The French and Indian WAR.It changed the future 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. In 1607, the first English settlers founded Jamestown, Virginia Jamestown, Virginia first permanent English settlement in New World (1607). [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 255] See : Colonization . A year later, the French arrived in Canada. For the next 150 years, Britain and France struggled for control of land in North America. The two countries fought four wars between 1689 and 1763. The last and most important was 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. (1754-1763). That struggle began over who would control 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. French fur trappers had explored the land and claimed it for France. But Britain claimed that its Colonies extended west into that territory. The outcome of the war would change the future of North America. SCENE ONE Narrator NARRATOR. A pleader who draws narrs serviens narrator, a sergeant at law. Fleta, 1. 2, c. 37. Obsolete. A: It is October 22, 1753, in Williamsburg, the capital of Virginia. Robert Dinwiddie Robert Dinwiddie (1693 – July 27, 1770) was a British colonial administrator who served as lieutenant governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758, first under Governor Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, and then, from July 1756 to January 1758, as deputy for : The French and their Algonquin Indian allies are massacring settlers in western Virginia. Take this letter to the French. They must leave our people alone and get off the land! George Washington: Yes, sir! Narrator A: Washington starts out, reaching a French fort in December. Washington: This is British territory. Your forces must leave! Legardeur de St. Pierre: Mais non! This is our land! You can tell your Governor we intend to stay! Washington: I will give him your answer. But we'll be back! Narrator A: Washington returns to Williamsburg and tells Dinwiddie what happened. The Governor asks the Virginia Legislature for money and troops to protect colonists on the frontier On the Frontier: A Melodrama in Two Acts, by W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, was the third and last play in the Auden-Isherwood collaboration, first published in 1938. . Dinwiddie: Gentlemen, the welfare of all the Colonies is endangered by the French and their Indian allies. We must take action! Narrator A: To protect the frontier, Dinwiddie orders a fort built where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet the Ohio (see map, p. 22). In March 1754, he sends Washington with 159 soldiers to man the fort. But the French capture the fort, naming it Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne (dəkān`, d  –), at the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, on the site of Pittsburgh, SW Pa. . Washington then learns that many French and Indians are headed his way. His army takes refuge in makeshift Fort Necessity, but are badly beaten. The French let Washington go, but the defeat worries many colonists. Tom: I'm going to join the fight against the French. How about you? Nat: Count me in! SCENE 2 Narrator B: With war threatening, Britain asks the Colonies to meet with the six nations of the Iroquois in hopes of winning their support. Seven Colonies send representatives to the Albany Congress Albany Congress, 1754, meeting at Albany, N.Y., of commissioners representing seven British colonies in North America to treat with the Iroquois, chiefly because war with France impended. , in June 1754. Hendrick: You and the French are fighting about lands that belong to us. Your settlers are moving onto our land and taking our hunting grounds. We don't want to be destroyed by your quarrel. William Johnson William Johnson may be:
Narrator B: Benjamin Franklin and other delegates realize that to win a war, the Colonies must work together. Benjamin Franklin: If the Iroquois nations can join together, why can't we? The Colonies should form a Grand Council that can tax people and raise an army. And there should be a president-general, appointed by the Crown. Narrator B: The delegates approve Franklin's Albany Plan Overview The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany Congress in 1754. It was an early attempt at forming a union of colonies. Eventually after the Revolutionary War, the Albany Plan of Union was used to help write the Articles of Confederation. of Union. But Britain says it makes the Colonies too powerful, while the Colonies say it gives Britain too much authority. The plan never goes into effect. SCENE 3 Narrator C: In 1755, the British send 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). to Virginia. With Washington as his aide, he leads an army of soldiers to the Ohio River valley. Edward Braddock: We need some open land for a proper battle! The French will be sorry they took us on! Washington: Sir, the Indians have taught the French how to fight in these woods. They don't wear bright red or blue uniforms as we do. They wear brown, to blend in Verb 1. blend in - blend or harmonize; "This flavor will blend with those in your dish"; "This sofa won't go with the chairs" blend, go fit, go - be the right size or shape; fit correctly or as desired; "This piece won't fit into the puzzle" with the woods. And they don't line up in neat rows to fire. They shoot from behind trees. Braddock: That's not the proper way for a soldier to fight. Narrator C: Suddenly, a gunshot. Braddock: Charge, men! Charge! Narrator C: The troops charge, but are easy targets in their red and blue uniforms. Many are killed. Some Virginians shoot from behind trees. Braddock: Get into a line and fight like soldiers! Soldier: But sir, if we line up, we'll be slaughtered. Braddock: I give the orders, cowards! Narrator C: The soldiers line up, but many are killed. Braddock, too, is hit. He dies as Washington leads the surviving troops back to Virginia. SCENE 4 Narrator D: In 1757, William Pitt Noun 1. William Pitt - English statesman and son of Pitt the Elder (1759-1806) Pitt the Younger, Second Earl of Chatham, Pitt 2. William Pitt - English statesman who brought the Seven Years' War to an end (1708-1778) , Britain's Foreign Secretary, talks with Lord Jeffrey Amherst in London. Lord Jeffrey Amherst: We keep losing battles. What should we do? The French have many advantages over us. Our settlements are scattered and harder to defend than theirs, which are clustered together. They have closer ties with their Indian allies. Their army is larger than ours. Sir William Pitt: We have advantages, too. Twice as many British have settled in North America as French. Our Navy is stronger. And look at this map. See the St. Lawrence and Niagara rivers? The French use those rivers to supply their armies. If we can control the rivers, we can keep French supplies from reaching the Great Lakes Great Lakes, group of five freshwater lakes, central North America, creating a natural border between the United States and Canada and forming the largest body of freshwater in the world, with a combined surface area of c.95,000 sq mi (246,050 sq km). and the Ohio River valley. I want you to capture Fort Louisbourg in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia (nō`və skō`shə) [Lat.,=new Scotland], province (2001 pop. 908,007), 21,425 sq mi (55,491 sq km), E Canada. Geography . Then we can block the French from entering the St. Lawrence. Narrator D: Amherst attacks and takes Louisbourg. Meanwhile, the Iroquois win a great battle near the Niagara River. Despite the victories, some colonists are unhappy. Tom: We fight for Britain, we pay taxes, and we still aren't respected! Nat: It's not right. The British walk around with their noses in the air, pretending to be better than we are! SCENE 5 Narrator E: By 1759, the French have suffered crushing losses. But the British still need to defeat the French at Quebec, their capital. Montcalm's aide: Can the British beat us, sir? Marquis de Montcalm: Quebec is a natural fortress. We just have to hold our position until winter comes. Montcalm's aide: Should we attack? Montcalm: No, let them exhaust themselves. After all, what can they do? They can't climb the cliffs! We need not suppose that the enemy have wings. Narrator E: But the British come up with a plan. James Wolfe: The French show no signs of giving in a falling inwards; a collapse. See also: Giving . And we must leave before the St. Lawrence River freezes up, or we'll starve this winter. Wolfe's aide: What if we climb the steep cliffs to the Plain of Abraham at night? Wolfe: If the French spot us, they could wipe out our whole army. We'll have to be silent. But... I like the idea. Narrator E: The next morning. British troops: Charge! French troops (surprised): Oh, no! Montcalm: I've been shot! Montcalm's aide: No, my general! Montcalm: I am glad I shall not live to see the fall of Quebec. Narrator E: On another part of the battlefield, General Wolfe also has been shot. Wolfe: I'm dying. Wolfe's aide: They run, sir! Wolfe: Who runs? Soldier: The enemy, sir! Wolfe: Ah! Now I can die in peace Now I Can Die in Peace: How ESPN's Sports Guy Found Salvation, With a Little Help From Nomar, Pedro, Shawshank and the 2004 Red Sox is a 2006 sports anthology of original columns written by ESPN's Bill Simmons. ! Narrator E: Quebec surrenders. SCENE 6 Narrator F: By 1760, British and colonial forces had defeated the French in North America. In 1763, the two sides signed the Peace of Paris Treaty, giving Britain almost all French territory in North America (see maps, p. 24). Tom: Well, we got rid of the French. Nat: But did you hear? Britain has declared all the land west of the Appalachian Mountains Appalachian Mountains (ăpəlā`chən, –chēən, –lăch`–), mountain system of E North America, extending in a broad belt c.1,600 mi (2,570 km) SW from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec prov. off-limits to settlers. Tom: We fought for that land! Nat: If there's one thing we've learned, it's that our thirteen Colonies Thir·teen Colonies The thirteen British colonies in North America that joined together to form the original states of the United States, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, can fight together. Tom: King George'd better not forget that! AFTERWORD The British won the war-but at a high price. As one historian writes, "With the triumph of Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham Plains of Abraham: see Abraham, Plains of. Plains of Abraham English victory decided last of French and Indian wars (1759). [Br. Hist.: NCE, 7] See : Battle began the history of the United States “American history” redirects here. For the history of the continents, see History of the Americas. The United States of America is located in the middle of the North American continent, with Canada to the north and the United Mexican States to the south. ." The colonists had learned how to pull together. And they were no longer willing to accept British rules and taxes. The next time British and colonial soldiers met they would do so on opposite sides of a battlefield. CHARACTERS Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. George Washington, a major in the Virginia militia The Virginia militia is composed of the body of the people in the Commonwealth of Virginia which is an armed force of all citizens capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Legardeur de St. Pierre, French commander, Ohio Valley Tom [*] Nat [*] Hendrick, an Iroquois leader William Johnson, an envoy to the Iroquois Benjamin Franklin, Albany Congress delegate Edward Braddock, British general Lord Jeffrey Amherst, British general William Pitt, British Foreign Secretary Marquis de Montcalm, French general Montcalm's aide General James Wolfe, British general Wolfe's aide British troops French troops Narrators A-F (*.) A fictional character North America Changes Hands During the 1700s, European powers wrestled for dominance in North America. This was true even though much of the continent was unexplored by Europeans, let alone settled. Native Americans lived throughout areas claimed by Britain, France, Spain, and Russia. These land claims were all about the future. Each country hoped to send settlers into these lands and take whatever riches might be found, including furs, timber, and gold. By 1750, French claims west of the Allegheny Mountains Allegheny Mountains Ranges of the Appalachian system in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, U.S., west of and generally parallel to the Blue Ridge Mountains. cut off expansion by the 13 British colonies. It was a limit Great Britain and the colonists were unwilling to accept. And it triggered the French and Indian War (see pp. 20-23). Historical maps are useful tools for analyzing past events. The two maps on this page show how the French and Indian War changed the future of North America and its people. Use the map to compare North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. land claims before and after the war. American History: French and Indian War OBJECTIVES Students should understand * when and where this war took place; * the countries involved and their goals; * George Washington's role in the war. TEACHING STRATEGY Discuss: Who were the top three European colonial powers in North America in 1754? How did the French and Indian War change this situation? SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS Grades 5-8: * North American history * contest for empire * life of Washington BACKGROUND Skirmishes between French and British settlers near the Ohio River valley in 1754 touched off the French and Indian War. At first, the French were victorious. In 1756, the war spread to Europe, where it was called the Seven Years War Seven Years War, 1756–63, worldwide war fought in Europe, North America, and India between France, Austria, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and (after 1762) Spain on the one side and Prussia, Great Britain, and Hanover on the other. . A 1763 peace agreement ended the war and changed the map of North America. See maps on p. 24. THINKING SKILLS MAKING CONNECTIONS: How did a future U.S. President get involved in the war? (Lt. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia heard that French settlers and Algonquin Indians were attacking British settlers in the Ohio River valley. He sent Major George Washington to order the French "off our lands." The French refused. Washington returned as part of a British expedition led by General Braddock.) MAKING INFERENCES: How did Braddock's refusal to take Washington's advice lead to his defeat and death? (Braddock insisted that British and colonial troops line up in the open to fire. French and Indian sharpshooters shot them from behind trees and rocks.) REACHING CONCLUSIONS: What winning strategy did the British come up with? (They seized control of the St. Lawrence River--a vital supply line for the French.) ACTIVITY Research and discuss how the French and Indian War led to the creation of the United States. RESOURCES * Collier, Christopher and James L., The French and Indian War (Marshall Cavendish, 1998). Grades 5-8. * Leckie, Robert, "A Few Acres of Snow "A few acres of snow" (in the original French, "quelques arpents de neige") is one of several quotations from Voltaire, the 18th-century writer, which are representative of his sneering evaluation of Canada's, and by extension New France's, lack of economic value and ," The Saga of the French and Indian War (John Wiley & Sons, 1999). Grades 8 up. * Marrin, Albert, Struggle for a Continent (Macmillan, 1987) Grades 6-9. Video * The French and Indian War Thomas S. Klise Co. P.O. Box 3l7 Waterford, CT 06385 1-800-937-0092 www.klise.com Web Sites * History Online www.nps.gov/history * History (lots of links) mcrel.org/connect/history.html |
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