pitt) Pontiac was blamed for “organizing” the native revolts. Most acted in their own interest General Amherst was also blamed for being unable to “control” the situation. He was eventually replaced by General Gage; and British policy turned away from war to gaining cooperation through gifts and trade Proclamation of 1763 was designed to deal fairly with the Indian problem on the frontier The Paxton Boys rebellion in Western Pennsylvania was caused by uneasiness over Indian rebellions on the frontier. The Paxton Boys massacred Indians at Conestoga and then marched on Philadelphia to kill refugees. They were talked out of violence by Franklin and British troops

The Paxton Boys 1764 Scotch Irish on frontier were upset that Quakers and colonial government seemed unconcerned about Indian problems on the frontier They attacked a Conestoga Indian village, eventually marched on the capital Philadelphia, Franklin eventually mediated by arranging a meeting between colonial officials and the Paxton Boys.

Paradoxical Victory British helped train the “enemy”: Colonists that would eventually lead and fight in the Continental army (colonists lost some confidence in the British military too) Pontiac’s rebellion and the Proclamation Line created tension between Britain and colonists Large military presence in America concerned the colonists: What was the real purpose? Costliness of the war led England to reconsider policy of salutary neglect, lax enforcement of Navigation Laws

More Paradoxes The “Attitude” problem: British were arrogant toward colonials, some colonies traded with France and had to be bribed to fight Growing strength of population and economy made the colonists more politically assertive Colonies gain a sense of unity- they felt they were the “cutting edge” of the empire Removal of the French “threat” gave colonists the chance to pursue more independent policies

Symbols and Images Reflections of colonial efforts French: Coureur de bois and jesuit priests Spanish Conquistador English Puritan or Virginia planter Pontiac, Hurons, Iroquois- pawns Washington- symbol of the double role of American and British subject (colonists were frustrated by “2nd class” role/status French and Indian War: A Cause of the Revolution??