The Great War for Empire
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Transcript of The Great War for Empire
The Great War for EmpireSasso
US I
Setting the Stage King William’s War Queen Anne’s War King George’s War
The Competition for North America (Mid 1700s)
• Moved off original lands; trying to determine what is best for them
• Confined to the Atlantic Seaboard
• Large territorial claims through the middle of North America
• Already loosely controlling the Atlantic Seaboard
England France
Native AmericansColonists
The Beginnings The Iroquois Confederacy
held a dominant position in fur trade
Iroquois open up fur trade in the Ohio Valley to the British
French interpret this as being aggressive (territory was disputed)
French start building massive forts throughout the area
Fort Duquesne is one of the crown jewels
The Beginnings England and France both
overreact VA militia under the
command of George Washington is called out
GW is only 22 at the time, and really inexperienced militarily
He makes a mistake…calls for an assault on a French scouting party
French retaliate (and totally humiliate GW in the process)
These are the first skirmishes of the French and Indian War
The French and Indian War The war has multiple names,
depending on location French and Indian War (America) Great War for Empire (England) Seven Years War (Continental Europe) The war has three distinct phases
Phase 1 (1754-1756) Largely a North American
conflict at this stage England and France are
occupied in Europe The bulk of the fighting
consists of colonists defending against Native raids- Natives were excited by what they felt was English weakness
One large English Advance led by General Edward Braddock
They are routed by the French and Indians
Phase 2 (1756-1758) England and France
will formally declare war on one another
The conflict now goes global
Fighting erupts in America, the West Indies, India, and Europe
However, the main war is being waged in America
Phase 2 (1756-1758) Up to this point the battle effort had
been locally controlled and fought by the colonists
England now looks to assert more authority over the war
England’s policies will shift significantly under the direction of Prime Minister William Pitt
William Pitt Pitt firmly brings the war under
English control Personally plans war strategies Appoints commanders Issues orders to the colonists “Impressment”- forcing
colonial citizens into the British military
Additionally- had soldiers seize whatever goods they needed…usually without paying for them
Creates a lot of resentment and tension between the colonists and British
Phase 3 (1758-1763) Colonists will protest against British orders and
requests, sometimes violently After 1758, Pitt will have to relax some of his earlier
policies Realizes that he will have to utilize more British
regulars (instead of colonial militias) if he wants to secure a victory against the French
Recruitment will be given back to colonial authorities; leads to a troop surge in favor of the British
The French had always been outnumbered; troop surge will be too much for the French and Natives to handle
The tides of war will start to turn in favor of the British
Phase 3 (1758-1763) By mid-1758 the British regulars
and colonial militias are taking French strongholds at will
Ft. Duquesne will fall without a fight
Generals Jeffrey Amherst and James Wolfe
The greatest victory comes at Quebec, 9/13/1759
Quebec was supposed to be impenetrable
This is the beginning of the end for the French
French will formally surrender to Amherst in September of 1760
The Treaty of Paris Treaty will not be
completed until 1763 French losses are great France is forced to give
England all colonial lands up to the Mississippi River, as well as Caribbean territories
France must also give New Orleans and all of their land West of the Mississippi River to Spain
Big picture: France is out of North America
Effects
EnglandFrance
Greatly expands England’s territory in the new world (2x increase)
This will greatly increase problems as well English debt increases significantly English dislike for Americans will increase The English believed the war was fought for the benefit
of the Americans, but the Americans are unappreciative of the effort
England feels that a major reorganization of America MUST take place (for a number of reasons)
France is out of North America France is not happy about that
(understandably), and will carry some serious bitterness
Needs to lay low for now, but France will be on the lookout for vengeance opportunities
Effects
American Colonists
Native Americans
Interesting situation Since England’s land has doubled, American land has
doubled Colonists really want to expand westward; England
prohibits that expansion War unifies the colonies against a common enemy for
the first time Colonists truly resent British authority Policies enforced during the war will leave lasting scars
British victory is a disaster Tribes that sided with the French will not be
forgotten by the English or the Americans Iroquois will crumble from within Native Americans will never again have a
position to deal with European rivals Relationships with American colonists will
deteriorate quickly