France and Britain Clash

1
France and Britain Clash

• Chapter 4
• Section 3

2
British/French Rivalry
Britain and France had been competing for wealth
for centuries, and in the middle 1700s they were
the strongest powers in Europe. Both countries
had claims in North America, and although there
was room enough for both countries, it seemed
inevitable that a conflict would take
place. Their rivalry continues even today.
3
Border Clashes
4
Fur Trade
5
Fort Pickawillany
British fur traders went deep into Ohio and build
Fort Pickawillany. The French fur traders didnt
care for the British coming into the territory
they had claimed, so they destroyed the fort in
1752. After the fort was destroyed, the French
built a series of forts along the rivers of the
upper Ohio Valley.
6
Louisbourg
The destruction of Fort Pickawillany was only the
start. In the 1740s and 1750s the French raided
towns in New England. In response, New Englanders
went north and captured the French fortress of
Louisbourg. They later returned it to the French.
7
Native Americans take sides

• Most Indians sided with the French, who had
  generally treated them well
• The Iroquois Confederacy the Mohawk, Seneca,
  Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oneida eventually sided
  with the British to maintain trade relations

8
Governor Dinwiddie, Virginia
Governor Dinwiddle sends a young man into the
Ohio territory with orders to speak with the
French and convince them to leave
9
George Washington
1753 Governor of Virginia sent 21-year-old
planter and surveyor George Washington to tell
the French to vacate territory claimed by Great
Britain. Washington was chosen because of his
middle-class background, his interest in the
military, and his intimidating stature (6 3,
180 200 lbs) He was laughed at by the French.
10
Undeterred
Governor Dinwiddie promotes Major George
Washington to Lieutenant Colonel and sends him
back into Ohio territory with about 400 militia
soldiers (citizen-soldiers)
11
Ohio Territory (now Pennsylvania)
12
Pittsburg today
13
Pittsburg in the 1750s
14
Fort Duquesne
About 600 French soldiers stationed here, along
with many fur trappers and traders
15
Fort Necessity
Erected by Washingtons troops in five days.
Expecting a traditional European-style attack,
most of the construction time was spent building
the mounds around the fort. The French did not
attack in the normal European fashion
16
After Fort Necessity

• Washington called a hero by newspapers and
  popular opinion
• Washington himself was disappointed with his
  performance and retired from the army, though he
  would volunteer again just a few years later
• Washington had learned hard lessons at Fort
  Necessity that he would remember later in his
  life

17
Summary

• FI war will be fought for three reasons
• Land
• Money (furs)
• Rivalry
• Ohio Territory includes portions of modern-day
  Pennsylvania
• George Washington
• Early failures, lessons learned
• Reputation undamaged