Ohio River Valley p. 245

Ohio River Valley Looking for more land, people on the frontier moved farther west across the Appalachian Mountains. They moved into land claimed by several British colonies as well as by France.

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France France was the first to claim the area but had settled very little of the region. The French had traded with American Indians for furs which were sold in Europe at a profit. The French had good relations with the Indians.

England British fur traders moved into the Ohio River Valley to take the fur trade away from the French. To do this, the British offered the Indians more goods for fewer furs. The British gave the Indians more of the goods they wanted at a lower price.

The Indians Make a Choice ? ? ? France or England ? ? ? The French had always been friends to the Indians. The British were not always friendly toward the Indians. The Indians chose to trade with the British.

France Gets MAD! The French became upset with the British. They felt the British had stolen the fur trade from them. The French decided to build a line of forts to stop the British from crossing into the Ohio River Valley. It was not long until these bad feelings turned into a war between the French and the British.