1. The French and Indian War
The Road to War
The French and Indian War

2. Key Terms
French and Indian War- Conflict between France, Spain, and their Native American allies; and the British and their Native American Allies for control of lands west of the Appalachian Mountains
Albany Plan of Union- An attempt to create a unified colonial government for the defense of the colonies
Treaty of Paris- The document that brought an end to the French and Indian War

3. Colonial North America

4. The French and Indian War
France and England along with Spain, and the Netherlands were the major world powers in the mid 1700’s
England’s many colonies led to the coining of the term “The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”
England and France were the two that had major holdings in North America
France held land in what is today Canada and west of the Appalachian Mountains

5. The French and Indian War
Early on, English settlement was restricted to the Atlantic Coast
Due to increased settlement, British settlers started to move west
Fur trappers also worked west of the Appalachians
The French began to feel threatened by this expansion
They were eager to protect their land from their rival

6. Native Americans
The French won the support of most of the native tribes in the region
The French were mainly trappers who worked with the Native Americans and respected their land
British settlers were mainly farmers who took land to create farms and largely ignored native American sovereignty
The British did gain Iroquois support as they were enemies with a tribe that sided with the French

7. War Begins Small scuffles occurred three times between 1689 and 1748
The French and Indian war broke out in 1754
A young surveyor was sent west to build a fort for the British
He learned later that the French had built Fort Duquesne at the very spot at which he was ordered to build
The surveyor launched a successful surprise attack on the French and then set up a hastily built Fort Necessity
He was forced to surrender the fort after being outnumbered during the French Counterattack
This young surveyors name…
George Washington

8. The Albany Congress
Delegates from 7 colonies met in Albany to create a unified colonial defense
Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union
Representatives from all 13 colonies would form a “Grand Council”
They would make laws, raise taxes and set up the defense of the colonies
It was accepted by the delegates but unanimously defeated by the colonial councils

9. British Struggles
General Edward Braddock mounted an ill fated attack on Fort Duquesne in 1755
He was warned by the Iroquois and Washington that the French were ready
He ignored the warning and pushed ahead
The French launched a surprise attack
Red coats made for easy targets
Braddock had 5 horses shot out from under him before he was finally hit
Half of the British force was killed or wounded
Washington was nearly killed as well

10. The Tide Turns
In 1757, William Pitt became the head of British Government
He made defeating the French in North America priority number one
He felt that if they beat the French in North America, they would be able to control the entire world
He sent Britain’s top General, and called for support from the colonists by promising monetary payments for military services and supplies
The strategy worked and the British won after several more years of struggle
When the British captured Fort Duquesne, they renamed it Fort Pitt
The city of Pittsburgh grew around this site

11. The Treaty of Paris
The official end of the war did not come until 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris
Britain gained Canada as well as all French land east of the Mississippi
France was able to keep its holdings in the West Indies
Spain gave up Florida to Britain
France had to give Spain all of its land West of the Mississippi
Also got New Orleans

12. Things to Consider
The French and Indian War changed the landscape of Colonial North America
The British gained a great deal of land at the expense mainly of their rival the French
The British spent large sums of money “protecting” the colonies
The first real attempt at uniting the colonies came about during the war