French and Indian War (1754-1763) Vocabulary

Key vocabulary terms from the lecture notes on the French and Indian War, its causes, key events, and consequences.

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

Conflict in North America between Britain and its colonies and France with Native American allies; part of the global Seven Years' War; ended with the Treaty of Paris (1763).

Seven Years' War

Global conflict (1756–1763) involving major European powers; in North America it is closely linked to the French and Indian War.

Mercantilism

Economic policy that aims to strengthen a nation by accumulating wealth, typically through a favorable balance of trade and colonial acquisitions; encouraged competition among imperial powers.

Ohio River Valley

Strategic territory in North America whose land disputes helped trigger the French and Indian War.

Albany Congress (1754)

Colonial assembly meeting aimed at coordinating defense against the French; led to the proposal for greater colonial unity.

Albany Plan of Union

Benjamin Franklin's 1754 proposal for a unified colonial government and a colonial army; not approved by colonies or Britain.

Benjamin Franklin

American colonial leader who proposed the Albany Plan of Union to unite the colonies for collective security.

Fort Duquesne

French fort at the forks of the Ohio River; site of Washington's confrontation that helped spark the war.

George Washington (1754 turning point)

Virginian officer who led initial forces to protect the Ohio Company’s claims; his retreat at Fort Duquesne marked the war’s escalation.

Pontiac's Rebellion (1763)

Ottawa-led uprising of Native tribes against British frontier settlements after the war, prompting increased British military presence.

Proclamation of 1763

British decree prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains after Pontiac's Rebellion.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

End of the war; Britain gained Canada and lands east of the Mississippi; Spain received lands west of the Mississippi and New Orleans; Britain secured exclusive rights to Caribbean slave trade; Florida was ceded to Britain by Spain.

Salutary neglect

British policy of lax enforcement of trade laws prior to the war; ended as Parliament asserted tighter control over colonies.

Parliamentary sovereignty

Principle that Parliament has ultimate authority to make laws and levy taxes, including over the colonies.

William Pitt (the Elder)

British Prime Minister whose wartime leadership provided a financial commitment to win the war (the 'blank check').

Alliances with Native Americans

French partnerships with tribes along the Ohio River Valley vs. British expansion leading to conflicts with Native peoples.

New France

French colonial territory in North America, including Canada and nearby regions.

New Spain

Spanish colonial territory in North America and the Caribbean; its competition with Britain and France shaped the war’s broader context.

Caribbean slave trade rights (Treaty of Paris 1763)

Britain gained exclusive rights to the Caribbean slave trade as part of the postwar settlement.

British debt from the war

Massive increase in Britain’s national debt (e.g., 1755: £74.6 million; 1764: £129.6 million), contributing to calls for colonial taxation.

Territories gained by Britain (Canada and lands east of the Mississippi)

Britain acquired Canada and lands east of the Mississippi River after the Treaty of Paris, expanding imperial influence in North America.