SEVEN YEARS WAR

The Seven Years War was fought in three regions: Europe, North America and the Caribbean

The North American war began in 1754 over fertile territory in the Ohio Valley.

The North American war was also called the French and Indian War

CAUSES As the Thirteen British colonies became more

populated and prosperous, their citizens began to look towards the rich lands across the Appalachian mountains as providing new opportunities for settlement and economic growth

CAUSES The French, who claimed the entire watersheds of

the Mississippi and St. Lawrence Rivers—which included the Great Lakes and the Ohio River valley—became worried about British encroachments into this region and so they moved to set up a series of forts

CAUSES The British, meanwhile, built their own forts at

Oswego and Halifax, the government granted lands in the Ohio Valley to the Ohio Company and adventurous traders set up bases in the region

CAUSES In 1750, British and French representatives met in

Paris to try to solve these territorial disputes, but no progress was made

In 1752, the Marquis Duquesne was made governor-general of New France with specific instructions to take possession of the Ohio Valley, removing all British presence from the area

CAUSES Dinwiddie, hearing of new French forts on the upper

Allegheny River, sent out a young Virginia officer, George Washington, to deliver a letter demanding that the French leave the region

This mission was, not surprisingly, a failure, but when passing through the region where the Allegheny and the Monongahela form the Ohio, Washington noted that the point of land at the junction was an excellent spot for a fort

CAUSES The following year, Duquesne sent troops to western

Pennsylvania where they built forts at Presque Island (Erie) and on the Rivière aux Boeufs (Waterford)

At the same time, Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, was granting land in the Ohio Valley to citizens of his colony, setting in motion the events which inevitably led to the French and Indian War

CAUSES In early 1754, in response to Washington's suggestion, the

British started to build a fort there, Fort Prince George, but French troops soon arrived and threw them out.

The French completed the fortification, renaming it Fort Duquesne.

Washington, meanwhile, had been sent out with a contingent of troops to help establish British control in the west, and when he heard of the surrender of Fort Prince George, he set up camp in Great Meadows, southeast of Fort Duquesne.

FRANCEBlue

ENGLANDGreen

SPAINOrange

DESPUTED TERRITORYYellow

CAUSES Washington received a report that a nearby French

contingent intended to attack, so he launched a preemptive strike against the French camp

This was the first engagement of the yet undeclared French & Indian War

Acadians Acadia was the first permanent French settlement in

North America, established at Port-Royal in 1604 During the seventeenth century, about sixty French

families were established in Acadia. They developed friendly relations with the aboriginal Mi'kmaq, learning their hunting and fishing techniques.

Acadians The Acadians lived mainly in the coastal regions,

farming land reclaimed from the sea through diking. Living on the frontier between French and British

territories, the Acadians found themselves on the front lines in each conflict between the powers.

Acadians Acadia was passed repeatedly from one side to the

other, and the Acadians learned to survive through an attitude of studied neutrality, refusing to take up arms for either side, and thus came to be referred to as the "French neutrals"

Acadians In the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, France

ceded the portion of Acadia that is now Nova Scotia (minus Cape Breton Island) to the British for the last time.

In 1730, the Acadians signed an oath swearing allegiance to the British Crown, but stipulating that Acadians would not have to take up arms against the French or Indians.

Acadians However, in 1754, the British government, no longer

accepting the neutrality previously granted to the Acadians, demanded that they take an absolute oath of allegiance to the British monarch, which would require taking up arms.

Acadians The Acadians did not want to take up arms against

family members who were in French territory, and believed that the oath would compromise their Roman Catholic faith, and refused.

Colonel Charles Lawrence ordered the mass deportation of the Acadians.

The Seven Years War Early in the war, the French are successful against

the British army Their success is contributed to effective use of their

Indian allies Also, the French model Indian guerilla tactics Centralized Government is another reason for the

early success

The Seven Years War The French go on the offensive and strike the British

on the frontier of their 13 colonies. The British are too scared to leave their forts

The French gain the upper hand until the British put new emphasis on fighting in the North American frontier (1757)

The Seven Years War The British devise a four pronged attack against the

French at Montreal, Quebec, Trois Riviers and the Great Lakes region of the French territory. Four armies march into New France

Due to colonial prejudice, the Marquois de Montcalm replaces Canadian-born Governor of New France, Vaudreuil, as commander of the French army

The Seven Years War Under bitter disagreement, Montcalm takes a

defensive approach, opposite of the offensive minded Vaudreuil

Moncalm does not want to rely on their Indian allies but rather utilize the fortress of Quebec.

Montcalm believes the guerilla tactics used by the Indians is unfair and ungentlemanly

Montcalm falls back to Quebec awaiting the British

The Seven Years War By 1757, the British are putting more emphasis on

the North American frontier than the French. The French are more concerned with the Caribbean islands

The British begin using their naval superiority especially in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

In 1758, the fortress of Louisbourg falls to the British

The Seven Years War Led by General Braddock, the British continue their 4

pronged attack moving closer to Quebec. The French forces are falling back

By 1759, the French face a superior British military in North America.

Outnumbered 3:1 in ships; 4:1 in troops; and 10:1 in dollars spent on the war

The French are losing every battle as they retreat to Quebec. Montcalm is confident the Quebec will hold

The Seven Years War Quebec was built on the cliffs overlooking the St.

Lawrence with gun emplacements aimed down at the river

By 1759, the British, lead by General Wolfe, arrive outside the walls of Quebec but winter is fast approaching

Wolfe delays because Quebec appears impenetrable

The Seven Years War Wolfe learns from a French trader of a secret

passage through a series of caves that leads to the plains behind the walls of Quebec

The British troops conceal their identity and hide themselves on ships that are disguised as French ships. The ships pass the French sentry and one-by-one the British troops go up this passage to the Plains of Abraham

The Seven Years War When morning arrives, Montcalm is stunned to see

the British army assembled. Montcalm, believing that it is cowardly to hide behind the walls of Quebec, marches his troops outside to engage the British

The Battle of the Plains of Abraham ensues where Wolfe and Montcalm are both mortally wounded. The French are defeated

The Seven Years War Quebec surrenders in 1759 This British victory should have been the end of the French

presents in North America but it isn't The British, now under General James Murray contemplate

their next move with winter approaching Murray believes that the French are not a defeated enemy.

He knows that there is a French army of 7000 troops sitting in Montreal under commander La Vie

The Seven Years War Murray has only 4000 tired troops in Quebec and he is

forced to wait out the winter in Quebec - a hostile foreign city

The St. Lawrence river is frozen not allowing Murray out of or La Vie into Quebec

All eyes are on Montreal and La Vie but also on the St. Lawrence. Who will come sailing down the St. Lawrence once the ice melts? The French fleet means that Murray will have to surrender because supplies are low. The British fleet means that Murray will hold Quebec

The Seven Years War The winter is harsh and many of Murray's troops die. The

remaining army is demoralized, tired and home-sick Even before the ice melts, La Vie marches from Montreal on

to Quebec. The French defeat Murray and recapture Quebec

In spring however, the British fleet comes sailing down the St. Lawrence and they capture Quebec for a second time

New France surrenders with the arrival of the British fleet in 1760

The Seven Years War Now the British hold the entire colony and the

French have nothing. North America becomes British North America BNA

The Seven Years War does not end in 1760. The war still rages in Europe but finally ends in 1763 with a British victory

The Treat of Paris follows

Reasons for Quebec’s Defeat The colony of New France was only accessible by

the St. Lawrence – a route easily blockaded The economy of New France did not encourage

population growth The size of the colony was difficult to defend

Reasons for Quebec’s Defeat Internal dissention with Montcalm’s leadership The military strategy for the defense of New France

was flawed The power and skill of the British Navy was

overwhelming