Unit 5: Struggle for Control
(1670 – 1774)
Topics Discussed in this Unit:
1. Conflict: Britain vs. France
– Fur Country
– The Atlantic
2. Three Pronged Attack
3. Battle on the Plains of Abraham
4. British Military
5. Proclamation Act 1763
6. Quebec Act 1774
Overview Activity
•
•
•
•
Turn to Pg. 58 and 59
Look at the Pictures
Read as a class
Discuss
Britain vs. France
• Turn to Pg. 61
• Read the first two paragraphs
• Complete first page of Worksheet 1 as a class
Fur Trade: French vs. British –
Pg. 62/3
• Britain & HBC 1670
– Interested in business first
– Set up forts around the Bay and waited
for Native people to come
– Cheap and easy
• France
– Travelled deep into the interior
– Expensive and time consuming
– Developed great relationships
Aboriginal Fur trade, Saskatchewan
• France colonized to fund the fur trade; Britain did
not at first
July 1690
Frontenac Expands – Pg. 62/3
• Governor Frontenac expands
the French fur trade into the
Ohio and Mississippi Valley
• By the 1730s, France
expanded and established
trading forts closer to the
Native people
• Allowed them to cut-off
British fur traders
French take Military Action
– Pg. 62/3
• Between 1679 – 1713 the French attack the
British to gain control of Rupert’s Land
• Both countries are unable to take full control
• Treaty of Utrecht 1713 – Rupert’s Land to Britain
The French with their
native allies attack the
British in Rupert’s Land.
March 1711
The Battle for the Atlantic
The Battle for the Atlantic
• Acadia and Newfoundland were very good fishing
areas
• Strategic location: control access of the St.
Lawrence River and Quebec
• After the Treaty of Utrecht 1713, Britain was
given Acadia and Newfoundland
The Battle for the Atlantic –
Louisbourg
• To fix problems of the Treaty of Utrecht
• Looked to Ille Royale (Cape Breton Island) for
fishing and military strength
• Began to construct Louisbourg: a military fort
considered indestructible
The Battle for the Atlantic –
Louisbourg
• 1745 – Britain successful in taking it because it
was surrounded by hills, allowing them to attack
from above
• Forced to return in 1748 (treaty in Europe)
• Now the French, and British knew the fort could
be taken
Important Locations and Treaties
Important Locations:
Important Treaties:
Newfoundland-was an
important fishing area given to
the British in 1713
Ils Royale-New French fishing
area after 1713 and the location
of Louisbourg
Louisbourg-French military
fortress
Acadia-French farming colony
in the Atlantic that was given to
the British in 1713
Halifax-British military fort
created to protect the people of
the 13 colonies
Treaty of Utrecht: signed in 1713-gave
British the rights to Rupert’s Land,
Newfoundland, and Acadia
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle: signed in
1748, gave Louisbourg back to the
French
Treaty of Paris: signed in 1763, gave all
French territory in North America to the
British.
(except for the two small islands of St.
Pierre and Maquelon)
Acadians Refuse the Oath of Allegiance
• 1713: Britain took control of Acadia
• Britain gave the French people of
Acadia a choice to sign an Oath
of Allegiance or face deportation
• An Oath meant they had to
support the British in future
wars against the French
Leader refusing to sign the
• They wished to remain neutral Acadian
oath of allegiance.
1754
What should the British do?
• 1750s, another war coming
• Governor Lawrence
– Too dangerous to leave Acadia,
while the British fought against
the French
– 1754: Gave them one more year
to decide
• 1755
– Acadians refuse
– Governor issues deportation
order
Governor Lawrence informing the
Acadians of their deportation, 1754
Acadians Deported, 1755
• Most sent back to France,
some escaped to Louisiana and
Cape Breton Island
• The British Army
– Burned homes
– Took homes
– Killed Acadians
• 11 000 Acadians deported
• Britain now free to sail up the
St. Lawrence River
British ships take the rest of the
Acadians into exile,
1758
Three-Pronged Attack – Pg. 70
Three-Pronged Attack – Pg.70
• In 1756, the Seven Years War started
in Europe
– As with earlier wars, this effected
the French and British colonization
in North America
• Britain wanted to win quickly in NA
They brought 8 times more than the
French
• The French thought the war in Europe
was more important
• Britain begins its attack!
1.
2.
3.
Louisbourg
Ohio Valley
Quebec
1. Capture of Louisbourg – Pg.70
• Britain attacked Louisbourg in
1758
• Goals
– Weaken the French military
– Take control of the St. Lawrence
River
– Freely sail up the river to attack
Quebec
• Gained the high ground
• Took control in less than 60
days
Louisbourg almost completely
destroyed 1758
2. Capturing the Ohio Valley –
Pg.70
• Britain wanted to deal with
the large number of French in
the Ohio Valley before taking
Quebec
• Worried about having French
traders at their backs
• Once Louisbourg was taken, it
was easy to push the French
out
3. Capture of Quebec– Pg.71
• Quebec was the centre of
French power in NA
• 1759 - General James Wolfe
led the British army up the St.
Lawrence River and attacked
• Unsuccessful for 3 months
• Wolfe decided to attack from
upriver (better location) to
cut off Quebec’s supplies
Battle on the Plains of Abraham - 72
Wolfe Landing at the Plains of Abraham,
September, 1759
• Wolfe hoped to split the French army and force them to
fight in the open plains
• Sailed up the St. Lawrence River near the Plains of Abraham
Battle on the Plains of Abraham - 72
• Britain’s success for 2 reasons:
1. French not used to fighting in the
open fields; more comfortable
fighting in the forests
2. French army was split
• French General, Marquis de
Montcalm sent his troops to
two different locations
• Sept. 1759 – Quebec falls
• 1760 – Montreal surrenders
• 1763 Treaty of Paris signed
– Hands over most of the French
territory in NA to Britain
Fighting on the Plains of Abraham
September, 1759
British Military Rule 1760 – 63 –
Pg. 78/9
• Quebec ruled by a military
government (1760 – 1763)
• British King was still busy fighting in
Europe
• No big changes, but time of great
uncertainty for the French people
remaining in Quebec (Canadiens)
– Will they be deported like the Acadians?
– New France lost its main political,
business, and religious leaders who
returned to France
– Much of French daily life maintained
Treaty of Paris 1763
• France gives up all of its
possessions in New France
and Acadia
• France keeps two small
islands:
– St. Pierre
– Miquelon
• Ended French influence in
North America
• Led to the Royal Proclamation
of 1763
Options Opened to the British
After the Treaty of Paris, the
British have to deal with a
large population of the
French in Quebec.
What do you think they
should they do ?
Options Opened to the British
1. Deportation
–
Force the French to leave
Quebec
2. Maintain the Status Quo
–
Allow French to keep their
way of life
3. Isolation
–
Give the French people a new
area of land
Options Opened to the British
4. Assimilation
–
Force the French to become
British
5. Biculturalism
–
Have a colony where both
French and British cultures
exist
Proclamation Act 1763 – Pg. 82
Aims:
• Assimilation: make Quebec British
– Laws, customs, language,
religion
• Attract British settlers
• Limit the size of Quebec
– Cut the Montreal fur traders
out of the Western market
– Reassure the Native people
that their Ohio Valley territory
would be protected
Proclamation Act 1763 – Pg. 82
Why?
• Wanted to keep the British people
in Quebec loyal
• Realized the Natives were
unhappy because many people
from the Thirteen Colonies were
moving into their land
Key Items
• Settlement in the Ohio and
Mississippi valley forbidden
• French language and Roman
Catholicism allowed
The Quebec Act 1774 – Pg. 84
Aim:
• Biculturalism: allow French
and British ways of life
• Wanted to gain the loyalty of
the Canadiens (Frenchspeaking Canadians)
Language:
• French language allowed
Religion:
• Roman Catholic Church
allowed to continue and
collect taxes
Boundaries enlarged to include the fur
trading areas of Ohio and Mississippi
The Quebec Act 1774 – Pg. 84
Government:
• Quebec ruled by an appointed
British governor and an
appointed council
• Roman Catholics allowed in
government positions
• French civil law
• English criminal law
Land Holding System:
• Seigneurial system remains –
similar to the British freehold
system
Boundaries enlarged to include the fur
trading areas of Ohio and Mississippi