The Great War for EmpireSasso

US I

Setting the Stage King William’s War Queen Anne’s War King George’s War

The Competition for North America (Mid 1700s)

• Moved off original lands; trying to determine what is best for them

• Confined to the Atlantic Seaboard

• Large territorial claims through the middle of North America

• Already loosely controlling the Atlantic Seaboard

England France

Native AmericansColonists

The Beginnings The Iroquois Confederacy

held a dominant position in fur trade

Iroquois open up fur trade in the Ohio Valley to the British

French interpret this as being aggressive (territory was disputed)

French start building massive forts throughout the area

Fort Duquesne is one of the crown jewels

The Beginnings England and France both

overreact VA militia under the

command of George Washington is called out

GW is only 22 at the time, and really inexperienced militarily

He makes a mistake…calls for an assault on a French scouting party

French retaliate (and totally humiliate GW in the process)

These are the first skirmishes of the French and Indian War

The French and Indian War The war has multiple names,

depending on location French and Indian War (America) Great War for Empire (England) Seven Years War (Continental Europe) The war has three distinct phases

Phase 1 (1754-1756) Largely a North American

conflict at this stage England and France are

occupied in Europe The bulk of the fighting

consists of colonists defending against Native raids- Natives were excited by what they felt was English weakness

One large English Advance led by General Edward Braddock

They are routed by the French and Indians

Phase 2 (1756-1758) England and France

will formally declare war on one another

The conflict now goes global

Fighting erupts in America, the West Indies, India, and Europe

However, the main war is being waged in America

Phase 2 (1756-1758) Up to this point the battle effort had

been locally controlled and fought by the colonists

England now looks to assert more authority over the war

England’s policies will shift significantly under the direction of Prime Minister William Pitt

William Pitt Pitt firmly brings the war under

English control Personally plans war strategies Appoints commanders Issues orders to the colonists “Impressment”- forcing

colonial citizens into the British military

Additionally- had soldiers seize whatever goods they needed…usually without paying for them

Creates a lot of resentment and tension between the colonists and British

Phase 3 (1758-1763) Colonists will protest against British orders and

requests, sometimes violently After 1758, Pitt will have to relax some of his earlier

policies Realizes that he will have to utilize more British

regulars (instead of colonial militias) if he wants to secure a victory against the French

Recruitment will be given back to colonial authorities; leads to a troop surge in favor of the British

The French had always been outnumbered; troop surge will be too much for the French and Natives to handle

The tides of war will start to turn in favor of the British

Phase 3 (1758-1763) By mid-1758 the British regulars

and colonial militias are taking French strongholds at will

Ft. Duquesne will fall without a fight

Generals Jeffrey Amherst and James Wolfe

The greatest victory comes at Quebec, 9/13/1759

Quebec was supposed to be impenetrable

This is the beginning of the end for the French

French will formally surrender to Amherst in September of 1760

The Treaty of Paris Treaty will not be

completed until 1763 French losses are great France is forced to give

England all colonial lands up to the Mississippi River, as well as Caribbean territories

France must also give New Orleans and all of their land West of the Mississippi River to Spain

Big picture: France is out of North America

Effects

EnglandFrance

Greatly expands England’s territory in the new world (2x increase)

This will greatly increase problems as well English debt increases significantly English dislike for Americans will increase The English believed the war was fought for the benefit

of the Americans, but the Americans are unappreciative of the effort

England feels that a major reorganization of America MUST take place (for a number of reasons)

France is out of North America France is not happy about that

(understandably), and will carry some serious bitterness

Needs to lay low for now, but France will be on the lookout for vengeance opportunities

Effects

American Colonists

Native Americans

Interesting situation Since England’s land has doubled, American land has

doubled Colonists really want to expand westward; England

prohibits that expansion War unifies the colonies against a common enemy for

the first time Colonists truly resent British authority Policies enforced during the war will leave lasting scars

British victory is a disaster Tribes that sided with the French will not be

forgotten by the English or the Americans Iroquois will crumble from within Native Americans will never again have a

position to deal with European rivals Relationships with American colonists will

deteriorate quickly