French and Indian War Chapter 4, Lesson 4

The British Take Action During the French and Indian War few Natives fought on the side of the British and many others fought against them. The war was fought during the late 1750’s through the early 1760s. It was one part of the larger struggle between England and France for control of world trade and the seas. In 1754, the governor of Massachusetts announced to the colonial assembly that the French were on the way to “making themselves masters of this continent.”

The British Take Action The French were creating well-armed forts in the Great Lakes region and Ohio River valley. Their network of alliances (unions) allowed them to control large areas of land stretching from the St. Lawrence River in Canada to New Orleans down south. They seemed to be winning control of the American frontier. The final showdown was about to begin.

The British Take Action During the early stages of the war the British colonies fought the French and the Indians without the help of Great Britain. In 1754, The government in London decided to intervene. Grew concerned with Washington’s defeat at Fort Necessity and the forts being constructed by the French. In the fall of 1754, General Edward Braddock would be designated commander-in-chief of the British forces in the colonies to drive the French out of the Ohio River valley.

Braddock Marches to Duquesne In June 1755, Braddock leaves from Virginia with 1,400 Red Coats and a small number of Blue-coated colonial militia. George Washington would serve as one of his aids. It would take them several weeks to traverse the wilderness and arrive at Fort Duquesne. Advises Braddock that his style of marching was not well suited for fighting in Frontier country but he would not listen. Marching in straight columns and rows made them easy targets. It made them easy targets. 1

Braddock Marches to Duquesne On July 9, a combined force of Native Americans and the French attacked the British. The French and Native Americans were hidden behind trees and firing at the bright red uniforms. The British were confused, frightened, and unable to see their attackers. Braddock called for an orderly retreat “but the panic was so great that he could not succeed.” Braddock was killed and the British suffered nearly 1,000 casualties. Washington would lead the survivors back to Virginia.

Edward Braddock George Washington

Britain Declares War on France The fighting in America started a new war in Europe, known as the Seven Years’ War. Britain arranged an alliance with Prussia and then declared war on France in 1756. Prussia fought France and its allies in Europe. Britain fought France in the Caribbean, India, and North America. The first year of the war was terrible for Britain and its colonies. French troops captured several British forts and forces from Canada captured forts at Lake Ontario and Lake George. Native American allies staged raids on frontier farms from New York to Pennsylvania and killed settlers, burned farmhouses, and forced many families back to the coast.

Pitt Takes Charge Great Britain prospects improved with William Pitt after he became Secretary of State and then as prime minister. Skilled at war, he oversaw the war effort from London. To avoid arguing with the colonists, he said Britain would pay for the war supplies (no matter the cost.) He ended up creating a huge debt and raised the colonists’ taxes to help pay for the war. He only delayed the moment when the colonists had to pay their share of the bill.

Pitt Takes Charge Pitt wanted more than to control the western territories. He also intended to conquer French Canada. He sent British Troops to North America under the command of Jeffrey Amherst and James Wolfe. Amherst and Wolfe and recaptured the fort at Louisbourg in 1758. That same year a group of New Englanders led by British officers captured Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario. Another British force marched across Pennsylvania and forced the French to abandon Fort Duquesne, and renamed Fort Pitt.

William Pitt Jeffrey Amherst James Wolfe

The Fall of New France 1759 brought many British victories that many believed the bells were wearing thin. They captured several French Forts in the West Indies and Havana in Cuba. Also defeated the French in India. … And the French fleet sent to reinforce Canada. The Greatest Victory took place in New France.

The Battle of Quebec Quebec was located high on a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It was believed that due to its location it was impossible to attack. That didn’t stop James Wolfe from finding a way in 1759!

The Battle of Quebec One of Wolfe’s scouts found a poorly guarded path through the back of the cliff. They overwhelmed the guards at the location and then scrambled up the path through the night. They assembled on a field outside the fortress of Quebec known as the Plains of Abraham. There they surprised the French and defeated them but James Wolfe lost his life in the battle. The French Commander, Marquis de Montcalm, was wounded and died the next day.

The Treaty of Paris The fall of Quebec and the capture of Montreal by General Amherst ended the fighting in North America. In the Treaty of Paris in 1763: France was allowed to keep some of its sugar producing islands in the West Indies but had to give up Canada and most of its lands east of the Mississippi to Great Britain. From Spain (France’s ally) the British got Florida but received lands west of the Mississippi River (Louisiana Territory) as well as the port of New Orleans.

The Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris marked the end of France as a power in North America. The continent was now divided between Great Britain and Spain with the Mississippi River as the dividing line. While North America was being planned on by the British and Spanish, the Natives were still living on these lands.

Trouble on the Frontier The British victory of the French dealt a blow to the Natives of the Ohio River valley. Lost French allies and trading partners. Though they traded with the British they still regarded them as enemies. They raised the prices of their goods and refused to pay the Natives for use of their land. The British also began to move into the valleys of western Pennsylvania.

Pontiac’s War Pontiac was a chief of an Ottawa village near Detroit. He recognized the British threat to Native American life. Just like Benjamin Franklin tried to unite the colonies (Albany Plan of Union), he tried to unite the Native American groups to fight the British. In the spring of 1763 he formed an alliance. He attacked the British fort at Detroit. Other war parties captured most of the British outposts in the Great Lakes region.

Pontiac’s War Native Americans killed settlers along the Pennsylvania and Virginia frontiers in a series of raids known as Pontiac’s War. They failed to capture important strongholds of Niagra, Fort Pitt, and Detroit. The war ended in 1765 when Pontiac’s allies the Shawnee and Delaware people were defeated. In 1766, he signed a peace treaty and was pardoned.

Pontiac

The Proclamation of 1763 To prevent any further fighting Britain called for a halt to the settler’s westward expansion. King George III declared that the Appalachian Mountains were a temporary western boundary to the colonies. This angered many colonists especially those who owned shares in land companies. Known as speculators (investors) they had bought land beyond the boundary before hand. They were furious that Britain ignored their land claims.

The Proclamation of 1763 The French and Indian War finally brought peace to the colonies after many years. The Proclamation of 1763 caused friction between the American Colonies and Great Britain. This would lead to more conflicts between England the Colonies.