The French and Indian War Chapter 3 Section 4

The Great Awakening and the Enlightenment were movements that helped lead the colonists to question Britain’s authority over their lives. The separation between Britain and the colonies was further hastened by another significant event, a North American war between Great Britain and France, in which the colonists fought on Britain’s side.

In the 1750s, France and Great Britain were the worlds biggest powers, and were constantly competing to be the most dominant empire. The Ohio Valley was also an area that the British and the French battled over. The colonists supported the British, as they still thought of themselves as British, and wanted to be able to expand their territory westward. France had established a colony, New France, based in Quebec and stretched through America to Louisiana. New France was unlike the colonies in that it had a small population, made up of mostly fur traders who had little interest in establishing towns.

French expansion in North America reignited conflict with the British French expansion in North America reignited conflict with the British. The French established Fort Duquesne in western PA, and British had granted 200,000 acres of land to a group of planters. The governor of Virginia sent a militia led by George Washington to the region, where they attacked the French in 1754. The French forced Washington to surrender. Although neither side realized, these battles at Fort Necessity, were the opening battles of the French and Indian War, the fourth war between Great Britain and France was for control of North America.

A year after his defeat, Washington again headed into battle, this time as an aide to the British general Edward Braddock, whose mission was to drive the French out of the Ohio Valley.

As an aid to General Edward Braddock, Washington and the British army set out to drive the French out of the Ohio Valley. The British were accustomed to fighting traditionally, in ordered rows. However, French soldiers, allied with Native Americans, frequently ambushed the British who turned and fled. Washington emerged as a courageous leader, while many British officers were incapable of resisting the French. Washington and many colonists were surprised at the apparent weakness of the British army, who at the time were seen as invincible.

King George II was frustrated at his army’s defeats and new leaders were chosen to fight the French in North America. William Pitt, confident energetic leader, took command, and the British army got new life. They started winning more battles with the support of the Iroquois. In September 1759, a decisive battle in Quebec won by the British solidified their victory in the war.

The French and Indian War ended in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris, and gave Britain access to all of North America east of the Mississippi River. Land to the west of the river was now under Spanish control, who also gave Britain control of Florida. Native Americans also were major losers in the war, as they suffered major casualties and lost a great deal of land.

Many Native Americans quickly realized that British expansion into their territories after the war meant conflict was imminent. Pontiac, a Ottawa leader, captured eight British forts in the Ohio Valley. The British in return presented small pox infected blankets to two Native American chiefs, and the disease spread quickly, killing many. After being decimated by disease and war, many tribes ended up signing treaties with the British. The Proclamation of 1763 banned all settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. However, this law was difficult to enforce, and many colonials moved west anyway.

After the war, Britain was in real financial trouble, and they turned to the colonies to help ease the cost of constant wars with France. Tensions with the British government and the colonists, Massachusetts especially, grew after the King stationed 10,000 troops in the colonies. Added tension came when Prime Minister George Grenville enacted the Sugar Act, which halved the duty on foreign made molasses, placed duties on certain imports, and placed pressure on smugglers.

By the end of 1764, the colonies and Great Britain were disagreeing more and more about how the colonies should be taxed and governed. These feelings of dissatisfaction soon would swell into outright rebellion.