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West of the Appalachian Mountains is the Ohio Valley.  This area was rich in animals necessary for the lucrative fur trade, and covered vast amounts of unsettled land.  The Ohio Valley was occupied by Native American tribes, primarily peoples such as the Shawnee and Lenni-Lenape (Delaware) who had been displaced by the Iroquois League.  Both the British and the French traded with the Indians in this region.  As the population and confidence of the English settlers in the colonies grew in the mid-1700s, they began to migrate to Ohio.  There they came into conflict with the French over the fur trade and control of the region.  Conflict between the English colonists and the French traders increased after the end of King George's War in 1748.

West of the Appalachian Mountains is the Ohio Valley.  This area was rich in animals necessary for the lucrative fur trade, and covered vast amounts of unsettled land.  The Ohio Valley was occupied by Native American tribes, primarily peoples such as the Shawnee and Lenni-Lenape (Delaware) who had been displaced by the Iroquois League.  Both the British and the French traded with the Indians in this region.  As the population and confidence of the English settlers in the colonies grew in the mid-1700s, they began to migrate to Ohio.  There they came into conflict with the French over the fur trade and control of the region.  Conflict between the English colonists and the French traders increased after the end of King George's War in 1748.

[[File:French and Indian War Map.png|left|500px]]

[[Image:Join or Die cartoon.jpg|right|thumb|Benjamin Franklin published this cartoon to promote the Albany Plan of Union]]

In 1754, seven (7) colonies met to address these problems at the Albany Congress.  They considered, but did not adopt, Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union.  The Albany Plan of Union attempted to unite the English colonies with the Iroquois League in a defensive stance against New France.  Franklin published the political cartoon (shown here to the right) in order to urge unity among the colonies.

In 1754, seven (7) colonies met to address these problems at the Albany Congress.  They considered, but did not adopt, Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union.  The Albany Plan of Union attempted to unite the English colonies with the Iroquois League in a defensive stance against New France.  Franklin published the political cartoon (shown here to the right) in order to urge unity among the colonies.

 

The governor of Virginia sent a 21-year-old named George Washington to stop the French from building a fort near the site of present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and to protest French attacks.  But in Western Pennsylvania, at Fort Necessity, the French defeated and captured him and his 400 troops.  They made him sign a statement in French (which George Washington did not understand) "confessing" that his men had assassinated some Frenchmen.  Then they released George Washington.  He remembered that lesson and in the Revolutionary War made sure that in the future he always had an aide who could understand French.  That future aide would be the very influential Founding Father named Alexander Hamilton, a brilliant man fluent in French and who had been homeschooled.

The governor of Virginia sent a 21-year-old named George Washington to stop the French from building a fort near the site of present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and to protest French attacks.  But in Western Pennsylvania, at Fort Necessity, the French defeated and captured him and his 400 troops.  They made him sign a statement in French (which George Washington did not understand) "confessing" that his men had assassinated some Frenchmen.  Then they released George Washington.  He remembered that lesson and in the Revolutionary War made sure that in the future he always had an aide who could understand French.  That future aide would be the very influential Founding Father named Alexander Hamilton, a brilliant man fluent in French and who had been homeschooled.

The French traded more with the Indians, and so the Indians tended to side with the French.  Also, some Indians saw how George Washington was defeated, so they probably thought the English colonies were weaker than the French.  Finally, it's likely the French treated the Indians better than the English did.

The French traded more with the Indians, and so the Indians tended to side with the French.  Also, some Indians saw how George Washington was defeated, so they probably thought the English colonies were weaker than the French.  Finally, it's likely the French treated the Indians better than the English did.

 

"The" French and Indian War was the seven-year struggle that was the culmination of the conflicts between France and England in America.  It was the American portion of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) between England and France in Europe.  The name "French and Indian" to describe the war is confusing, because the French and Indians were on the same side, both fighting against the British, and there were some Native Americans who were allied with the British.

The French and Indian War was the seven-year struggle that was the culmination of the conflicts between France and England in America.  It was the American portion of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) between England and France in Europe.  The name "French and Indian" to describe the war is confusing, because the French and Indians were on the same side, both fighting against the British, and there were some Native Americans who were allied with the British.

In 1755, the British sent General [[Edward Braddock]] to confront French, but they ambushed and beat him badly near [[Fort Duquesne]] (pronounced DOO CANE).  In 1756, war broke out between the French and English in Europe, Africa, and India, as the war morphed into the first true global conflict.  

In 1755, the British sent General [[Edward Braddock]] to confront French, but they ambushed and beat him badly near [[Fort Duquesne]] (pronounced DOO CANE).  In 1756, war broke out between the French and English in Europe, Africa, and India, as the war morphed into the first true global conflict.