Prelude to the Revolution: The French and Indian War

1
Prelude to the Revolution The French and Indian
War

• US History - Libertyville HS

2
Setting the Stage

• F I war an extension of the 7 Years War in
  Europe
• Big Question Who will control world trade?

F I (in America) 7 Yrs War (in Europe)
3
The Sides

• English possessions in America
• Eastern seaboard, short of Appalachians and Lake
  Erie
• Colonists had been in America for 150 years
  separate identity forming
• Not all were even British! (German, Scottish,
  Dutch)

• French possessions in America
• West of Appalachians, past Great Lakes and
  Mississippi River
• Quebec Ontario

French Royal Flag, 18th C.
British Union Flag, 18th C.
4
What about the Native Americans?

• Ohio Valley Indians allied with French
• French began building line of forts through Ohio
  Valley
• Cut off English access to fur trade
• Also, block English colonists from expanding west

5
What about the Native Americans?

• Iroquois were reluctant allies of British
• The Iroquois HATED the colonists
• BUT . . . they HATED the Ohio Valley Indians more
• Some attempted neutrality - lose / lose
  proposition

Indian slaughter of prisoners, 1759
6
Lead up to War

• British claimed same lands as French
• Sent 15,000 regulars (Redcoats) to protect
  colonists
• British also planned seizure of Canada (for the
  fur trade)

7
Start of War

• Young George Washington (21 y.o.) in charge of VA
  militia (Mom story Braddock)
• Sent to Pittsburgh in 1754 to stop French fort
  building
• French forts Duquesne Le Boeuf
• GW builds Fort Necessity
• Brits send along Iroquois allies (Half-Chief)
• Americans ambush French Iroquois slaughter
  patrol
• French counterattack, defeat Washington he
  surrenders
• 1755 - General Braddock ambushed, killed WAR!

Washington, In VA militia uniform
8
Indians, During the War

• Ohio Valley Indians kill about 3,500 colonists in
  raids in first 3 years of war
• Colonists HATE the OV indians
• 1760 flag of truce for trade
• Indians ask for blankets
• Jeffrey Amherst traded blankets infected with
  smallpox
• OV Indians devastated by disease that winter
  never recover

Ohio River Valley
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Results of War

• English win on ALL fronts
• 1760 Fighting in Europe ends
• British send 60,000 more troops to America,
  Canada
• Push French out of Quebec, West across Mississippi

Death of British General Wolfe outside Quebec
10
Demographics of America, 1763
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Charleston

• 4 major cities (shipping)
• New York City (28,000)
• Boston, MA (32,000)
• Philadelphia, PA (30,000)
• Charleston, SC (10,000)

• Nationwide
• 2.3 million whites and blacks
• 90 Americans are farmers

11
Demographics of America, 1763

• Between 1760 and 1775, 225,000 immigrants arrive
  in America
• Majority NOT English
• Most German, Irish ( Scots-Irish, post Culloden)
• Military tradition very strong in these groups

12
Demographics of America, 1763

• Slavery
• ½ of population of VA slaves
• Mainly tobacco field workers (cotton didnt
  become big until 1800s)
• 50 of Americans unfree at some point in life
• Black slave
• Indentured servant

Slaves on VA Plantation, 1790
Indenture contract, 1739
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Why Do Demographics matter?

• Majority of American population made up of ...
• Indentured servants
• Scots-Irish
• Religious dissenters
• Former debtor-prisoners
• Germans
• Slaves
• Loyalty to British? Not really! (Emerging
  national ID Protestants that dont like British
  nobility / royalty)

Immigration groups, 1770
14
Results of War to British, Americans

• Treaty of Paris (1763) makes Britain most
  powerful European country
• Threat of Indians, French toward colonists gone
• British colonists must love us!
• Colonists we dont need British any more