The War for Empire in Colonial North America

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The War for Empire in Colonial North America

• A Discourse on the Causes, Course, Conduct,
  Characters, Conclusion and Consequences
• by Dennis Kubicki

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Why study the FI War?

• It is relevant to current events.

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Why Study the FI War? (cont.)

• It helps us
• understand our own American Revolution

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Why study the FI War? (cont.)

• It started a short distance from here and played
  itself out in the region (and elsewhere).

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Why study the FI War? (cont.)

• It is currently the 250th anniversary of the
  conflict.
• http//www.warforempire.org/

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Why study the FI War? (cont.)

• Its fun!

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What were the wars origins

• Over one hundred years of Anglo-French animosity

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What were the wars origins (cont.)

• Competing land claims

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What were the wars origins (cont.)

• There was rivalry over trade with and the
  loyalty of Native American tribes

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What were the wars origins (cont.)

• The French began to solidify their claims in the
  Ohio Valley.

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What were the wars origins (cont.)

• George Washington precipitated hostilities at
  Jumonville Glen in 1754.

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What were the wars origins (cont.)

• The French retaliated at Fort Necessity in July
  of that same year.

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I need to clarify some terms.

• What is a fort?

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Who is a soldier?
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Who are the Indians
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What is a massacre?
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What is the campaigning season?

• Campaigns generally began in the spring and
  ended in the fall.
• After Braddocks defeat, Colonel Dunbar went
  into winter quartersin July.

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The early war period was characterized by British
defeat.

• 1755 witnessed the devastating defeat of General
  Edward Braddock at the Battle of the Monongahela.

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The early war period was characterized by British
defeat.

• The Provincials suffered setbacks in their
  attempt to take Forts Frontenac and Carillon.

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There was one bright spot in 1755.

• A British expeditionary force succeeded in
  capturing Fort Beausejour and control over Nova
  Scotia.
• This included the expulsion of most of the
  Acadians.

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The early war period was characterized by British
defeat.

• The frontier was ablaze and colonial
  countermeasures were generally ineffective.

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The early war period was characterized by British
defeat.

• With new military leadership on both sides, 1756
  saw limited conventional combat and French
  success at Oswego.

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The early war period was characterized by British
defeat.

• 1757, the nadir of British fortunes in North
  America, witnesses the massacre at Fort William
  Henry.
• P.S. On May 18th, a formal state of war was
  declared by Great Britain.

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The European phase of the war (The Seven Years
War) began in earnest.

• There were campaigns in
• Silesia (Leuthen)
• Pomerania (Zorndorf)
• Bohemia (Prague)
• Westphalia (Minden)
• Hanover (Hastenbeck)
• Saxony (Rossbach)

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1758 represented a turning point...

• A new British government under William Pitt
  ushered in a new war philosophy.

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Treaty of Easton began a realignment of the
Indian Nations.

• The provisions included
• colonial controls over settlement,
• Iroquois dominance over tribes in the Ohio
  Valley,
• review of the walking purchase.

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1758 represented a turning point

• Jeffrey Amherst captures Louisbourg.

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1758 represented a turning point

• Colonel John Bradstreet captures Fort Frontenac.

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1758 represented a turning point

• General John Forbes and Colonel Henry Bouquet
  succeed where Braddock failed.

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with one exception.

• Montcalm repulses a foolish frontal assault at
  Fort Carillon by an incompetent General
  Abercromby.

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An aside on supply

• Logistics were critically important to the
  projection of military power.

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1759 saw the coups du mortel to the French in
North America

• Fort Niagara fell to the British siege despite a
  valiant defense and an attempt at relief.

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1759 saw the coups du mortel to the French in
North America.

• Despite repeated failures, with incredible luck
  and because of the lack of French resolve, the
  British are given the fortress of Quebec.

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There was a French last gasp in 1760.

• A reconstituted French army under Levis defeated
  the British outside Quebec, but could not sustain
  a siege.

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Peace reigneduntil the peace treaty was signed
in 1763.

• While the war continued elsewhere, there was a
  general lack of hostilities in mainland North
  America.

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What were the consequences?

• The short-term consequences
• Pontiacs Rebellion,
• Increasing tensions between the colonies and
  Great Britain,
• Financial crisis for the British government.

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What were the consequences?

• The long-term consequences
• Continuing warfare with the Native Americans,
• The American Revolution,
• A unique government in Canada.

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There is a great history of the conflict.
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Might there be any questions?