1. Detroit: The Early Years The British Years: 1760 - 1783

2. Detroit: 1760-1783 Detroit was turned over to the British as part of the French and Indian War in 1760, and British Traders started to arrive in the Spring of 1761. The most immediate change was that the British were not friendly with the Native Americans, and were notoriously tough traders. The British would no longer give ammunition to the Native Americans (for hunting) and the Natives believed that the British were trying to starve them to death. I. British - Native American Relations

3. Detroit: 1760-1783 The Native Americans continued to grow upset until in 1763 Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe summoned a war council. At the war council, Pontiac planned attacks on various British forts all across the Midwest, choosing that he and the Ottawa would attack Detroit. Pontiac and his troops entered the fort for a meeting, but the British knew of the attack and were ready and Pontiac retreated.

4. Detroit: 1760-1783 Realizing that they could no long surprise the British, Pontiac instead began attacking the farmers who lived outside of the fort. The British sent two officers to negotiate with Pontiac, but Pontiac took them hostage and used them to negotiate, as his troops surrounded the Fort. The stalemate lasted two months, with attacks against the Native Americans having little to no success.

5. Detroit: 1760-1783

6. Other Native American tribes had captured other British Forts in the Midwest, but were unable to take Detroit. When fall came, the other Native American tribes such as the Chippewa, and Huron settled peace treaties with the British. After being abandoned, Pontiac made an offer for a peace treaty, and before he getting a response, he returned to his home close to modern-day Toledo.

7. Detroit: 1760-1783 Life in Detroit was peaceful between 1763 and 1775. But once the American Colonies declared their Independence from Britain, Detroit’s fort became a base of operations for the British to lead attacks against the Americans in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Western New York. The British feared that the Americans would counter-attack Detroit and built a stronger fort. II. The American Revolution

8. Detroit: 1760-1783 The Americans never attacked Detroit, and by 1781 the Americans had won the war. The peace treaty turning over the land to the Americans was signed in 1783. Fort Detroit

9. Detroit: 1760-1783 But the British refused to leave. They did not want to loose the fur trade, which was still valuable. The British claimed that the U.S. had not held up their end of the peace treaty and refused to leave the fort. The situation lasted for over ten years, and in that time Detroit even elected two representatives to the new Canadian government. President George Washington sent an army to take back the area from the Native Americans and the British. The army was lead by General “Mad Anthony” Wayne.

10. Detroit: 1760-1783 After defeating the Native Americans on his way to Detroit, Wayne had no trouble negotiating a treaty with the British to finally give up Detroit in 1794. For his efforts, Wayne county, and subsequently Wayne State University were named after Anthony Wayne.