The Duel for North AmericaChapter 6

Founded by Samuel de Champlain1608 Quebec was first French settlementLocated around St. Lawrence RiverExpanded along Great Lakes and Mississippi RiverMade money trapping furs, especially beaverTrappers called coureurs de boisInteraction with French led to disease, alcohol and challenges to Indian beliefsLed to exploration of North AmericaNew France

Champlain made allies with HuronWas drawn into battle against IroquoisIroquois then resisted French attempts at settlement in Ohio Valley and allied with BritishFrance paid more attention to Caribbean colonies than AmericanCaribbean colonies provided sugar and rum

New FranceSmall populationOnly Catholics allowed to settle, Huguenot were not allowed to immigrateFarming difficultResistance from IroquoisBy 1700 18,000 French, 250,000 EnglishFrench peasants owned land, so were not motivated to come to AmericaJesuitsCatholic missionaries tried to convert Indians and separate them from fur traders

Tensions between England and FranceFrance built forts from Quebec to New OrleansDetroit founded by Antoine Cadillac to slow British expansion to Ohio ValleyRobert de la Salle sailed Mississippi River and claimed it for France to slow Spanish expansionNew Orleans created in 1718English settlers pushed further west closer to French claims

Clash of EmpiresImperial Wars between France and England mostly involved coureurs de bois and colonists, not regular military troopsBoth sides turned to Indians for allies. French mostly with Algonquin, English with Iroquois

Guerrilla warfare was common

Deerfield Massacre (1707)French and Indians attack Deerfield MA50 people killed, 111 taken prisoner out of 300 inhabitantsPrisoners marched to CanadaStragglers were killedEnglish colonists respond by attacking French strongholds

Clash of EmpiresTreaty of Utrecht (1713)Ends Queen Annes WarBritain gets Acadia (Nova Scotia), Hudson Bay and Newfoundland

Britain also gets trading rights in Spanish AmericaKing Georges War (1744-1748)Began as War of Jenkinss Ear (1739)Fought against Spain in Caribbean and GeorgiaFrance allied with Spain1745 New Englanders capture French Fort Louisburg

1748 Peace treaty England exchange Louisburg for Madras in IndiaAmericans were angry because they needed Louisburg for safety

Into Ohio ValleyFrance needed Ohio Valley to keep Mississippi Valley connected to CanadaFrance began building forts to protect its claims, including Fort Duquesne (modern day Pittsburg)1750 Americans begin settling Ohio River ValleyAngered Iroquois, who were trying to prevent further European settlementsAmericans ask Britain for forts to protect claims1754 - Washington was sent by Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia to tell French to leave territoryFrench refuse and defeat Washington at Fort Necessity

French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)Was global war between France and England for control of the worldFought in America, Europe, West Indies, Philippines, AfricaEuropean war was Britain and Prussia against France, Spain, Austria and RussiaFrench army was focused in Europe, allowed British victory in North America

Defending America was difficult because colonies were not united

Albany Congress (June 1754)Americans went to Albany to meet with Iroquois and keep them alliesOnly 7 of the 13 colonies attendedWanted to unite colonies to defend against FrenchIroquois were allies with BritainHuron were allies with French

Benjamin Franklin develops Albany Plan for UnionUnion would have:Grand Council chosen by colonial legislatorsmeet once a yeargiven powers to raise army, levy taxes, manage public lands, make laws for general good, protect relations with IndiansRejected by colonial legislatures and Kinglegislatures did not want to lose power and wanted more independenceKing feared it might make colonies too strong and demand independence

French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)Native Americans raid frontier from Pennsylvania to North Carolina

Britain attacked several wilderness forts, but French won repeatedly through 1756Fort Duquesne (1755)British General Braddock sent 1,850 soldiers to attack fortIndians attacked using guerilla warfare tacticsBritish not prepared for this style fighting976 British killed or wounded including Braddock

French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)William PittBecame Prime Minister and increased commitment to win war in AmericaShifted focus from West Indies to CanadaPut new generals in chargePitt fought in America to create global British empirepromised Britain would pay for warHe did this to get American support for war1 million and 30,00 soldiers sent to AmericaWanted to eliminate France as a rival

1758 British take Louisburg, Fort Frontenac, Fort Duquesne

French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)

British Navy stopped French reinforcements from arriving in Canada

Montreal (1760)attacked via Hudson River and Lake Champlain

Fall of Montreal signaled end of French presence in North America

Invasion of CanadaQuebec (1759)Attacked via St. Lawrence riverGeneral Wolfe able to maneuver troops behind Quebec on Plains of AbrahamBritish defeat Marquis de Montcalm of the FrenchBoth Montcalm and Wolfe died

Treaty of Paris (1763)Ended the French and Indian War

France gave England all of Canada and lands east of Mississippi to Appalachian MountainsFrench lost trading posts in India and SenegalFrance gave Spain New Orleans and all land west of MississippiFrance kept sugar islands (Martinique and Guadeloupe) in West Indies in exchange for CanadaSpain gave Florida to Britain in exchange for Cuba

Pitt wanted Canada to help build its empire

Effects of French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)Britain won and established itself as worlds supreme naval powerEmpire from India to Mississippi River

American frustration with BritainAmerican officers and soldiers were insulted and treated them with condescensionAmericans were not given credit for helping in the fight

British frustrations with AmericaAmericans continued to trade with France and SpainAmericans also were reluctant to provide soldiersGeography and demographic rivalries inhibited inter-colonial cooperation

Effects of French and Indian War (Seven Years War) (1754-1763)Benefits for America:gained combat experience and confidenceShattered myth of British soldier invincibilitydiscovered commonalities between coloniesFrance was eliminated as a threat to America, Spain and Indian threats were reduced significantlyIndians lost significant European ally to limit British power and American expansionism

Benjamin Franklin argued new land would make Americans more loyal to England

Offer plenty of land and opportunity for America to expand into

British North America 1763

Canada, American Colonies, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys and Florida

200,000 Indians lived in territory west of Appalachian Mountains

Feared British control over North America, preferred France

Neolin Delaware prophet encouraged Indians to resist English encroachment on Indian land

Pontiacs Rebellion (June 1763)Alliance of Indians led by Ottawa Chief Pontiac attacked and beat BritishOnly Fort Pitt, Niagara and Detroit remained under British control

Gradually Indian alliance weakens with defeats

Britain regains control of Ohio Valley in 1764by sending blankets with smallpox to IndiansBy sending 10,000 troops to protect colonists

British wanted Americans to help pay for army

Proclamation of 1763To keep peace with Indians Britain orders no settlement in new territoryWanted land between Appalachian and Mississippi as a barrier between Indians and English colonies

Colonists needed land for wealthMost were farmersPolitical rights were tied to land ownershipAmericans angered by restrictions on settlementMany ignored Proclamation and went west anyway

*Source: European and Aboriginal population estimates are based on research by Conrad E. Heidenreich, Department of Geography, York University.http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/historical/preconfederation/newfrance1740/pop40b.gif/image_view