In the 1740's, Great Britain and France both realized that a struggle for control of North America was unavoidable. The French involvement in the fur trade and England's concern with their cash crops caused the desire for more land to grow, which ultimately led to clashes between the two empires.
France pushed westward in pursuit of its one valuable resource, the beaver. European fashion setters valued beaver fur hats for their warmth and luxurious appearance. Demands for the fur grew. French voyageurs even recruited Indians into the fur business in order to help with the hunt. French fur-trappers and their Indian partners ranged from all over North America in pursuit of the beaver. They hiked, rode, snow shoed, sailed, and paddled across astonishing distances and ever deeper into the heart of the continent.
Tobacco continued to be the main crop in the English colonies but intense tobacco cultivation quickly exhausted the soil, creating a nearly insatiable demand for land. Relentlessly seeking fresh fields to plant tobacco, English growers pushed ever farther westward.
Because of English expansion, French anticipating conflict, planted several fortified posts. Early clashes between the two empires begun with King William's and Queen Anne's War. Hostility quickly enlarged between the two and before long both sides where recruiting whatever Indian allies they could. These actions obviously show that both, Great Britain and France knew that major war for North America was unavoidable; as later proved with the seven years war.
In the 1740's France and England both realized that war for power over North America was inevitable. Due to French's contribution to the fur trade and their hunt for the beaver and English's concern with their cash crops and their need for adequate harvesting land, military clashes between the two soon produced.
Political structure at that time led to Bismarck's success in war. With the untimely death of the Danish King, Christian VII, both Schleswig and Holstein refused to recognize the dynastic succession of the Danish King Frederick VII and appealed to the Frankfurt Assembly for recognition of Schleswig-Holstein as an independent German state, free from the Danish crown (doc2). With the declaration of an all-German war on the Kingdom of Denmark by the Frankfurt Assembly, Prussia immediately prepared a small military force to fight for the independence of Schleswig and Holstein (docs3,4). Prussia's aid proved victorious with the Danish defenses easily besieged (doc5). The English heard about the success of Prussia and of their preparations for an invasion of Jutland.
Both countries wanted to assert more control over their colonists and maintain it. In 1749 France began building forts from “Lake Erie to the Forks of the Ohio.” In 1744 under the Treaty of Lancaster, Iroquois chiefs had sold right to “trade at the Forks of the Ohio to Virginia land speculators.” Virgina took this to mean that they would have rights to the land for eventual settlement. Both the Ohio Valley Indian and the French objected to this. In May of 1754, Virginia sent out Washington and some of his soldiers to protect Virginia’s interest and the French stuck back and basically started the French and Indian War. Washington and his men won the battle. In July of that same year, France attacked Washington while at Fort Necessity and her had to surrender. The Delaware and Shawnee Indians joined with France in the French and Indian War. In Europe in 1756 it took off as the Seven Years’ War. In the first phase of the war in North America the French had decisive victories through guerilla war fare by the Indians. Both the English and the French started using European style warfare and this proved a poor decision for both, but especially France. Britain backed off the this strategy
The French Fur Trade Beginning in the mid sixteenth century, French explorers were able to establish a powerful and lasting presence in what is now the Northern United States and Canada. The explorers placed much emphasis on searching and colonizing the area surrounding the St. Lawrence River “which gave access to the Great Lakes and the heart of the continent”(Microsoft p?). They began exploring the area around 1540 and had early interactions with many of the Natives, which made communication easier for both peoples when the French returned nearly fifty years later. The French brought a new European desire for fur with them to America when they returned and began to trade with the Indians for furs in order to supply the European demands. The Natives and the French were required to interact with each other in order to make these trades possible, and, over time, the two groups developed a lasting alliance.
The French and Indian War (1754-63) altered the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies. It changed the political relationship between England and its colonists because the English forced taxes on the colonies, due to their economical struggles, and impose regulations on colonial life. Ideologically, the war brought up feelings of anger from the colonies toward Britain
Fur trading started between the Europeans along with the Aboriginals when the most valuable beaver pelts were substituted for metal and clothing goods such as iron knives and axis, copper kettles, blankets and trinkets. The beaver pelts were well desired by the Europeans for the reason that using this fur for headgear provided an elegant way to keep dry. However these pelts were for fashion, as men and women could be instantly noted within the social hierarchy by according to their beaver hats. It was so valuable that the sand on the floor was filtered to save every hair that had fallen off. For the Europeans, captivating advantages of the rich furs from the Indians in the New World was a major factor in generating handsome profits, and there is no other pelt exchanging business enterprise like the Hudson's Bay Company.
In the years leading up to the Seven Years War, there were already many skirmishes in the thirteen colonies between the British and the Native American tribes in the area.1 The first official year of fighting also led to many decisive defeats to the overextended British Empire. Many small battles for dominance between the British and the French also occurred along the Indian coast. In response to the acts of expansion by the French, the British decided to defend its own territory in North America and India.2 There were many battles scattered across the world, with significant naval battles in the Indian theatre and the Mediterranean. At first, the French won many decisive battles with the aid of its allies against the British Empire. Both countries however, were relatively equal in size and power at the time, but that would soon change. The British began to turn the tide as they made significant lead...
The Seven Years War, or more commonly referred to as “The French and Indian War”, has been called the true First World War. In this book The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America, the author and historian Walter R. Borneman paints a detailed and elaborate picture that justifies the claim of it being the first true war of global proportions. If ever there truly was a climax to the never ending feud of the European powers that be, Borneman would like to suggest that it was The Seven Years War. Beginning roughly in 1754, the author leads us on a path of discovery that truly has no beginning and only a tentative and temporary end. The author describes in great detail the early agitations that both could have and did lead to all out war not only in Europe but throughout their global realms and reaches. Introductions are made to some of the greatest historical figures of that era and those to come, through the extensive work that the author engages in, in an attempt to grant the most detailed and comprehensive book about not only the Seven Years War, but the events that would both lead up to and follow as a result. A MUST read for any true student of history, Borneman goes further in his masterpiece by examining and explaining common misconceptions and theories that have arisen in regards to the period and war. The book truly shines however not simply in the breadth of knowledge that it provides, but also in the manner in which it does so. Borneman masterfully fits all of the many different parts of this book together in a manner that is easily understood. It is no easy feat to cover the sheer number of names, dates and events detailed in this book. Borneman manages to weave in and out of the different faction...
By the year 1754 conflict had erupted between France and Britain over colonial borders in the new world. Britain was expanding her American colonies westward, and France was alarmed by Britain’s aggressive movement into traditionally French or Indian territories. The spur had begun when French soldiers captured a British expedition led by George Washington; he was dispatched by Gov. Robert Dinwiddie on a fruitless mission to warn the French commander at Fort Le Boeuf against further encroachment on territory claimed by Britain. The consequential conflict, known as the French and Indian War, lasted from 1754 to 1763 and had a profound impact on Britain’s dealings with the colonies in America which ultimately led to the American Revolution.
From 1754 to 1763, the French and Indian War took place. This war altered the political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies. It was the last of four North American wars waged from 1689 to 1763 between the British and the French. In these struggles, each country fought for control of the continent with the assistance of Native American and colonial allies. The French and Indian War occurred to end the land dispute between the British and French. Whoever won, in reality, gained an empire. It was a determined and eventually successful attempt by the British to get a dominant position in North America, the West Indies, and the subcontinent of India. Although Britain had won all this land, political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and its American colonies were totally annihilated.
The French and Indian war took place between 1754 and 1763. Here between these nine years would serve as the blue print to America’s history and future. “What began as a struggle over territorial rights between British colonist and French settlers became part of an international war between the great powers” (Schwartz, 1). To truly understand the French and Indian war, many must take a look into the past events that caused the dispute between the British and the French. During the year 1498, the British claims to the continent were based on the London Company and the sailing of the waters under the rule of King James I. This is where the British company in the latter half of the seventeenth century, under the crown established a reign or province, extending from seas to sea.
Each major empire of Europe wanted the award for winning the war, which was a large portion of the eastern, half of North America. The French and Indian War resulted with the collapse of the French’s two hundred year old empire in North America and decreased the French’s influence upon the Indians. Since the colonists were very upset that the Indians had played each side against each other, they pronounced that no war in North America after 1763 was ever going to be decided by the Indians. As the prime minister of Great Britain during the time of the war, Winston Churchill believed that the French and Indian War was the First World War.
During the late 1600s and the to the mid-1700s, countries fought for land and power in order to have global domination. While several countries fought for the same cause, resolving their differences was nearly impossible, and this often led to more wars and conflicts. One of the many conflicts concerned the domination of North America. While many European powers competed for control of North America, Britain gained the most territory through the four French and Indian wars, King William's War, Queen Anne's War, King George's War, and the French and Indian War. As these wars progressed, Britain achieved the most success and eventually became the most dominant power in North America.
The French and Indian War or the Seven Years War was one of the major events that led to the American Revolution. The French and Indian War started in 1754 when George Washington and General Edward Braddock tried to defend the British land that they felt the French were taking with their expansion into the Ohio River valley. In 1755 Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts had many French settlers in the Nova Scotia region moved from that region to avoid any confrontation if these settlers sided with their home country. These people were exiled from their home and moved into British colonies in a very cruel and violent fashion. This is one of the first examples of Britain’s oppressive nature towards people they consider a threat to what they feel is the best solution. The British military effort, at this time, was not as impassioned or successful. Both George Washington and General Braddock suffered major defeats at the hands of the French and their allies, General Braddock was even killed in one of the early battles before this war was officially started. It was not until later in the war that the British were able to successfully defeat the French. The war officially began in 1756 and ended in 1763 but this war is far less important than the major event it caused. More than anything this war was the first step to the American Revolution.
Agriculture was tremendously valuable to the lives of early Americans and the development of the country. It was among one of the top two most important aspects of American life, but was not quite as primary as the social and economic life. Some of the main crops grown by the earlier settlers included wheat, peas, corn, and tobacco. Farms were developed first in the Chesapeake region. Due to the abundant land and numerous streams in this region, the farm soil was richer and more ideal for farming. Farms in the northern colonies, especially New England, tended to be smaller due to smaller amounts of fields and land. Southern colonies were able to have much larger plantations and areas to plant crops. White indentured servants were sometimes hired in the earlier part of the 17th century, but black slaves became a common use of labor in the later decades of the 1600s. The New England and middle colonies in opposition, rarely hired slaves. The most abundant and common crop in every region was corn. “Every...
Early English settlers in the lower Chesapeake Bay region learned to cultivate tobacco from the Native Americans and it would prove to have profound influence in the development of Chesapeake society and the colonies of Virginia and Maryland as a whole. Between 1627 and 1669, annual tobacco exports climbed from 250,000 pounds to more than 15 million pounds. (p39. The American Journey). The Chesapeake region became the New World’s largest producer of tobacco. Since tobacco was a labour intensive crop to cultivate, the planters sought indentured servants from England as a source of cheap labour. However many servants died in alarming numbers from disease as a result from the supply of indentured servants declined, and larger planters who were wealthy managed to buy slaves. Slave population increased rapidly from 1,708 in 1660 to 189,000 in 1760. (Smith, Billy G., and Nash. Encyclopedia of American History).
One of the most prominent and influential wars leading to the American Revolution was the French and Indian War. This war setup the building blocks for a disagreement between the British North American Colonies and Great Britain’s Monarchy. The war initially began in 1756 when the British declared war on the French for their constant expansion into the Ohio River Valley. The war consisted of approximately five major battles or events, and these battles were General Braddock at Fort Duquesne in 1755, Battle of Fort Oswego in 1756, Massacre at Fort William Henry in 1757, Battle of Quebec in 1759, all of Montreal in 1760, and British capture Havana, Manila from Spain in 1762. The French, Native Americans, British Colonists, and British took part in each battle. The French and Shawnee, Lenape, Ojibwa, Ottawa, and the Algonquin peoples fought on one side, while the British, British Colonists, and Iroquois, Catawba, and the Cherokee fought on the other.