RIVALS FOR AN EMPIRERIVALS FOR AN EMPIRE 1750 – France and GB chief rivals for empire British and French were both interested in the Ohio River

Valley Had been fighting for power in Europe Spilled over into America British cleared land, grew crops

FRANCE’S NORTH AMERICAN FRANCE’S NORTH AMERICAN EMPIREEMPIRE

1608 – Quebec 1st permanent settlement – Samuel de Champlain

By 1754 New France had grown to 70,000 including entire Miss. Valley (1 million for GB)

Mostly fur traders & catholic priests neither look to settle

Friendlier relations with Natives – Huron's, Ottawa's, Ojibwa’s – led to military alliances

Lt. Gov. of VA Dinwiddie called upon George Washington, an officer in the Virginia militia, to raise a force against the French

(May 1754) Washington marched troops towards the Ohio River

BRITAIN DEFEATS AN OLD BRITAIN DEFEATS AN OLD ENEMYENEMY 1754 – rivalry re-ignited – French built Ft.

Duquesne (Pittsburg) British had given 200,000 acres wealthy farmers – GB sends militia to evict French

George Washington (22 year old

officer) – set up Ft. Necessity (40 miles) – battled French and forced Washington to surrender 1st Battle of French and Indian War

ALBANY CONFERENCEALBANY CONFERENCE

Drafted the Albany Plan of Union Developed by a

committee led by Benjamin Franklin

Proposed that the colonies unite to form a central government vs. French and Indians

Was approved by the delegates; rejected by the colonial legislatures

EARLY FRENCH VICTORIESEARLY FRENCH VICTORIES (1755) British

commander-in-chief General Edward Braddock arrived in Virginia with troops Joined with local militia George Washington served

as his aide Together, they headed

west, intending to attack Fort Duquesne

Just short of the Fort, Braddock’s troops were ambushed by French and Native American forces

Braddock was killed Surprised British, many fled – Washington

stayed and fought & organized a successful retreat

colonist began to questions British Army

(1756) Fighting between Britain and France spread to Europe [Seven Year’s War]

The British still focused their energy, time, and troops on North America

(1757) William Pitt becomes prime minister of Britain Believed that the entire British Empire was at

stake. Persuaded Parliament to raise taxes and borrow

money to fight the war…it worked

The three main thrusts of British strategy are shown here. In 1758, British forces struck in two directions

French strongholds in the West

Louisbourg in the East

Finally, in 1759, they attacked Quebec and Montreal.

(1759) British fleet commanded by General James Wolfe sailed up the St. Lawrence to Quebec City Wolfe took his troops up

a steep cliff Fought Montcalm, the

French General Both Wolfe and

Montcalm were killed The British were

victorious – Quebec surrendered

THE TREATY OF PARISTHE TREATY OF PARIS The Treaty of Paris was

drafted in 1763 to end the French and Indian and Seven Year’s Wars

France turned present-day Canada over to Britain

Surrendered its claim to all lands east of the Mississippi River.

Britain also returned Cuba to Spain in exchange for Florida.

VICTORY BRINGS NEW VICTORY BRINGS NEW PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

Ottawa leader Pontiac recognized French loss bad for Native Americans

NA attack and capture 8 British Ft. – British give smallpox infected blankets – by 1765 sign treaties

British Govt’ issues the Proclamation of 1763 – banned settlement's W of Appalachian Mts.

The French and Indian War & Proclamation seriously strained relations between the British and the American colonists. Mass – British tensions over smuggling and searching homes British thought that the colonists did not provide enough support

for the long and costly war that Britain had fought to protect them.

Left Standing Army in the colonies (10,000)

George Grenville – new PM Passed Sugar Act 1764 – lower tax on Molasses, duties on imports

– Smuggling trials in more serious courts The American colonists were shocked by the weakness of British

military tactics.

These feelings would soon combine with other events to expand the rift between Britain and its colonies.