Rivals for an Empire
The French and Indian War
Tanaghrisson,
aka The Half
King, Seneca
Chief
Learning Goal:
I can summarize the causes of the
French and Indian War
Focus Question:
What caused the French and Indian
War?
French and Indian
War
Motivations
What Were They
Fighting For?
Motivations

As you view the video – “The War
That Made America,” think about
what the following groups were
fighting for:
• American Indians
• French
• British
What Were They Fighting For?
Motivations
Why did France and
Britain fight in the
War?
To determine control
of North America
Motivations
Why did the British
Colonies Fight?
Because they
thought of
themselves as
British and because
they wanted to move
west
Motivations
(Graphic Organizer)
Why did Native
Americans fight?
To support their
allies and to keep
British settlers
from taking over
their land
Britain and France Compete
Britain and France Compete

In 1750s, Britain and France build
empires; both want Ohio River Valley
Britain and France Compete
France’s North American Empire




France claims St. Lawrence River region,
Mississippi River Valley
By 1754, French colony of New France has
small population
French colonists mostly fur traders,
missionary priests
French have good relations, military
alliances with Native Americans
Britain Defeats an Old Enemy
War Begins

French build Fort Duquesne in Ohio
Valley, land claimed by Virginia

1754, George Washington is sent to
evict French; is defeated

French and Indian War begins
Fort Duquesne
Britain Defeats an Old Enemy
Early French Victories


General Edward Braddock’s army ambushed near
Fort Duquesne
British lose early battles to French and Native
Americans
Britain Defeats an Old Enemy
Pitt and Iroquois Turn the Tide

New prime minister - William Pitt helps turn
the war around

Offered encouragement to colonists, sent
more troops and supplies, and appointed
only the finest officers

British capture of Quebec leads to victory in
war
Britain Defeats an Old Enemy


Treaty of Paris ends
war (1763)
Land divided
between Britain and
Spain (Ally of Britain
during the war)
Treaty of Paris (1763)
France lost Canada
to Britain and
surrendered its
claims to almost all
lands in North
America
The French and Indian
War
Results
French and Indian War: Effects

British territory greatly expanded in
North America

The British had a huge war debt

The British resented the American
colonists who they believed were
unwilling to pay their fair share of the
debt
French and Indian War: Effects

American colonists unified for the first
time against a common enemy (French)

Colonists lost respect for British
authority and their professional military

France's political influence in North
American ended
A Change in Attitude
The French no longer had much power
in North America so …

Many colonists began to believe that
they did not need help from Britain
anymore

Some began to feel that they could
expand and prosper on their own
The French and Indian
War
Winners and Losers
(Graphic Organizer)
Winners and Losers

What did Britain
GAIN as a result
of the War?

Canada and
virtually all of
North America
east of the
Mississippi River
Winners and Losers

What did Britain
LOSE?


A good deal of
money
Colonists’
respect
Winners and Losers

What did the
colonies GAIN as
a result of the
war?

Access to what
had been French
territories
Winners and Losers

What did the
colonies LOSE as a
result of the war?



Profits from trade
(due to increased
taxation to pay off
Britain’s war debt)
The right to move
west of the
Appalachians
Some of their rights
and freedoms
Winners and Losers

What did France
LOSE as a result
of the War?


The French were
driven from
North America
They lost All its
North American
territories
Winners and Losers

What did the war
COST Native
Americans?


The aid and
friendship of the
French
Protection from
the British
Victory Brings New Problems

After the war, settlers
flooded onto Indian
lands

Ottawa leader Pontiac
fears loss of land by
American settlers

Pontiac organizes an
attack and captured
most of the British
forts in the Ohio River
valley and along the
Great Lakes
Pontiac urges others to rise up against
the British
Victory Brings New Problems

Indian attackers ran
short of gunpowder,
shot, and guns

Now without a
supplier, their
rebellion fizzled

Event is known as
Pontiac’s Rebellion
Victory Brings New Problems
British Policies
Anger Colonists

To ease fear of Indians
Britain issued the
Proclamation of 1763

It ordered colonists to
leave the Ohio Valley

Did not allow colonists
to settle west of
Appalachians

Colonists resented
efforts to limit their
expansion
Victory Brings New Problems
British Policies Anger Colonists

The British decided that the colonists could
and should pay more to help the Empire

Colonial merchants had grown rich from
trade, often smuggling or bribing officials to
avoid paying taxes on imports

Britain hoped that a new policy would
encourage colonists to pay their taxes
Victory Brings New Problems
British Policies Anger Colonists

Prime Minister George Grenville set policies
to pay war debt

Parliament passes Sugar Act (1764)

Tax on foreign molasses was lowered

But, law assigned customs officers and
created courts to collect the duties (taxes)
and prosecute smugglers
Victory Brings New Problems
The Colonies and Britain Grow Apart

Halt to western expansion upsets
colonists

Tensions especially in Massachusetts
increased over crackdown on smuggling

New Writs of assistance (written
commands) that allowed searches of
ships, businesses, homes further angered
the colonists