The Duel for North America

Chapter 6

Essential Questions?

• What caused the Seven Years War and what were the outcomes?

New France (Canada)

• King Louis XVI promoted settlement• Samuel de Champlain: great soldier and explorer• 1608: Quebec founded on the St. Lawrence River• Allied with Huron Indians, enemies of the

powerful Iroquois• Population of Canada did not grow like that of the

13 colonies; Huguenots (French Protestants) not allowed to migrate

French North America

Fur Trade Sparks Exploration

• Beaver fur was highly valued in Europe• Fur-trappers fanned out and explored New France,

spreading white disease and slaughtering beaver to near extinction.

• Catholic Jesuit Missionaries attempted to spread religion among the Indians, but were more successful in mapping the interior

• Settlements like Detroit and New Orleans gave France control of the Mississippi River, and furthered settlement and exploration.

Clashing Empires

• In the early 1700s, several wars were fought between Great Britain and France (allied w/ Spain)

• GB emerged on top, gaining modern day Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

• In each of these wars few troops were sent from Europe, colonists did most of the fighting (Kings felt NA was of little importance)

George Washington: 1st in War

• British and French colonists began to vie for the fertile ground in Ohio.

• Virginia claimed the land, but France began erecting forts.

• In 1754, Virginia sends 21 year old George Washington to lead a regiment against a French fort at the site of modern day Pittsburgh.

George Washington

Washington

• Washington hastily attacked the French, winning the initial battle but was finally forced to surrender (July 4, 1754!)

• Fearing a French uprising, GB forced thousands of French speaking colonists to relocate to Louisiana (roots of Cajun culture)

Global War Unites Colonists

• The Seven Years War (or French and Indian War) was fought in NA, Europe, Africa, and Asia, as well as all 4 oceans

• Major Allies: GB and Prussia v. France and Spain

• Major battles all occurred in Europe.

Albany Conference

• 1854: 1st meeting of the colonies, only 7 showed

• Worked to make Iroquois allies of GB• Ben Franklin proposed a plan that would unite

the colonies permanently, and give them greater independence from GB.

• Most colonies and the King ignored this request, but the seed was planted.

Colonial Unity

William Pitt Wins

• Pitt: Prime Minister of GB• Focused efforts on Quebec and Montreal• 1759: An unlikely British victory ended most

fighting in NA.• Results: Treaty of Paris; GB received Canada and

Florida (From Spain); Spain receives all land west of New Orleans.

• French colonists allowed to remain in Canada (large minority still speak French)

War Brings Change

• Colonists felt increased since of strength• Valuable military and diplomatic experience• British elite often humiliated colonists with

names like “scum, backwoods hillbilly”, colonists felt they weren’t given credit for their roles.

• At one point in the war exports out of colonial ports were halted, harming the colonial economy.

Unity?

• Many critics assumed the colonists could not unite because of multiple differences:– Geography (north v. south)– Religion (Catholic, Quaker, Moravian, Puritan, etc.)– Nationalities (Irish, English, Scottish, German,

French)

Aftermath of War

• French gone from NA• Spanish and Indians weakened• Pontiac’s Rebellion– 1763 Indian uprising– Sought to throw GB out of Ohio country– 2,000 British killed– Military responds by intentionally spreading

smallpox

Pontiac’s Rebellion

British Reaction

• In order to keep colonial pioneers from clashing with Indians, GB issues the Proclamation of 1763

• Prohibits colonists from moving west of Appalachian Mountains

• Americans defiant, feel entitled to land after 7 Years War.

• Pioneers like Daniel Boone defy order, move west anyway.

• Combination of Salutary Neglect and defiance of authority = Revolution?