French & English Mercantilist Wars (French & Indian War or the Seven Years’ War) What were the causes of the French & Indian War? Why was 1763 (the year the War ended) a “turning point” in the relationship between England & its North American colonies?

French & English Colonial Wars ■The introduction of new English mercantilist policies changed its economic & military attitude towards the colonies: –England increased protective tariffs & trade regulations so the colonies worked for motherland –If that failed, go to war with economic rivals & get the colonists to fight too These regulations began with the Navigation Acts in 1660 The French & Indian War changed EVERYTHING between England & the colonies New mercantilist policies after the French & Indian War led to colonial resentment & the American Revolution

French & English Colonial Wars ■A series of European conflicts involving England & France spilled over into colonial North America: –King William’s War ( ) –Queen Anne’s War ( ) –King George's War ( ) ■These wars were based on mercantilist competition & had little political significance, but…

…these wars led to a land frenzy in the 1750s, among French & British colonists Territorial disputes along the Ohio River sparked the French & Indian War

Westward Expansion & Land Conflicts,

Three major expansion/land conflicts ■“Paxton Boys” ■Regulators ■Ohio Land Speculation

Turning Point: 1754 ■1754 proved to be a turning point in American colonial history ■In 1754, English officials & colonists met to discuss Iroquois problems at the Albany Congress Albany Plan of Union –Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union for a coordinated colonial army –The plan was vetoed by colonial assemblies & Parliament This would give the colonists too much power The plan was too expensive & would limit each colony’s power to control its own actions

America’s 1 st political cartoon Ben Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union America’s 1 st political cartoon

Turning Point: 1754 In 1754, VA governor sent 22 year old George Washington to protect an Ohio Company claim Washington’s troops were forced to retreat from Fort Duquesne; This clash proved to be the beginning of the French & Indian War

French & Indian War

The French & Indian War ■The war went bad for England from 1756 to 1758 ■Fort William Henry: "massacre" of the English by French-allied Natives (Ottawa) (1756); French refuse to share goods won ■British had already angered Natives in the North; this allowed the French to gain alliances ■French also had better commanders of their armies at the time

The French & Indian War ■In 1757, Prime Minister William Pitt took command of the military: –Used well-qualified generals –Had a “blank check” to fund the war in America, India, & Europe –In 1758, the tide of the war turned; England won by 1760

By 1761, Spain became an ally of France The Tide Turns for England

Treaty of Paris ■France—lost Canada, most of its empire in India, & claims to lands east of the Mississippi River ■Spain—got all French lands west of the Miss. River, New Orleans, but lost Florida to England ■England—gained all French lands in Canada, exclusive rights to the Caribbean slave trade, & total control of India

North America after America in America in 1763

How was 1763 a “turning point” in the British-colonial relationship?

Perceptions of the War ■Colonial views ■Colonial views: –Colonies could be very strong when they worked together –Newly gained frontier presented opportunities for wealth & land –Colonists learned how to fight ■English views ■English views: –Americans were slow to organize & balked at helping raise money even to protect their own lands

Effects of the War on Americans? ■The 1760s were an affluent & optimistic “post-war” period: –The French & Indian War united the colonists against a common enemy for the 1 st time –Most colonists considered themselves proud members of England’s empire with little (if any) thought of independence

Effects of the War on Britain? ■The war increased England’s colonial empire in North America ■But, the Pitt’s “blank check” greatly enlarged England’s debt ■Britain’s contempt for the colonials created bitter feelings ■As a result, English leaders felt that a major reorganization of its American empire was necessary!

Eroding Bonds of the Empire

Parliamentary Sovereignty Parliamentary Sovereignty ■In 1760, George III became king & began a new colonial attitude: Parliamentary Sovereignty –English officials assumed that Parliament must have ultimate authority over ALL laws & taxes –The colonists tried to reserve the colonial authority for their own legislatures

“No Taxation Without Representation” ■The colonists assumed that their assemblies were quasi-equal to Parliament because they had no Parliamentary representatives virtual representation ■British officials countered with “virtual representation” argument ■The colonists insisted that only their colonial assemblies could tax Americans Parliament represents ALL British citizens no matter where they live

Two Theories of Representation ■What was the extent of Parliament’s authority over the colonies? ■How could the colonies accept the decisions of Parliament when they did not have representation in that governmental body? Absolute? OR Limited? OR Limited?

Eroding the Bonds of Empire ■After the Seven Years War, everyone expected George to remove British army from America (French were no longer a threat) ■But…this large, expensive army was not removed –British citizens were not happy because they had to pay for it –Colonists doubted the army’s ability to defend against Indians

Pontiac’s War Pontiac’s War ■Backcountry natives banded together to repel white frontier settlers during Pontiac’s War: –Indian successes exposed the British army’s weakness –Attacks revealed desperation of Native Americans after the withdrawal of their French allies –Colonials took matters into their own hands (Paxton Boys in PA) English colonists flooded across the Appalachian Mountains: “There’s all this land & no French!!”

Fort Detroit Pontiac’s Rebellion, 1763 ■Chief Pontiac led the Ottawa & other tribes against colonists due to: –The flood of colonists into Ohio Country –British “gifts” of smallpox-infected blankets from Fort Pitt

Retaliatory attacks by frontier colonists (like the Paxton Boys in Pennsylvania) were common

The Proclamation of 1763 Proclamation Line of 1763 ■In response to Pontiac’s War, the British government established the Proclamation Line of 1763: –This law forbade colonists from settling across the Appalachian Mountains (for their own protection) –Americans viewed the line as an obstruction to their “legitimate economic development”

North America in 1763

New Political Ideas ■The introduction of Parliamentary sovereignty contradicted England’s original policy of salutary neglect –The influx of new political ideas of the European Enlightenment began to impact colonial thought (especially those of John Locke) –While no colonists were thinking of independence by 1763, many became committed to “natural rights” & opposed to “tyranny” All gov’ts are susceptible to corruption, tyranny, & intrusion upon citizens’ liberty “Virtuous” citizens must fight tyranny

Conclusions: Rule Britannia?

Rule Britannia? ■Despite the mounting tensions between the English government & American colonists by 1763, most Americans were loyal “brothers” to England due of: –a shared British culture –dependence upon British consumer goods –shared nationalism after British military victories against France