7 Years War and Its Impact

7 Years War - The Lead Up in Ohio Country

• Land disputes were rampant among British, French, and Native Americans.
• 1754: General George Washington was sent to assert British interests in the Ohio Country with Iroquois allies.
• The French had established Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio River. They attempted to warn Washington to retreat.
• Before the French delivered their message, they were ambushed; some reached Washington to explain their peaceful intent.
• Miscommunication led to Washington’s Iroquois allies attacking the French, killing their warning party.
• Washington and his men retreated and hastily built Fort Necessity, which was besieged a month later. Washington was forced to surrender.
• This event marked the beginning of the Seven Years' War.

Years of Defeat

• Following Washington's defeat, Britain aimed for control of the Ohio Country, launching a second attempt.
• General Braddock led two troops into Ohio in 1755 but ignored Native alliances.
• Braddock was ambushed by the French and their allies; he was shot, and his remaining troops fled.
• The French victory solidified their dominance in the Ohio Country.
• Great Britain and France formally declared war in 1756.
• John Campbell, Earl of Loudoun, took command for the British but was unpopular due to high demands on soldiers and resources.
• The French appointed Louis Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm, who captured key British forts, threatening New England.
• The war began to spread to Europe, where French forces threatened British holdings, putting Britain in a precarious position.

A Shift in Policy

• William Pitt became British Prime Minister, advocating for a global attack on France to drive them out of North America.
• He pledged support to Prussian allies in Europe while focusing on North America.
• Pitt gained colonial support by treating them as equals, respecting their officers, and ensuring they would not bear war expenses.
• He recognized the importance of Native allies and engaged in diplomacy with Native leaders.
• By 1757, the British Navy cut off French supplies via the St. Lawrence River, drastically weakening French-Native alliances due to loss of trade.

Years of Victory

• Colonial support surged as the tide of war shifted in favor of the British.
• July 1758: The British gained control of the St. Lawrence River; the French fortress of Louisbourg fell, isolating the French.
• In 1759, General James Wolfe captured Quebec after a fierce battle at the Plains of Abraham, where both commanders were killed, leading to significant British casualties.
• By 1760, the French surrendered Montreal.
• 1762: Spain joined the war on the French side but lost Havana to the British.
• February 1763: The Treaty of Paris signaled the end of French presence in North America, with Britain acquiring territory east of the Mississippi River, Spanish Florida, and several Caribbean Islands.
• Spain retained land west of the Mississippi and access to New Orleans via the Treaty of San Ildefonso.

Postwar Expectations

• Colonists anticipated reduced taxes and open access to the Ohio Valley.
• In contrast, imperial officials aimed for a centralized British empire, leading to increased oversight and taxation in the colonies.
• A standing army was established in the colonies to maintain order and enforce new policies.

Pontiac’s Rebellion

• General Jeffery Amherst believed that with the French gone, relations with Native Americans could be disregarded, leading to unrest among Natives.
• Natives, led by Pontiac, began to organize against British forts.
• Pontiac embraced a spiritual message from Neolin, calling for a return to traditional practices and unity among tribes.
• As violence erupted, Amherst authorized military actions against Native villages and took extreme measures against Native populations, including using smallpox-infected blankets during negotiations.
• The Paxton Boys, a group of colonists, sought to eliminate Native peoples, resulting in massacres of peaceful Native communities.
• In response to escalating violence, Amherst's leadership was challenged; the Proclamation of 1763 sought to restore respectful relations with Natives and halt westward colonial expansion, causing frustration among colonists.
• By 1764, violence had somewhat subsided, but tensions remained high.