The French and Indian The French and Indian War 1756-1763War 1756-1763

Reasons for the WarReasons for the War

Plans for UnityPlans for Unity

The ArmiesThe Armies

Reasons for the WarReasons for the War

War starts over the Ohio Valley both War starts over the Ohio Valley both France and England claim it. France and England claim it.

There is a strong desire to make There is a strong desire to make money off the land and from the fur money off the land and from the fur tradetrade

Both have a history of fighting each Both have a history of fighting each other in Europe and in North Americaother in Europe and in North America

The Native AmericansThe Native Americans

Native Americans Native Americans side with the French side with the French because English because English settlers are moving settlers are moving onto their landonto their land

The Iroquois break The Iroquois break off trading with the off trading with the colonists because of colonists because of repeated land grabs repeated land grabs of their land of their land

The Albany Plan of Union, 1754The Albany Plan of Union, 1754

Ben Franklin suggests Ben Franklin suggests that in order to defeat that in order to defeat the French, the British, the French, the British, Iroquois and the colonies Iroquois and the colonies must be unifiedmust be unified

It proposed a tax system It proposed a tax system to pay for the war, to pay for the war, provide for defense and provide for defense and separate branches of separate branches of governmentgovernment

The Albany Plan of Union, 1754The Albany Plan of Union, 1754 It fails becauseIt fails because

colonists do not colonists do not trust each othertrust each other

the British believe the British believe that it gives the that it gives the colonies too much colonies too much powerpower

the Iroquois want to the Iroquois want to go to war go to war

The British and Colonial MilitiaThe British and Colonial Militia

The British are a The British are a trained military forcetrained military force

Colonists forces are Colonists forces are ill trained, fight for a ill trained, fight for a limited time and limited time and don’t like to follow don’t like to follow ordersorders

Colonists hide behind Colonists hide behind trees and shoottrees and shoot

The French and Indian AlliesThe French and Indian Allies

French military is French military is supported by supported by experienced French experienced French trapperstrappers

French use a French use a combination of hit and combination of hit and run with European run with European warfare warfare

Most Indians, like the Most Indians, like the Algonquians have a Algonquians have a grudge against the grudge against the colonists and the colonists and the Iroquois Iroquois

Washington and Fort Necessity Washington and Fort Necessity

France and England France and England both desire the Ohio both desire the Ohio River ValleyRiver Valley

The French build The French build forts in the region to forts in the region to protect their protect their interest in the interest in the ValleyValley

Virginia sends Virginia sends Colonel Washington Colonel Washington to request the to request the French to leave French to leave

Washington and Fort NecessityWashington and Fort Necessity

Washington builds a Washington builds a simple fort to check simple fort to check the Frenchthe French

The French easily The French easily defeat Washington’s defeat Washington’s forces, he loses forces, he loses several hundred menseveral hundred men

Washington is blamed Washington is blamed for starting war for starting war incorrectly, it was incorrectly, it was going to happen going to happen anywayanyway