CHP. 6 The Duel for North America, 1608-1763

Proclamation of 1763

British decree prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to stabilize relations with Native peoples after the Seven Years’ War.

Pontiac’s Rebellion

1763 Native American uprising in the Ohio Valley against British postwar policies and encroachment on tribal lands.

Ohio River Valley

A crucial geographic region contested by British and French, central to access to the western territories and fur trade networks.

Salutary neglect

British policy of lax enforcement of trade regulations in the colonies prior to 1763; its decline followed imperial expansion.

Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War)

Global conflict (1756–1763) between major powers; in North America, decisive battles and treaties shifted control to Britain.

William Pitt

British prime minister who redirected the war effort and treated the colonies as partners in imperial strategy.

Fall of Quebec (1759) and Montreal (1760)

British victories that collapsed French power in Canada and paved the way for British dominance in North America.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

Ending the Seven Years’ War; Britain gained Canada and lands east of the Mississippi; France ceded Louisiana to Spain; Britain gained Florida from Spain.

Louisiana cession to Spain (1763)

France transferred Louisiana to Spain after the war, redrawing North American territorial boundaries.

Hudson’s Bay Company

British fur-trading company that extended imperial economic reach into Canada and competed with French interests.

French and Native American alliances

French built trade, diplomatic, and sometimes intermarriage ties with Native nations to support fur trade and leverage power.

River systems

Control of rivers (such as the Ohio and St. Lawrence) was central to access, movement, and dominance in the North American West.

European imperial competition in North America

Rivalries among British, French, Dutch, and Spanish led to shifting borders, alliances, and trade networks.

Postwar colonial–British relations

British victory expanded imperial reach but sparked colonial resistance to Westward expansion and renewed Native resistance.