1763 as a Turning Point in the British-Colonial Relationship

  • Before
  • France had: Louisiana, East Canada
  • Spain had Mexico and Florida (Mexico extends beyond Rio Grande and borders Louisiana
  • British had East Coast of now-US)
  • France, Spain, Britain had been warring for years, and bring this hatred to the New World
  • British wanted to build stable territories, then expand West
  • French built forts, trading posts - not permanent
  • Both French and British want Ohio Valley
  • French build forts to hold Ohio, stop British
  • British send colonists to get rid of French
  • Lt. Colonel George Washington, age 22
  • 1754 - attacks French and is forced to retreat to Fort Necessity, where he loses badly
  • French Fort Duquesne manned by French and Shawnee
  • starts French and Indian War

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

  • colonists lose to French, and British encourage colonists to sit down with Iroquois and keep friendship and control
  • Ben Franklin looks for representatives from all colonies (New England, NY, MD, PA)
  • wants to work out an alliance against the French
  • first time the colonies try to work together
  • representatives agree to a plan
  • diplomatic relations with tribes
  • gain control of "public territory", that is, territory not owned by colonies
  • raise an army outside of each colony's militia
  • tax colonial citizens to fund defence
  • colonies reject plan - takes away colonial control
  • the Albany meeting fails - Iroquois break from British and threaten to trade with French
  • but it does lay a foundation for the future

Britain Enters the War

  • 1755 - Britain decides to eliminate French presence in North America
  • this will result in some of the worst British defeats up to this time
  • war is not yet officially declared
  • colonists have failed (Washington), so need to send regulars
  • General Braddock - wants to evict the French from the Ohio Valley and Canada
  • attacks Ohio Valley, Mohawk Valley, Acadia (Nova Scotia)
  • killed 10 miles from Ft. Duquesne by 1500 French and Indian forces
  • he fails miserably
  • his only success is driving the "Cajuns" (French from Acadia) to Louisiana
  • 1756 - War officially declared - the "official" French and Indian War begins
  • British rely on colonists for help
  • Colonist-British tensions
  • Differences in military theory
  • Colonists
  • Indian-style guerilla tactics
  • Colonial militias under their own captains
  • No military deference or protocols
  • Resistance to taxes - this will be the area of most conflict
  • Casual, non-professionals
  • British soldiers
  • March in formation, use bayonet charges
  • British officers want to take charge of colonists
  • Drills, tough discipline
  • Colonists should pay for their own defense
  • "Prima Donna" British officers - bring servants, tea, fancy clothes, etc.
  • British are defeated every time for the first several years
  • 1757 - William Pitt becomes Foreign Minister
  • young, "Great Commoner", "Organizer of Victory"
  • replace old with young generals
  • understood colonial concerns and offers compromises
  • colonial loyalty will be reimbursed for costs by British government
  • Lord Loudon, current Prime Minister, is removed
  • colonial morale begins to increase by 1758
  • will have so much success that the French sue for peace

1763 - Treaty of Paris

  • France loses everything
  • Canada, India, lands east of Mississippi
  • has two sugar islands left, that's it
  • Spain
  • gets French lands west of the Mississippi
  • get New Orleans
  • lose Florida to British
  • England
  • gets all French lands in Canada
  • exclusive right to Caribbean slave trade
  • commercial dominance in India
  • North America in 1763
  • Canada and East of Mississippi River = British
  • Louisiana and Mexico = Spanish
  • Two fishing villages in Newfoundland = French

Effects of war on Britain

  • increases colonial empire (doubles size)
  • how to govern?
  • previously = didn't care = "salutary neglect"
  • increase English debt
  • only way to get money is to tax
  • need to govern colonies and stay strong in Europe
  • British contempt for colonists creates bitter feelings
  • colonists continue to smuggle goods, etc.
  • So, Britain feels she needs a major reorganization of her American Empire
  • want more control

Effects of war on colonists

  • United them against a common enemy for the first time
  • feel that they did a good job helping Britain
  • Britain thinks they were useless
  • Begin to socialize with other colonists
  • talk about common values
  • bitter feelings towards British - we don't need them!

Aftermath - Tensions on the Frontier

  • 1763 - Pontiac's Rebellion
  • tipping point, causes British to take action
  • Pontiac organizes several tribes to revolt (Ohio Valley region again)
  • attack British forts
  • British now have to use British troops - an expensive solution
  • also, resort to spreading smallpox-infested blankets
  • so, they issue the Proclamation of 1763
  • colonists can't cross Appalachians to go west
  • turning point for British-colonial relations
  • but, the colonists have claimed land west of the Appalachians, and fought a war to protect it
  • during this period, the laws Britain had made had been about trade, now they're imposing rules in America
  • colonists object, ignore law - they think it's about control, not prevention of Indian raids
  • Paxton Boys
  • West Pennsylvania farmers
  • chased Indians to Philadelphia, stayed there until they got promises of funding

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