Post on 14-Mar-2021
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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