The French and Indian War was a war between the French and the English. It helped create the first attempt at unifying the English colonies in North America. The things that started the war were religion, and walking over the Appalachian Mountains. It was called the French and Indian War because the French were allies with the Huron and Algonquin Indians. The English had allies, too. They were Native Americans from the Ohio River Valley, the almighty Iroquois Nations. This would make sense because the Huron Indians and the Algonquin Indians were old enemies of the Iroquois Nations.
Now, before the war happened, the French had claimed a major amount of land. They started at the St. Lawrence River, went as far west as the middle of present day Montana, and southeast through present day Wyoming, Colorado, the middle of Texas, to the toe of the boot of Louisiana. The Proclamation of 1763 was made to prevent Colonists from moving past the Appalachian Mountains. But one colonist/trapper went past that line into French territory looking for furs. Once he had some, he would sell them at a lower price than the French to the Indians.
Because of this, he took over the fur trade business leaving the French in the dust. Obviously, the French did not like this. They wanted to stop this trapper before he got to the Ohio River. The reason was because of the river’s importance. This is when France and England got their Native American allies. There is only one word to describe what came next: WAR! France and England slugged it out. George Washington’s first loss was at Fort Necessity which was a makeshift fort on the run. Washington lost to the French and was taken prisoner.
He was later released and went back home. This loss was the first step towards freedom from England for the colonies. The American Revolution had begun. English troops made an attempt to take over Fort Duquesne. After William Pitt became leader of the British government, he found out that the English lost the battle at Fort Duquesne. Pitt sent Britain’s best generals over to North America to turn the war around. This was a very good move on Britain’s part because soon enough, the British captured Fort Duquesne, which lead to the capture of Quebec.
These victories became two more steps towards freedom. England kept taxing the colonists to help pay for the additional troops and the cost of the war. The colonists were getting very angry. Also, these victories told the colonists that if they stick together, anything is possible. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, officially ending the war. This treaty not only kicked all of the French military out of North America, but the French lost all of their land except two islands in the St. Lawrence River and their sugar-growing islands in the West Indies.
Since Spain had joined France during the war, Spain gave Florida to Britain, but got all French land west of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans. But Britain would never see what was coming next: a war against its own colonies. These victories brought the colonists closer together. They now know that teamwork can always help defeat any obstacle. All they have to do is unite, plan, wait, and attack.
