Colonial Weapons, Defense, and
Wars
By Liam Mellon 7A3 ID4
Protection
The main fear of a New World colony was
attack. Whether from natives or from the
nation’s enemies, it happened. Because of
this, colonists had many weapons and
fortifications to protect their settlements.
Throughout colonial history, countless forts
were built, weapons used, and battles were
fought.
Muskets
The favored weapon of colonial times was the
smoothbore musket. Until c.1630, matchlock
muskets were used throughout Europe and
the New World. Then, flintlock muskets took
their place, seeing action from the Seven Years
war to the Civil War era.
Flintlock vs. Matchlock!
•Flintlocks required no wicks.
•They were fired when the trigger was
pulled. Then, the hammer fell.
Attached to the hammer was the
flint. When the flint hit the battery,
it produced a spark that ignited the
gunpowder, causing an explosion
that propelled the bullet through
the barrel.
•Matchlocks required a wick to fire.
•Matchlocks required a rest to support
the gun with when firing.
• The wick lit the match. When the
trigger is pulled, the serpentine falls
onto the pan. The match starts a small
explosion that propelled the bullet out
of the barrel.
•It was hard to keep the ammunition
dry, and it was very hard to fire these
guns when it rained.
Artillery
Artillery- large guns used in land battle; Cannons
•The most common artillery piece in the 1700s was
the horse-drawn cannon.
•Cannons were placed on the walls of forts to protect
them. They were also pulled along with land armies.
They were used in battle to either destroy an enemy’s
walls or to bombard the enemy army from a long
distance.
•Although many colonies had cannons, they weren’t
always effective. Natives could hide in the forest,
making it hard for the men aiming the cannons to aim
at them.
Forts
Forts were built throughout Colonial America to
protect settlements and territories from attack.
They were made from various materials, such
as wood, stone, and even seashells! Forts were
built on important places. They sometimes
served as trading posts, supply posts, or ways to
repel an enemy from a certain area.
Louisbourg fortress
was a French fort
built to protect the
entrance to the St.
Lawrence river
from the British.
Jamestown (the first successful
English colony) had a triangular
fort built around it with cannons
at each corner.
Fort Duquesne was built at the
juncture of the Allegheny and
Monongahela Rivers. Whoever
held this fort had control of
trade in the Ohio River Valley
Fort Orange was
a Dutch trading
post built where
the city of Albany
stands today.
Star Forts
The star fort was the most
common style of fortress
used in colonial America. It
first appeared in the 15th
century and was used until
the 19th century. It’s triangle
shaped walls (also known as
bastions) eliminated blind
spots where the enemy could
not be shot at. When an
enemy came close to the
wall, he could be shot at from
different angles.
The New World at War
Once colonies were settled in the New World,
conflict erupted. There were a number of
different causes to these wars. When
countries took more and more land from
natives, they occasionally fought back.
Another factor in a war is territory. When
countries wish to gain control of another
nations territory, war was declared, and
countless lives were to be lost.
American Indian Conflicts
The Pequot War
The Pequot War was the first
serious conflict between English
settlers and American Indians. It
occurred when a trading party of
Narragansett men was murdered
by Pequot warriors. The Pequot
were also angry about English
settlers taking so much of their
land. In 1637, the Pequot war
started. After small battles, the
English and Narragansett men
burned the Pequot village at
Mystic. Over 300 Pequot men,
women, and children were killed.
The rest were sold into slavery.
King Phillip’s War
King Phillips war began in 1675. The
Wampanoag chief, Metacomet (also
known as King Philip) attacked an English
settlement at Swansea. The news spread
through New England, and settlements
immediately responded. Hundreds of men
were prepared for war. The cost of the war
was terrible. 13 English settlements were
destroyed, and 600 settlers killed. King
Philip was killed in 1676 by a native allied
with the English. 3,000 Indians had died.
The New England tribes were almost
completely gone in a few years.
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War took place between 1756 to
1763 (War and peace were officially declared at these times.
Skirmishing took place before 1756, and even a few minor
battles). It involved the British and their native allies, against
the French and their native allies. The Spanish joined the war
on France’s side in 1762. The war started well for the
French. They defeated a British army of 1,400 in 1755, and
captured Fort William-Henry in 1757. The British had trouble
fighting in the forests, because they were used to fighting on
open plains. Eventually, they learned how to fight in the
forests, and the turning point occurred in 1759, when the
British captured the strategic city of Quebec. In the end,
France lost almost all of it’s colonial territories, left with only
Haiti and a few islands off the coast of Canada.
The Death of General James
Wolfe, the British General who
captured Quebec. He died on the
battlefield.
The Battle of Quiberon Bay. This
battle occurred on November 20,
1759.
This painting shows General Edward
Braddock as he is shot of his horse.
Around half of his army returned from
the battle. They were ambushed on their
way to Fort Duquesne.
The Result
After these battles and wars, technological
advancements, and construction of great
forts, the United States was formed. After the
French and Indian war (around 12 years later)
the American Revolution was fought. After 8
years of war, America gained independence
from Great Britain.
The End!
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Books
Seven Years War By Daniel Marston
The Mayflower and the Pilgrims’ New World By Nathaniel Philbrick
Websites
www.britishbattles.com
www.starforts.com
www.usahistory.info