The Duel for North America

THEME:

As part of their world wide rivalry, Great Britain and France engaged in a great struggle for colonial control of North America, culminating in the British victory in the French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) that drove France from the continent. The French defeat created conditions for a growing conflict between Britain and its American colonies.

TRUE OR FALSE

1. The British Parliament passed the Sugar Act during the French and Indian War.

2. The Proclamation of 1763 was intended to keep FrenchCanadians from settling in British territory.

3. Pontiac allied with the British during the French and Indian War.

4. William Pitt was Britain’s greatest general of the war.

5. The French and Indian war lasted 5 years.

Map: European Claims in North America

European Claims in North AmericaThe dramatic results of the British victory in the Seven Years (French and Indian) War are vividly demonstrated in these maps, which depict the abandonment of French claims to the mainland after the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

English : Colonials1700 - 20:1 1775 - 3:1

1775 • 2.5 million people in 13 colonies• 90% pop. is rural• VA, MA, PA, NC, MD are most populous• 6% are Germans• 7% Scots-Irish• 20% African• ???? Native American• Middle Colonies most multi-ethnic

Competition for the Ohio• Fr, Marquette, SJ – 1st European to explore great lakes and

Mississippi• 1749, Virginia speculators in Ohio Company claim 500,000

acres in Ohio Valley• 1754, George Washington, surveyor, leads 150 Virginia

Militiamen to resists French movement on Ohio, esp. For Duquesne

• Washington loses Fort Necessity• Seven Years War begins – global conflict• “America was conquered in Germany.” William Pitt• 1754 Albany Congress – seeks colonial unity, Indian

alliances• Union achieved in theory, not in fact

Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap by George Caleb BinghamBingham's is the best known of the many prints and paintings depicting this singular moment in colonial westward expansion. (Washington University Art Gallery)

Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap by George Caleb Bingham

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Conflict in Europe, Conflict in Americas

• France and Spain frequently ally against Britain• France allies with Native Americans, guerrilla

style conflict in New World• King William’s War, 1689-1697• Queen Anne’s War 1702-1713• Britain extends control, Treaty of Utrecht 1713• King George’s War, 1744-1748• French and Indian War, 1754-1763• Note: Acadians

Franklin’s Cartoon, Pennsylvania Gazette

http://www2.uiuc.edu/unit/armyrotc/program/mils123/necessity/fort.bmp

Fort Necessity, May 1754 (reconstruction)

Map: The Seven Years War in America

The Seven Years War in AmericaAfter experiencing major defeats early in the war, Anglo-American forces turned the tide against the French by taking Fort Duquesne in late 1757 and Louisbourg in 1758. After Canada fell in 1760, the fighting shifted to Spain's Caribbean colonies .

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh)

Braddock’s Defeat

• 1755 Gen. Braddock, 2,000 men march on Fort Duquesne

• Mix of colonial militia and Regulars

• Braddock’s slow moving forces decimated by French and Indian forces, flanking

• Frontier goes up in flames, Indian raiding parties move uncontested

• Britian’s invasion of Canada, 1756, fails

http://www.britishbattles.com/images/braddock/braddock-no-1-map.jpg

William Pitt• 1757, Pitt becomes leader in Parliament• 1758, Pitt organizes attacks on Montreal• & Quebec, Louisbourg• 1758 Fort Duquesne falls, renamed

Pittsburgh• Pitt puts James Wolfe in charge of taking

Quebec• Montcalm defends Quebec for France• 1759 Quebec falls, Wolfe and Montcalm

killed• Battle for Quebec is one of most significant

engagements in British and American history

• Montreal falls 1760

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/royal/pitt3.jpg

http://www.uppercanadahistory.ca/wm/wm8p34.jpg

Destruction of Lower Town, Quebec, by English Bombardment by Richard Short, 1759After the fall of Quebec to British forces, France's defeat in North America was virtually certain. (National Archives of Canada)

Destruction of Lower Town, Quebec, by English Bombardment by Richard Short, 1759

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Peace?Line of Demarcation 1763

• France thrown off continent entirely• Spain given possession of New Orleans and trans-

Mississippi Louisiana• Spain loses Florida, regains Cuba• Great Britain dominant in North America and at sea• Friction growing b/w Britain and Colonials• Growing smuggling• Colonies fail to unite• Pontiac’s Uprising – Increasing tension with N. Americans• Cost of War leads to increasing friction with Britain

Map: European Settlements and Indians, 1754 http://ww

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European Settlements

and Indian tribes

1750

Pontiac’s Uprising

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Colonies and Britain Grow Apart• Line of Demarcation inhibits movement west!!!

This angers Colonials greatly.• 10,000 British troops stationed in colony• Quartering of troops angers colonists• Cost of troops in Colonies heavy burden for Great Britain• George Grenville becomes Prime Minister in 1763• Conflict over Smuggling and Searches of Private Property• 1764 Sugar Act• Seeds of Rebellion

Sugar ActWHO: Passed by George Grenville, British Prime

MinisterWHAT: • Halved duties on molasses (to discourage

smuggling)• Created new duties on imports (to raise more $)• Smuggling cases now to be heard in British

Admiralty Courts, not colonial courts with colonial juries

WHEN: 1764WHERE: British ColoniesWHY: Britain needed money to pay her huge debt

from the French and Indian War and on-going cost of protecting the Frontier.

CONFLICT IN THEOHIO

VALLEY

PEACE?1763

Wash. defeated

FL now British

Braddock defeated

Ft. Duquesne fallsQuebec falls

CONFLICT IN THEOHIO

VALLEY

PEACE?1763France leaves Am.

Montreal falls

Pitt takes charge