Comprehensive Notes on Fur Trade, Seven Years' War, and Loyalists
Chapter 2: The Fur Trade
Imperialism: The policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization or conquest (pg. 54).
British Colonies:
Grew steadily along the eastern coast of North America.
Settlers were mostly farmers who supported themselves (pg. 54).
French Colonies:
The French government sponsored expeditions to find more First Nations for trading partners.
The fur trade was a significant income source for New France (pg. 54).
Relationships Between French and First Nations
French Reliance:
The French depended on the First Nations to supply furs for the European market (pg. 55).
First Nations Reliance:
The First Nations needed European goods like rifles, metal traps, sewing needles, and cooking pots from the French (pg. 55).
Gift Giving:
The French used gift-giving ceremonies during negotiations to show respect (pg. 55).
Military Allies:
Two or more parties that agree to support one another in case of wars (pg. 55).
Competition in the Fur Trade
Fierce Competition:
Competition was intense, giving First Nations trappers leverage in bargaining (pg. 58).
Trappers would compare prices and goods offered at different trading posts (pg. 58).
Harmful Consequences:
Over-trapping led to a decline in the beaver population.
The spread of diseases like smallpox decimated First Nations populations (pg. 58).
Role of First Nations Women
Fur Preparation:
First Nations women prepared furs by skinning, cleaning, and tanning hides, which increased their value (pg. 58).
Intermediaries:
Some women learned English or French and worked as interpreters, advisors, and negotiators (pg. 58).
Thanadelthur:
A young Dene woman who escaped the Cree and helped James Knight establish trade and peace between the Dene and Cree (pg. 59).
Population Dynamics
New France (1754): 55,000 people (pg. 60).
British Colonies (1750): 1 million people (pg. 60).
British Growth Factors:
Active encouragement of settlement by the British government.
Large families contributed to rapid population growth (pg. 60).
Westward Expansion:
Growing population led to increased demand for farmland, pushing settlers westward into First Nations territories near the Ohio River (pg. 60).
French Strategy
Fur Trade Expansion:
The French built more trading posts to expand the fur trade and maintain relationships with First Nations allies (pg. 60).
Fortress Louisbourg
Construction Rationale (1713):
The French built the fortress as a center for fisheries, a major trading port, and a large military base (pg. 61).
First Nations Perspective:
European forts provided more options for buying and trading goods but were built on First Nations land (pg. 61).
First Nations were more receptive to the French because they traded fur and did not settle or farm the land like the British (pg. 62).
Economic Conflict
British Strategy:
In the 1740s, the British aimed to weaken New France economically to reduce its military strength (pg. 62).
Capture of Louisbourg:
The British captured Louisbourg to cut off the supply of French goods, which severely impacted the French economy (pg. 62).
Acadian Expulsion
Definition: The forced removal of thousands of Acadians from their homeland in Acadia by the British (pg. 64).
1730 Agreement:
British Concessions: Allowed Acadians to practice Catholicism and exempted them from fighting against the French (pg. 64).
Acadian Commitments: Acadians remained neutral and signed an oath of loyalty to the British King George II (pg. 64).
1755 Demand and Refusal:
Governor Charles Lawrence demanded Acadians sign an oath of allegiance requiring them to fight for Britain against France, which they refused (pg. 65).
Expulsion Order:
In 1755, Britain ordered the expulsion of the Acadians, deporting approximately 10,000 people (pg. 65).
Consequences:
Acadians were sent to Europe or distant British colonies, with many dying from exposure or starvation (pg. 65).
About ⅓ (one third) of those deported died before reaching their destination (pg. 65).
The British burned Acadian homes and destroyed farms to prevent their return (pg. 65).
Historical Interpretation:
Some historians believe the expulsion was a means for the British to seize Acadian farmland, which was highly fertile due to the Acadian’s effective dyke system (pg. 66).
British Presence and Conflict
Increased Presence (1749):
The British built a fortress at Halifax and brought in 2,500 settlers (pg. 67).
Mi’kmaq Resistance:
The Mi’kmaq abducted over 1,000 British settlers, including children (pg. 67).
British Response:
British soldiers increased their presence to protect settlers (pg. 67).
Cornwallis offered rewards for killing Mi’kmaq people, including women and children (pg. 67).
Acadian Settlement
New Orleans (Louisiana):
The most successful Acadian settlement was in New Orleans, where they became known as Cajuns (pg. 71).
Chapter 3: The Seven Years’ War and the Conquest of New France
Global Conflict:
The Seven Years’ War (1754-1774) is considered the first true world war, involving Europe, India, Africa, and Central America (pg. 75).
Competition for Resources:
Britain and France competed for North American resources, leading to conflicts over forts (pg. 75).
Rising Tensions:
Tensions between the French, British, and First Nations had been escalating for over a decade by 1754 (pg. 76).
Control required claiming and defending land, leading to conflicts between settlers and First Nations (pg. 76).
Ohio Valley Conflict
British Expansion:
The British planned to establish settlements in the Ohio Valley, leading to French resistance (pg. 77).
French Reaction:
The French attacked British colonists, burned homes, and built more forts to deter British advancement (pg. 77).
Louisbourg Recapture
British Return (1748):
The British returned Louisbourg to the French in 1748 but recaptured it in 1758 (pg. 78).
Mercantilism
Definition: An economic system focused on increasing wealth by maximizing exports and minimizing imports through taxes (pg. 79).
Competition:
Countries competed by selling goods to other countries while limiting imports (pg. 79).
Colonial Resources:
European nations sought gold and silver, as well as fish, furs, grain, timber, and tobacco from their colonies (pg. 79).
Timber was used for warships, grain for food, and tobacco and furs were sold in Europe (pg. 79).
British and French Strategies
French Focus:
France prioritized fighting in Europe, limiting troop deployment to North America (pg. 80).
British Reinforcements:
Britain sent 20,000 additional soldiers to North America (pg. 80).
Fighting Styles:
The French and First Nations used surprise attacks (guerilla warfare), while the British used traditional line formations (pg. 80).
Ojibwe Alliance
Trade Alliance:
The Ojibwe obtained European goods like weapons, tools, and clothing through trade with the French (pg. 82).
Military Support:
The Ojibwe fought with the French against the British, significantly contributing to French victories (pg. 82).
Symbols of Respect:
The goods provided by the French symbolized respect and partnership (pg. 82).
Course of the War
Changing Forts:
Forts changed hands multiple times, as control of a fort meant control of trade (pg. 83).
British Strategy Shift (1757):
Britain developed a strategy to take over New France completely, capturing key forts like Fortress Louisbourg, Fort Frontenac, and Fort Duquesne (pg. 83).
British Victory
Capture of Montreal (1760):
Following victory on the Plains of Abraham, the British took Montreal in 1760, gaining control of New France (pg. 86).
Treaty of Paris (1763):
The Seven Years’ War officially ended, with France giving up its North American territory claims to the British (pg. 86).
Impact on First Nations
End of Trade with French:
Trade between First Nations and the French ended, and the British restricted First Nations’ access to goods and stopped paying established prices (pg. 88).
British Expansion:
First Nations viewed the movement of British officials, soldiers, and settlers as a threat (pg. 88).
Royal Proclamation of 1763
Key Provisions:
The British took over the government of Quebec (pg. 92).
Reserved land for First Nations and promised hunting and fishing rights (pg. 92).
Treaty of Niagara
Facts:
The British would keep settlers out of the Ohio Valley (pg. 93).
In July 1764, over 2,000 representatives from 24 First Nations and British monarchy members signed the treaty (pg. 93).
Promises were symbolized and preserved in a wampum belt (pg. 93).
The treaty is known as the Great Peace of 1764 (pg. 93).
Chapter 4: Loyalists
Loyalty Definition:
Loyalty is the ability to stay committed to someone or something (pg. 103).
Who were the Loyalists?:
Loyalists were settlers from the thirteen colonies who remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolution (pg. 103).
American Revolution
Conflict (1775):
The American Revolution broke out between the British and colonists who opposed British rule (pg. 104).
Loyalist Migration:
Many Loyalists left the Thirteen Colonies to settle elsewhere (pg. 104).
Planters
British Incentives (1758):
The British government posted ads in New England offering land to attract settlers (pg. 105).
Push and Pull Factors:
Pull: The chance to own land.
Push: Overcrowding in New England (pg. 105).
Migration (1760-1768):
About 8,000 Planters accepted land offers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (pg. 105).
British Goals:
To increase British territory and wealth by having loyal Protestant settlers take over lands (pg. 105).
Colonial Grievances
No Taxation Without Representation:
Colonists felt the British government made decisions without consulting them and wanted representation (pg. 106).
Tea Act:
The British government introduced the Tea Act, allowing the East India Company to sell tea at lower prices, disadvantaging colonial merchants (pg. 106).
Patriots vs. Loyalists
Divisions:
Settlers were divided over loyalty to Britain (pg. 107).
Patriots:
Settlers who wanted to break free from Britain and create their own country (pg. 107).
American Revolution (1775-1783):
Battles occurred for 6 years until the Patriots won at Yorktown in 1781 (pg. 107).
Treaty of Paris (1783):
The British gave up control of the Thirteen Colonies, leading to the creation of the United States of America (pg. 107).
Lands north of the United States became known as British North America (pg. 107).
Promises to Black People
British Promise:
The British promised enslaved Black people freedom, land, and equal rights (pg. 110).
Haudenosaunee Land
Compensation:
The British purchased land from the Mississauga and Ojibwe peoples to reward the Haudenosaunee for their loyalty (pg. 111).
Challenges Faced by Loyalists
Difficult Journey:
The journey was long and difficult on overcrowded ships with illness (pg. 112).
Support for Loyalists
Free Supplies:
Loyalists received free farm tools, food, and clothing and were exempt from taxes for several years (pg. 113).
Obligations:
Loyalists had to complete certain tasks or risk losing their land (pg. 113).
Compensation Issues
Problems:
Money from the government was slow to arrive (pg. 115).
Some Loyalists, like Black Loyalists, never received compensation (pg. 115).
Impact on British North America
Population Changes:
Loyalist migration increased the population (pg. 115).
First Nations Partnerships
Forced Alliances:
First Nations peoples were forced to partner with British or French colonizers to maintain control over their lives (pg. 120).
British Relations with First Nations
Peaceful Relationships:
The British wanted to establish peaceful relations with the Mi’kmaq in exchange for land (pg. 120).
Promises:
First Nations were promised money, gifts, and reserve lands (pg. 120).
Land Seizures:
Loyalists began taking over First Nations lands (pg. 121).
Land Treaty Issues
Problems:
The land treaty process was often hurried and unfair (pg. 121).
The British often made verbal promises instead of creating written documents to expedite land handover to Loyalists (pg. 121).
Constitutional Act of 1791
Division of Quebec:
Quebec was formally split into Upper Canada (around the upper St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes) and Lower Canada (around the lower St. Lawrence River and Gulf of St. Lawrence) (pg. 122).
Loyalist Settlements
Maritime Loyalists:
Loyalists in the Maritimes demanded separate settlements due to distrust of existing settlers who remained neutral during the American Revolution (pg. 126).
Division of Nova Scotia:
Nova Scotia was divided into three colonies: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Cape Breton Island (pg. 126).