The French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War

““England and France compete in England and France compete in North America”North America”

French and English FightFrench and English Fight1756-17631756-1763

The “French and The “French and Indian War”, was the Indian War”, was the bloodiest American bloodiest American war in the 1700’s. war in the 1700’s.

It took more lives than It took more lives than the American the American Revolution, involved Revolution, involved people on three people on three continents, including continents, including the Caribbean Islands.the Caribbean Islands.

The war was fought in North America between The war was fought in North America between the French and English over colonial territory the French and English over colonial territory and natural resources.and natural resources.

England France

Each country wanted to gain more Each country wanted to gain more land. land.

In the 1740s, both England and France In the 1740s, both England and France traded for furs with the Native traded for furs with the Native Americans in the Ohio Territory. Americans in the Ohio Territory.

By the 1750s, English colonists hoped By the 1750s, English colonists hoped to change the wilderness into good to change the wilderness into good farmland.farmland.

Each side tried to keep the other out of Each side tried to keep the other out of the Ohio Territory. In the early 1750s, the Ohio Territory. In the early 1750s, French soldiers captured several French soldiers captured several English trading posts and built a fort to English trading posts and built a fort to defend their territory from the English.defend their territory from the English.

The “French and The “French and Indian War” began in Indian War” began in 1753, when a young 1753, when a young Virginian, Major Virginian, Major George Washington,George Washington, and a number of men and a number of men headed out into the headed out into the Ohio lands to deliver Ohio lands to deliver a message to a a message to a French Captain French Captain demanding that demanding that French troops leave French troops leave the territory.the territory. The The demand was rejected demand was rejected by the French. by the French.

In 1754, George In 1754, George Washington and a small Washington and a small force of Virginia militiamen force of Virginia militiamen marched to the Ohio marched to the Ohio Country to drive the French Country to drive the French out. out.

Washington hoped to Washington hoped to capture the fort but soon capture the fort but soon realized the fort was too realized the fort was too strong.strong.

He retreated and built Fort He retreated and built Fort Necessity.Necessity.

He also hoped to convince He also hoped to convince Native Americans that Native Americans that England was stronger than England was stronger than France. France.

He wanted them to fight He wanted them to fight with the British.with the British.

French soldiers and their native allies captured Fort French soldiers and their native allies captured Fort Necessity on July 3, 1754, marking the start of the “French Necessity on July 3, 1754, marking the start of the “French and Indian War” in North America. and Indian War” in North America.

The French permitted Washington and his men to return The French permitted Washington and his men to return to Virginia safely, but made them promise they would not to Virginia safely, but made them promise they would not build another fort west of the Appalachian Mountains for build another fort west of the Appalachian Mountains for at least a year. at least a year.

England did not officially declare war until 1756, although England did not officially declare war until 1756, although the fighting had actually begun two years earlier at Fort the fighting had actually begun two years earlier at Fort Necessity.Necessity.

After a year and a half of undeclared After a year and a half of undeclared war, the French and the English war, the French and the English formally declared war in May 1756. formally declared war in May 1756.

For the first three years of the war, the For the first three years of the war, the French won most of the battles. French won most of the battles.

Things changed in 1758Things changed in 1758

The English and Indians The English and Indians became allies. became allies.

The English began to fight The English began to fight like the Indians. like the Indians.

The French were abandoned The French were abandoned by many of their Indian by many of their Indian allies. allies.

The French became The French became exhausted by years of battle, exhausted by years of battle, outnumbered and outgunned outnumbered and outgunned by the British, the French by the British, the French collapsed during the years collapsed during the years 1758-59, climaxing with a 1758-59, climaxing with a massive defeat at Quebec in massive defeat at Quebec in September 1759.September 1759.

The End of One War The End of One War Leads to a New WarLeads to a New War

By September 1760, the British By September 1760, the British controlled all of the North American controlled all of the North American frontier; the war between the two frontier; the war between the two countries was effectively over. countries was effectively over.

The 1763 Treaty of ParisThe 1763 Treaty of Paris, also ended the , also ended the European “Seven Years War”. European “Seven Years War”.

Under the treaty, France was forced to Under the treaty, France was forced to surrender all of her American surrender all of her American possessions to the possessions to the British.British.

North North America America 1763:1763:

The Effects The Effects France lost all of its land in France lost all of its land in

America.America. England gained a huge amount of England gained a huge amount of

land in America. land in America. France lost the fur trade business France lost the fur trade business

with the Indians. with the Indians. The Indians began to fight the The Indians began to fight the

English and the colonists for taking English and the colonists for taking their land away. Relationship their land away. Relationship between England and its 13 between England and its 13 colonies eventually led into the colonies eventually led into the Revolutionary War.Revolutionary War.

George WashingtonGeorge Washington

He was only 20 years old He was only 20 years old and he was an officer in and he was an officer in the Virginia Militia. the Virginia Militia.

He fought for the British He fought for the British against the French and against the French and Native Americans in what Native Americans in what we call the French and we call the French and Indian War. Indian War.

Treaty of Paris 1763Treaty of Paris 1763 The Treaty that ended the French and Indian War. The Treaty that ended the French and Indian War.

The British gained control over the area west of the The British gained control over the area west of the 13 British Colonies all the way to the Mississippi 13 British Colonies all the way to the Mississippi River. The French agreed to give up any colonies in River. The French agreed to give up any colonies in North America, including all of Canada. Since Spain North America, including all of Canada. Since Spain had helped the French, the Spanish were also forced had helped the French, the Spanish were also forced to give up Florida. But the Spanish still held their to give up Florida. But the Spanish still held their land west of the Mississippi River and in Central and land west of the Mississippi River and in Central and South America.South America.