The French & Indian War In 1754 the same year that the 1st royal governor came to GA, France and Great Britain went to war because of greed for land and its treasure and because of the fear that one country would have more power that the other. Since many Indians fought on the side of France, colonists called it the French & Indian War.

The First Real World War The fighting started in North America, but soon spread to Europe and even to India. Spain (who also had claims in North America) did not join the conflict until late in the war as an ally of France. Luckily for GA, most of the fighting was far away.

Tensions Grow Between French & British VA’s Gov. sent George Washington to warn the French to get out of the Ohio River Valley in 1753. Warning was ignored by the French. Washington built a crude stockade named Fort Necessity which French attacked in 1754. Outnumbered Washington had to surrender. The war had begun.

What About Georgia? GA did not fight in the French & Indian War, but the treaty that ended the war (Treaty of Paris of 1763) set GA’s western boundary at the Mississippi River. Later that year, George III set forth the Proclamation of 1763 that moved GA’s southern boundary to the St. Mary’s River.

More About the Proclamation of 1763 Colonists were not allowed to settle west of the Appalachian Mts. Cherokee and Creeks had to give up all lands between Ogeechee and Savannah Rivers north of Augusta and also lands on the coast south of the Altamaha river.

How did this land acquisition affect GA? Settlers moved to Georgia because there was (1) water access for shipping (2) good land for farming (3) thick forests with timber and naval stores