History Brief: The French and Indian War

What students need to know about the French and Indian War.

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Transcript:

The French and Indian War (1754--1763) is the name Americans gave to the Seven Years' War. The war was fought between the colonies of British America and New France for control of much of the North American continent.

Colonists used the name French and Indian War due to the primary enemies they faced: royal French forces and Native American Indian tribes who allied with the French.

The war was fought mostly along frontier areas separating New France and the British North American colonies. It started as a dispute in the Ohio River Valley region after French forces established Fort Duquesne in what the British considered their territory. Virginia forces under the command of George Washington were sent to force the French out, igniting the conflict.

The French won a series of victories in the war's early stages, due in large part to the success of General Louis Joseph de Montcalm. Yet, as the war dragged on, the French commander found himself short of manpower and resources. Montcalm set up defenses inside Quebec, a commanding position overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

The tide of the war had begun to turn because William Pitt had been named Prime Minister of Britain. Pitt, fully committed to victory, threw Britain into heavy debt trying to win the war. He convinced the colonies to provide more troops and money to the cause, and British forces captured Duquesne, renaming it Fort Pitt in his honor. Today we call it Pittsburgh.

The crucial year came in 1759 when British General James Wolfe forced a decisive battle with Montcalm that changed the course of the war. The Battle of Quebec was very brief, but the future of Canada, Britain, France, and the unborn United States was decided in less than fifteen minutes. It is commonly cited as one of the most important battles in history as it ended 150 years of bloody strife for control of North America. As a result, the French had to give up much of their land claims to North America as a part of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

The war had vast economic, political, governmental, and social ramifications for Britain, France, and Spain, as well as the colonists and numerous Native American Indian tribes inhabiting the territories claimed by these nations.

The French and Indian War almost doubled Britain's national debt, and King George III, seeking sources of revenue to pay off the 133 million pound cost, determined to impose new taxes on the colonies to help pay for the cost of the war. These attempts were met with very stiff resistance in the American Colonies, and decisions made by King George III, parliament, and colonial leaders would eventually lead to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.