The French & Indian War

Essential
Question:
Why was there
an American
Revolution?

1750

Impact of
Mercantilism had
3 different

countries
competing for
North America:

(1)

England

(2)

France

(3)

Spain

What was
happening
before the
French & Indian
War?

Before 1763

Life in the American Colonies

WITHOUT the British

1.American colonies grew
from 50,000in 1650 to 1
million people in 1750.

2.

REASON for GROWTH?
a.

SELF GOVERNED
Colonies with their own
elected assemblies and
governments.

b.

Pass Laws

c.

Collect & Raise Taxes

d.

Attracted Settlers

Conflict in the Ohio
River Valley

(1)

Claimed by BOTH France and
Great Britain.

(2)

English colonists looked to move
into the Ohio River Valley.

(3)

French seeking to claim the land
built Fort Duquesne in
modern-day Pittsburgh.

(4)

English settlers in Virginia
decided to attack the fort.

Benjamin
Franklin

The “Albany Plan of
Union”:

●British colonies form
an alliance for
defense.

●Colonies Rejected
the idea of working
together.

Ohio RIver Valley

George Washington was
instrumental in helping spark the
war:

●

(1) Jumonville Glen (Wins!)

●

(2) Fort Necessity (Captured)

●

(3) Major Braddock’s march to
Fort Duquesne (Ended in
Disaster)

The French &

Indian War

Also known as the “7 Years War”

●

Lasted from 1754 - 1763
○Note that is ACTUALLY 9
years...

●

Treaty of Paris (1763)
○

France signed a peace
treaty. British win!

●

American colonists are excited!

○They can now move into the OHIO RIVER VALLEY

○The French are gone!

Here’s the
Problem

The Proclamation of 1763 by Great Britain to the English colonists

Colonists are told they CAN’T

MOVE to the OHIO RIVER
VALLEY by King George of

Britain.

BTW...

The Proclamation of 1763 also TOLD the English Colonists they
need to pay taxes for the French & Indian War.