French and British Rivalry:

The Duel for

North America

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Chapter Aims

1. Why Britain & France engaged in a great contest in N. America and why Britain won.

2. The effect of British/French North American rivalry on the American colonists.

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The Development of the French

North American Empire

King Louis XIV "The Sun King" reigned 72 yrs. 1643-1715

interested in France's overseas colonies/ promoted them

first French N. Amer. colony settled 1608 -QUEBEC/St. Lawrence R.

coureurs de bois French fur-trappers

recruited Indians in the fur business

expanded trapping deep into N. Amer. continent

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Louis XIV of France

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France's American

Empire at Its Greatest

Extent, 1700

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Established settlements to thwart English westward expansion and Spanish expansion north

Cadillac founded Detroit

De La Salle sailed down Mississippi R. and claimed the river basin for France

established New Orleans at mouth of Miss. R. / Gulf of Mexico

French could control the trade coming down the Mississippi.

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Map 6.2: Fur-Trading Posts 7

The Wars of Empire

Reasons

Power struggle between Britain and France during much of the 17th/18th centuries.

Political rivalry in Europe

Competition for economic domination of N. Amer. (mercantilism)

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Actors and Actions

Actors

Britain & American colonial allies vs. Spain, France, & Indian Allies

Action

N. Amer. wars were part of a larger world-wide struggle between the European powers for political/economic supremacy

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Wars of EmpireNorth America Europe

King William's War (1689-1697)

Queen Anne's War (1702-1713)

Britain vs. France & Spain

12 yrs. of fighting in N. America

Treaty of Utrecht; Britain received major territorial gains, and trade advantages

War of the League of Augsburg (1688-97)

War of the Spanish

Succession (1701-1713)

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King George's War (1744-48)

1748 Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle

Britain gets India, returned Fort Louisbourg to France (colonists felt betrayed)

France retained outposts in Ohio Valley

France clings to vast N. Amer. holdings

War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48)

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French and Indian War (1754-63)

Seven Years War (1756-63)

* Ended by the Treaty of Paris, 1763

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The Duel for North America

The French and Indian War (1754-63)

was a larger world war fought in N. Amer., W. Indies, Africa, on the oceans

Players: Britain (Geo. II, III) & Prussia (Frederick "the Great") against France, Spain, Austria, Russia

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Geo. II

Geo. III

Frederick II “The Great”

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When:

began 1754 in N. Amer. (2 yrs. undeclared war)

began 1756 in Europe as The Seven Years War

Where: Fought mainly in Germany by Frederick's Prussian armies

Britain subsidized the Prussians with gold, no troops.

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Reasons for North American conflict

French determined to take complete control of Ohio River Valley

colonies pushing westward on the frontier

colonial speculation in land of Ohio Valley (influential Virginians)

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Ohio Valley in dispute between British & French

French erected chain of forts; most important was Ft. Duquesne at the junction of two rivers that formed the Ohio River

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Events

1754 Virginia Governor sent Lt. Col. Geo. Washington & Virginia Militia into Ohio Valley;

asked French to leave Ft. Duquesne

Washington initiated conflict with French; forced to retreat

created Ft. Necessity; surrendered to French in July, 1754

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Significance

Rivalry between Britain & France causes war to start in N. Amer., then it spread to Europe 2 yrs. later.

Colonials decided there is a need for concerted action among the colonies.

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The Albany Congress(1754) met in Albany, New York

colonials were summoned by British to uniteagainst the French threat

discuss common plan for defense

keep Iroquois Indians loyal to the British

Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan for Colonial Home Rule (Albany Plan of Union)

unanimously adopted by Albany delegates

rejected by colonial Assemblies & the London Government (fear of losing power)

Significance: Important precedent for uniting to face a common enemy.

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This Cartoon originally appeared in Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754, but was reprinted throughout the colonies.

(Image courtesy Library of Congress, American Memory)

Events in the French & Indian War

Gen. Edward Braddock was sent to N. Amer. with British troops (Regulars)

1755 Marched on Ft. Duquesne 2000 men, Regulars & Buckskins (colonials)

were defeated by the French forces

Result --> Indians on the frontier ran amok; attacked colonial settlements

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1756: Full scale war erupts in Europe (Seven Years War)

British suffered numerous defeats on the colonial frontier

William Pitt became British Prime Minister 1757

redirected the war effort away from French West Indies to French Canada

selected new & younger military leaders for British forces.

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1758 - British captured fortress at Louisbourg (Nova Scotia)

1759 - British took Quebec (Wolfe & Montcalm die on Plain of Abraham)

1760- Montreal fell to British; French power finished in Canada

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Treaty of Paris (1763) ended Seven Years War

Britain gained all of Canada & French territory east of the Miss. River

Spain received French territory west of the Miss. R. and the city of New Orleans

Britain received Florida from Spain

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Significance of the French & Indian War

to Great Britain

Great Britain became the dominant power in N. Amer.

Great Britain was the leading naval power in the world

British recognized need to stabilize Indian-white relations

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Proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlement of area beyond Appalachian Mtns.

Britain now had a larger area in N. America it had to protect.

Pontiac's War (1763): Because of increased colonial expansion, Indians attempt to drive British from Ohio Valley (fails)

British recognized need to keep more troops(Regulars) stationed in colonies

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British now governed a world-wide empire;

N. Amer. just a small part of a much larger whole

British belief that American colonies must play their part in this new world order.

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Significance of the French & Indian War

to the American Colonies

reduced Spanish & Indian menaces to the colonial frontier.

stimulated desire to push frontier westward

Proclamation of 1763 thwarted colonial expansionism and land speculation

Proclamation was largely ignored/flouted by colonial settlers)

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colonials had increased confidence in their military strength & abilities

war shattered image of the military invincibility of British Redcoat

Revealed the differing "world views" of the British and American colonials

colonials flouted royal authority

revealed common bonds shared by the colonials; language, common ideals

revealed a new vision of their ultimate destiny in North America.

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