The French and Indian War

British and American Colonists v. French and their Indian allies

The History of Britain and France in the Colonies

English• Colonists on the

eastern coast• Founded towns• Cleared land to

plant crops

French• Settled inland

• Established forts• Protected land

claimsRESULT: French have better relationship with the Native Americans

Conflict in the Ohio River Valley• 1754- King George II grants the

colonists 200,000 acres of the Ohio River Valley

• Colonists cross the Appalachians to survey the land and trade w/ the Indians

• Dinwiddie’s Message– The French feel this is a threat to their

holdings-they build a line of forts• Competition in this territory leads to

war

Seven Years War?

• The French Indian War (1754-1763) is also called the Seven Years War. Why?– The war started in the colonies in 1754, but

started in Europe in 1756.– European name is the Seven Years War

The War• Difficult for Britain because of battle tactics• May 1754- British surrender Fort Necessity to

French– French regain control of Ohio Valley

• July 1755- French and Indians surprise the British – killed 1/3 of British forces including the British

commander, Braddock– Braddock’s aide, George Washington survives

and organizes a British retreat. • 1757-William Pitt becomes Britain’s prime minister

– raised taxes– borrows money to fight the war, instills new

effective leadership• 1758 Britain begins to successfully attack French

forts and settlements

Who is going to win???• July 1759- French retreat to

Canada. The Iroquois, having played both sides, officially join the British.

• Sept. 1759- fall of Quebec• Sept. 1760- British take city of

Montréal (gives British control over all Canada)– George III ascends to the throne- Pitt is

out of office!• 1761- British seize Fort Detroit and

other posts on the Great Lakes• 1763- Treaty of Paris

Treaty of Paris1763

• Representatives form Great Britain, France, and Spain, France’s ally, meet

• France turned over Canada to Britain• France surrenders claims to all land east of the

Mississippi with the exception of New Orleans- given to Spain in a secret treaty a year before

• British return Cuba, captured in the war, to Spain in exchange for Florida

Post-War = DRAMA!• British believed the colonists did not

supply enough support for the costly war

• American colonists were shocked at the weakness of Britain’s army– they even demanded to be led by colonial

officers!• Americans found that Britain did not

share their same values• Americans felt a lack of respect from

the British

JP Zenger: Freedom of the Press and the

Development of Political Parties

What’s happening?

• By the time of the F and I war, all colonies are royal– Grievances are now not against an

investment company or proprietor, but rather against the government itself

– Colonists begin to unite in their frustrations with the GB government

Power structure

• Monarchy• House of Lords• House of Commons• Parliament’s Committees• Colonial Governors• Colonial Legislature – Council• Colonial Legislature – Lower House

The emergence of political factions

• Landholders• Albany and Hudson River area• Fur traders• Long-term land users

• Merchants• NYC as center of interest• Real estate speculators

These divisions changed with the issue and changed over time, were not binding! In the 1660s, these factions become the first political parties, as people move from being issue-based to trying to get elected.

So, What’s with JPZ?• Key means of communication was the

newspapers• Landholders in Albany start their own

newspaper, editor is John Peter Zenger• JPZ publishes articles exposing the colonial

governor’s corruption

• The question: Can you be tried for libel if what you say is true? – In GB, JPZ would be tried and convicted, paper shut

down

The Trial…• JPZ is tried by jury• NOT GUILTY!

• Established the freedom of the press to criticize the government

• Now colonists have more rights than other GB citizens…

The after effects

• JPZ’s newspaper sponsored by the landholders in Albany helps get them elected…

• The new governor in NY reestablishes the alignment of political parties with the landholders– Now we’re against the freedom of the press

and the merchants are for it!

JPZ and the Constitution

• Principles used in the JPZ case are used to justify political self-interest, but become a part of our written constitution…

• in the long run, it ends up helping us that they were selfish in JPZ’s time!