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Handout # ​_______
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
THE CAUSE OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
The French and Indian War lasted from 1754 to 1763 and became part of a larger war between France and Great Britain called
the Seven Years War. An official declaration of war was issued following a series of conflicts between France and Britain’s
expansion into the Ohio River Valley.
Both Britain and France claimed ownership of the Ohio River Valley. The Ohio River Valley was known for its fertile land and
abundance of fur bearing animals. This area was also home to the Ohio River, which provided excellent transportation. The
French colonies ultimately allied with the Iroquois Native Americans in an effort to defeat the British and defend their
ownership of the Ohio River Valley.
EFFECT #1​: LAND CLAIMS IN NORTH AMERICA (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763, ended the Seven Years War in Europe
and the French and Indian War in North America. England gained
ownership of most of the land in North America between the Appalachian
Mountains and the Mississippi River (see “British Territory” on the provided
map). Many Indian tribes lived in this region. As English settlers moved
west over the mountains to settle this new territory, many Indians
became angry. They felt the colonists were taking their property. Fur
trappers, farmers, and land speculators added to the Indians’ fears.
In 1763, the Ottawa chief, Pontiac, encouraged many Indians to rise and to
resist the movement of the English into native lands. For months, fighting
continued on the western frontier. Pontiac and his allies were able to
capture almost all western forts. Both settlers and innocent tribes were
killed while the conflict raged.
To bring the violence to a halt, the British Parliament (government) passed
the Proclamation of 1763, which made the lands west of the Appalachian
Mountains to the Mississippi an Indian reservation, to be occupied only by
Native Americans (see the “Proclamation Line” on the provided map).
The result of the Proclamation was immediate anger. Many colonists had
hoped to settle in the western lands, and colonial land development
companies had hoped to buy and sell the land in the area. The Proclamation
of 1763 simply meant that the colonists hopes for the new land gains
would be not be possible.
1. Who won the French and Indian War? ​______________________________________________________
2. Why were Native American tribes angry with British colonists after the French and Indian War ended?
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3. What did the British Parliament do to end the violence between colonists and the Native Americans?
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4. What did the Proclamation of 1763 state?
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5. Who was angered by the Proclamation of 1763?
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EFFECT #2​: DEBT FOLLOWING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
6. Identify and describe the main idea of the table “British Debt”.
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7. How might this debt affect the relationship between the colonies and Britain?
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EFFECT #3​: FEELINGS FOLLOWING THE WAR
As a result of the French and Indian War, England had a huge empire
in America. With ownership of this great empire came great change.
Colonists that fought in the French and Indian War gained a
tremendous amount of confidence. They fought alongside the British
and had gained significant military knowledge. Colonists suddenly felt
more like equals to the British citizens. Colonists no longer felt that
they needed to depend on the British, especially for protection. The
colonists were particularly angry about the Proclamation of 1763, which
prohibited them from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains. They
believed they had the right to move there because they had fought for
the land alongside the British.
The war had also cost so much money that England was deeply in debt.
The English thought that the colonists should send some money to help
with the debt problem. After all, the British felt that England had spent
this money trying to protect the colonies from the French. The British
soon realized that the only way to collect this much-needed money
from the colonists would be to issue new taxes.
8. How did ​colonists​ feel following the French and Indian War? Explain.
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9. What problem did ​Britain​ face following the French and Indian War?
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10. How could the French and Indian War potentially lead to the creation of the United States?
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