Chief big business takes charge: how one man helped change the course of the French and Indian War.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Before Reading THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR French and Indian War North American phase of a war between France and Britain to control colonial territory (1754–63). The war's more complex European phase was the Seven Years' War. FOR BEGINNERS WHAT WAS THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR? A conflict for control of North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. between Britain and France and their American colonies and settlements (1754-1763). It was the last of a series of four wars that began in 1689 (see chronology, p. 17). WHO WERE THE INDIANS? Each side enlisted allies from the continent's Indian tribes. Among France's allies were the Algonquin, Lenape, Ottawa, and Shawnee. Most important to Britain were their allies among the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederation: the Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, and Tuscarora. WHERE DID THE FIGHTING TAKE PLACE? Mainly In the British colonies of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Pennsylvania, and in the settlements of New France New France: see Canada. New France Possessions of France in North America from 1534 to the Treaty of Paris in 1763. After the first land claim for France by Jacques Cartier (1534), the company of New France was established in 1627. , in present-day Canada. WHY DID THE WAR START? Both countries claimed the area of the Ohio River Ohio River Major river, eastern central U.S. Formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, it flows northwest out of Pennsylvania, and west and southwest to form the state boundaries of Ohio–West Virginia, Ohio-Kentucky, Indiana-Kentucky, and Valley. When France built forts there, Britain attacked to chase the French out. The good gentlemen of New York and Massachusetts must have done a double-take. In August 1746, officials of the British colonies were gathered in Albany, New York For other uses, see Albany. Albany is the capital of the State of New York and the county seat of Albany County. Albany lies 136 miles (219 km) north of New York City, and slightly to the south of the juncture of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. Colony, to meet with chieftains of the Mohawk Indian tribe. The Mohawk leader's face was painted in red bear grease, and he wore a loincloth loin·cloth n. A strip of cloth worn around the loins. loincloth Noun a piece of cloth covering only the loins Noun 1. and leggings leg·ging n. 1. A leg covering usually extending from the ankle to the knee and often made of material such as leather or canvas, worn especially by soldiers and workers. 2. leggings a. . Yet his skin was white, and he spoke with an Irish brogue (accent)! The man turned out to be William Johnson William Johnson may be:
n. 1. a. A chief of a Native American tribe or confederation, especially an Algonquian chief. b. A member of the ruling council of the Iroquois confederacy. 2. (chieftain) of the Mohawk. The Mohawk called him Warraghiyagey (war-uh-GEE-uh-gay)--"Doer of Great Things" or "Chief Big Business." Johnson and the Mohawk had traveled to Albany to tell the British that the Six Nations of the Iroquois (EER-uh-kwoy) Confederation would join them in battle. Since 1689, the British and their American colonies had been fighting the French and their Indian allies in New France (see chronology and map). A series of North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. wars had raged over conflicting land claims and the fur trade fur trade, in American history. Trade in animal skins and pelts had gone on since antiquity, but reached its height in the wilderness of North America from the 17th to the early 19th cent. . Eventually, the wars would decide which European power would control North America. William Johnson and the Mohawk would play a key role in the last phases of that struggle--and the conflict known as the French and Indian War. A Man of Two Worlds William Johnson left Ireland for America in 1738, when he was 23. His uncle, Peter Warren Peter Warren may refer to:
River, east-central New York, U.S. The Hudson River's largest tributary, it flows 148 mi (238 km) south and east to join the Hudson at Waterford, north of Troy. Valley. Johnson thrived in the New World, trading for furs with the Iroquois and supplying other white settlers with goods. Johnson became friends with his neighbors, the Mohawk. The Mohawk were "well pleased at my settling here," he wrote to his uncle. They appreciated that Johnson paid them fair prices for furs and land, refusing to cheat them like other colonial traders. Before long, he had earned their trust and affection. The strapping young man immersed himself in the world of the Mohawk. He learned the Iroquois language and joined in the Mohawk's music, dancing, and sports. Johnson also loved the poetic speeches of respected sachems and did his best to imitate them. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of those sachems was Hendrick. The Mohawk leader was already well-known to the British. He had even appeared in 1709 at the Court of Queen Anne Queen Anne n. The style in English architecture and furniture typical of the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714). Queen Anne Adjective 1. in London on his people's behalf. Johnson's friendship with the older man became the crucial link between the Iroquois and the British. Some time in the early 1740s, the Mohawk adopted Johnson. To be initiated, he had to shave his head, paint his face, and participate in an elaborate welcoming ceremony. Johnson remained a man of two worlds--Indian and settler. His estate became the favorite meeting place of the Six Nations. When conflicts arose between the Iroquois and the colonists, Johnson acted as a peacemaker. Two of his three marriages were to Mohawk women. As Hendrick put it to George Clinton George Clinton may refer to:
Colonel of the Warriors As the British and French fought for control of the New World, they needed the help of the people who already lived there--the Indians. The French had allies among the Algonquin and other tribes. Governor Clinton understood how important Johnson was in winning the Iroquois over to the British cause. In 1746, during the conflict known as King George's War King George's War: see French and Indian Wars. King George's War (1744–48) Inconclusive struggle between France and Britain for mastery of North America. , Clinton made Johnson Colonel of the Warriors of the Six Nations. Johnson organized Mohawk raids on French settlements. The French and their Indian allies responded with equally brutal attacks on New York settlements. In 1748, the parties negotiated an uneasy truce. But the peace did not hold. By 1754, war had broken out once again. In the spring of 1755, British Major General Edward Braddock General Edward Braddock (1695? – July 13, 1755) was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for North America during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War. He was born in Scotland circa 1695 to Major-General Edward Braddock (died 1725). gave Johnson command of 3,000 colonial troops Colonial troops or colonial army refers to various military units recruited from, or used as garrison troops in, colonial territories. Colonial background from New York and New England New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. . Then Johnson called the Iroquois to a council (meeting). "If you treat me as your brother," he said, "go with me. My war kettle is on the fire, my canoe is ready to put in the water, my gun is loaded, my sword by my side, and my ax is sharpened. I desire and expect you will now take up the hatchet hatchet: see tomahawk. and join us, your brethren [brothers], against all our enemies." The Iroquois promised Johnson 300 warriors. Most were from his adopted family, the Mohawk. Lake George For the British, the French and Indian War began in disaster. In July 1755, General Braddock and some 900 of his Redcoats were wiped out in a French and Indian ambush near Fort Duquesne (doo-KANE), in Pennsylvania. Despite this setback, Johnson pressed on to his assigned target, the French stronghold of Crown Point on Lake Champlain. But the French had learned of Johnson's plans after Braddock's defeat. At Lake George, south of Lake Champlain, the French ambushed a British and Mohawk detachment (part of a larger army). Hendrick was among the men killed. The survivors swarmed back to join Johnson's forces behind a log barricade. The battle lasted four desperate hours. During the fighting, Johnson was wounded when a musket ball lodged in his thigh--where it stayed the rest of his life. Despite being outnumbered, Johnson's men held their ground. The French and their allies scattered, leaving their commander, Baron Ludwig Dieskau (dee-ESS-koe), in British hands. Johnson barely managed to spare Dieskau's scalp from Mohawk hatchets. Lake George was the first important British victory of the war. As a reward, King George II made Johnson both a Baron and the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the British Crown. Warraghiyagey was now also Sir William Johnson. "No Injustice" Except for Johnson's success at Lake George, between 1755 and 1757 Britain continued to lose major battles to France and its Indian allies. The leaders of the Six Nations, who worried about their future, considered fighting with the French. Johnson used all of his influence, including gifts of weapons and blankets, to keep them from doing so. By 1759, however, Britain had turned the tables, taking one French fort after another. At the June battle for Fort Niagara, Johnson took over when another commander was killed. After a 19-day siege, the French surrendered to Johnson's forces. That September, Britain captured Quebec, New France's capital. A year later, all of New France was under British control. The war ended formally with the Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris of 1783 ended the U.S. Revolutionary War and granted the thirteen colonies political independence. A preliminary treaty between Great Britain and the United States was signed in 1782, but the final agreement was not signed until September 3, 1783. in 1763. Sir William kept his job as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Until the end of his life, he worked to "see no injustice is done" to the tribes in his charge. When an Ottawa chieftain named Pontiac led an anti-British rebellion in 1763, Johnson urged the British to protect further Indian lands from white settlement. His efforts led to the Proclamation of 1763, which established a temporary boundary line at the Appalachian Mountains. The line did little, however, to hold back white settlers. Johnson spent his last years raising sheep and racehorses; he was one of the richest men in colonial America. At his estate, Johnson Hall, he entertained Native Americans of all ranks alongside European aristocrats and wealthy colonists. He died in July 1774, a hero of the war that he had helped win for Britain. Less than a year later, the battles at Lexington and Concord Noun 1. Lexington and Concord - the first battle of the American Revolution (April 19, 1775) Lexington, Concord American Revolution, American Revolutionary War, American War of Independence, War of American Independence - the revolution of the American signaled the start of the American Revolution--forever changing the world that Sir William Johnson had known. A Family Man Sir William Johnson had three families. His first and second wives, a German indentured servant and a Mohawk, died young. Johnson spent the last 20 years of his life with Molly Brant brant or brant goose, common name for a species of wild sea goose. The American brant, Branta bernicla, breeds in the Arctic and winters along the Atlantic coast. , a spirited and respected leader of the Turtle Clan of the Mohawk. Molly cared for their eight children and managed the great councils at Johnson Hall. Johnson was gravely ill on July 11, 1774, when he hosted hundreds of Six Nations leaders at Johnson Hall. The Indians told him of recent attacks and land seizures by white settlers. Johnson apologized for the colonists' behavior and promised action. He offered his guests refreshments, then was helped to his room. Two hours later, the death wails of Johnson's wife and adopted people were echoing through the forest. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chronology THE BATTLE FOR AMERICA Most of the wars fought over North America spread here from other conflicts between European powers. KING WILLIAM'S WAR King William's War: see French and Indian Wars. King William's War (1689–97) Battle for North American territory between Britain, under King William III, and France. 1689-1697: Named for King William III of England. After Britain and France seize territory from each other, a treaty returns lands to both nations. QUEEN ANNE'S WAR Queen Anne's War: see French and Indian Wars. Queen Anne's War (1702–13) Second in a series of wars between Britain and France for control of North America. It was the American phase of the War of the Spanish Succession. 1702-1713: Named for Queen Anne of Great Britain. The British gain Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and the Hudson Bag territory from the French. There is also fighting between the British and Spanish in South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. and Florida. KING GEORGE WAR 1744-1748: Named for King George II of Britain. France fails to recapture Nova Scotia and loses Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island, island (1991 pop. 161,686), 3,970 sq mi (10,282 sq km), forming the northeastern part of N.S., Canada, and separated from the mainland by the narrow Gut, or Strait, of Canso. The easternmost point is called Cape Breton. to Britain. But a treaty gives back lost territory to each side. FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754-1763: The conflict begins in North America. Fighting spreads to Europe in 1756. In the end, France surrenders most of its American land to Britain. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Think About It 1. Why did the Mohawk adopt William Johnson? 2. Do you think Sir William would have sided with the British or the Americans during the American Revolution? Explain. Lesson 2 AMERICAN HISTORY Chief Big Business Takes Charge p. 16 [] Objective * Recognizing that the American Revolution was not the first war fought over Europe's claims on North America. [] Word to Know * confederation: a union of groups, states, or countries formed for a common purpose. [] Before Reading Who controlled North America before the American Revolution? Tell students that they are about to read about the decisive war over Britain's and France's claims to the continent, and one man's role in that conflict. Reading prompt: What was at stake for Britain and France during the French and Indian War? What for the Indians? [] During Reading In 1754, New France had about 55,000 settlers; the British colonies had close to 1 million spread over a vast area. In contrast, there were about 70,000 Indian warriors in the Great Lakes area alone, where much of the fighting took place. [] After Reading * A matter of opinion: Did William Johnson sincerely like the Mohawk, or was he just using them? Support your answer with details from the article. * Primary-source material: See p. T-6. [] Keep It Going Discuss: Why would the Mohawk have considered fighting alongside the French? What did they gain after backing the winning side? RESOURCES [] INTERNET * Anniversary Commemoration. The 250th anniversary. frenchandindianwar250.org [] BOOKSHELF * The French and Indian War, Andrew Santella [Coughlan Publishing, 2004]. Includes maps, time line, list of key people, and glossary. Grades 5-7. [] DVDs/VIDEOS * When the Forest Ran Red [68 min.] and George Washington's First War [84 min.]. Re-enactment documentaries of the French and Indian War. (DVD/VHS] [] CDs/AUDIO * The Music of Early America [streaming audio clips]. Music popular during the war. earlyamerica.com/music/french-indian.htm |
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