SEVEN YEARS WAR
JAMES WOLFE
• Career in military
• Often ill (perhaps
TB)
• Did not get along
with his officers
• Success at
Louisbourg made
him a national hero
in England
WILLIAM PITT
• British Prime Minister
• Strong supporter of
empire
• Picked Wolfe as
Brigadier for attack
on Louisbourg & to
lead attack on
Quebec
LOUIS-JOSEPH MONTCALM
• French noble
• Not wealthy
• Chosen to lead in
New France because
no one else wanted
to
• Did not trust colonial
troops, militia or
native allies
• Did not fit in with New
France leaders
SEVEN YEARS WAR BEGINS
• War didn’t officially begin until 1756 in
Europe
• Fighting between FRANCE & GB started in
1754 in the Ohio Valley at Fort Duquesne &
Fort Necessity
• Virginia Gov. Dinwiddie ordered Major
George Washington to attack small group
of French but was defeated
REINFORCEMENTS SENT
• With reinforcements, British launched 4-pronged
attack: Fort Beauséjour, Lake Champlain, Niagara
and Fort Duquesne on Ohio River
• except for Ft. Beausejour, British attacks were
failures
• guerilla-style fighting of French and Natives better
than British set battle
THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE
• 1756 Marquis de Montcalm arrived as
French military commander
• Gov. Vaudreuil planned to keep British on
defensive away from French settlements
• Two leaders often disagreed on strategy
• 1757 Montcalm led victories around Great
Lakes
THE TIDE TURNS
• 1758 Fort Frontenac (Kingston) was burned
by British
• British captured Louisbourg and
Guadeloupe in Caribbean
• Native allies signed peace treaty with British
• French gov’t refused to send more troops
• hoped they would defeat Britain in Europe
THE CONQUEST OF QUEBEC
• 1759 British Army under Wolfe moved
on Quebec
• 9 week siege; 20,000 cannonballs fired
• Wolfe delayed attack
CONQUEST OF QUEBEC (CONT.)
• 13 Sept. Wolfe led British troops to Plains of
Abraham near Quebec
• drew Montcalm out to fight in open field
• battle lasted 10 minutes
• Wolfe died on the battlefield
• Montcalm mortally wounded
• French defeated & surrendered Quebec
City
THE AFTERMATH
• French leaders retreated to Montreal
• In spring 1760, British ships were first to arrive
• 8 Sept. Montreal surrendered
• 1763 Treaty of Paris gave Canada to Britain
• France received 2 islands: St. Pierre &
Miquelon
• Guadeloupe returned to French
• French gave Louisiana to Spain
REASONS FOR BRITISH VICTORY?
• Military strength
• Support of mother country
• Infighting in leadership
• Military errors