The French and Indian War
Events leading to War
•  In the 1750s, France and Britain were
fighting in Europe. The war began
spreading to North America.
•  British Colonists wanted to take over
French land in North America. The British
wanted to take over the fur trade in the
French held territory.
•  Britain and France began fighting for
control of the Ohio River Valley.
George Washington
•  In 1753, George Washington, then 21 years old,
was sent across the Appalachian Mts. to order
the French to leave.
•  When the French refused to leave, George
Washington’s lieutenant, sent a small force of
soldiers from Virginia to build forts at the forks of
the Ohio River.
•  The Fort was called Fort Duquesne, near
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
George Washington cont..
•  The fort was barely finished when the French
attacked, and George Washington was sent
back to reinforce the fort.
•  On his way back to Fort Duquesne, he and 150
Virginians, were surprised attacked by a small
group of French soldiers on patrol.
•  The Virginians made a makeshift fort called Fort
Necessity.
•  The Virginians were outnumbered and
surrendered, which was the opening battle of the
French and Indian War. The French let
Washington and his soldiers return to Virginia.
When did this war occur?
•  The French fought a war against the
colonists and the British over the land in
America. This was started in 1754 and
lasted until 1763. Europeans called this
the Seven Years War.
Native Americans (Indians)
•  British soldiers fought against French
soldiers and Native Americans.
•  Native Americans joined in the battle
against the British because they were
afraid the British would take over their land
and because the French had befriended
the Indians through their fur trading.
Results of the War
•  In the peace treaty of 1763 (The Treaty of Paris)
the British got most of the French land in North
America.
•  The war ended with the British and colonists
winning. France lost Canada and all of the
French territory east of the Mississippi River
except New Orleans.
•  Also as a result of the war, the British began
taxing the colonists to pay for the war.
Changes for the colonists…
•  This war changed the way of thinking for the
colonists. During the war the colonists fought
alongside the British Army. This taught the
colonist how to fight as well as making the
colonist realize that they no longer needed the
British Army for protection.
•  Another result of this war was the colonists
learned they must work together to keep their
land.
•  After the war many colonists moved across the
mountains. They no longer feared the French
would attack them.
Timeline of the War
Time Line for the French and Indian War
• October 1753- Governor Dinwiddie sent George Washington to tell the French
to stop building forts in the Ohio Valley. The French paid no attention to the
warning.
• May 1754-Washington built Fort Necessity.
• July 9, 1755 -Washington lost the Battle of the Wilderness. Washington
warned Braddock that the French and Native Americans fought from behind
trees instead of marching into battle. Braddock's army was surprised and
Braddock was killed.
• Summer 1755- Seven thousand French peasants living in Nova Scotia
(Arcadians) were rounded up and sent away from their homes by the British.
• May 1756- England and France formally declared war.
• 1755-1757-The French won battle after battle.
• 1758- General Wolfe began leading the colonial armies. Fort Duquesne was
captured.
• October 1758- Peace was made between the Native Americans in the Ohio
Valley and the British.
• September 13, 1759- The British defeated the French at Quebec.
• February 1763- The Peace of Paris awarded all of North America east of the
Mississippi River except New Orleans, including Canada and Florida to the
British.