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'''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 were opponents of the British and the English colonies.

'''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 were opponents of the British and the English colonies.

In 1755, the British sent General [[Edward Braddock]] to confront French, but they ambushed and beat him badly nearly Fort Duquesne (pronounced DOO CANE).  In 1756, war broke out between the French and English in Europe and things got very ugly in America also.

In 1755, the British sent General [[Edward Braddock]] to confront French, but they ambushed and beat him badly nearly [[Fort Duquesne]] (pronounced DOO CANE).  In 1756, war broke out between the French and English in Europe and things got very ugly in America also.

The British struggled badly at first in this war.  But eventually a smart fellow named [[William Pitt]] was elected as Prime Minister in England.  The city of Pittsburgh is named after him.  Pitt believed in appointing generals based on merit, not seniority or friendship.  Pitt recognized the importance of the colonies and began investing significant money and resources.  He started beating the French.  Under Pitt's leadership, he captured [[Fort Duquesne]] in 1758, then Quebec in 1759, and then Montreal in 1760.  He started winning other places in world also, including India.   

The British struggled badly at first in this war.  But eventually a smart fellow named [[William Pitt]] was elected as Prime Minister in England.  The city of Pittsburgh is named after him.  Pitt believed in appointing generals based on merit, not seniority or friendship.  Pitt recognized the importance of the colonies and began investing significant money and resources.  He started beating the French.  Under Pitt's leadership, he captured Fort Duquesne in 1758, then Quebec in 1759, and then Montreal in 1760.  He started winning other places in world also, including India.   

In 1763 the Treaty of Paris was signed, eliminating France and her Indian allies as a threat to colonists.  France agreed to give England as much of North America as it claimed East of the Mississippi, keeping only two islands off the coast of Newfoundland.  France gave up (temporarily) the Louisiana territory to its ally Spain as compensation to it for losing Florida, which it gave up to England in return for Cuba and the Philippines.  These countries traded properties in North America as though they were baseball cards!

In 1763 the Treaty of Paris was signed, eliminating France and her Indian allies as a threat to colonists.  France agreed to give England as much of North America as it claimed East of the Mississippi, keeping only two islands off the coast of Newfoundland.  Spain traded Florida to England in return for England giving Cuba and the Philippines to Spain.  These countries traded properties in North America as though they were baseball cards!

But there was a change in the King of England even before 1763: When [[King George III]] assumed the throne in 1760, he wanted to end the war quickly.  But William Pitt wanted more war by England and resigned in 1761.  Pressure from George III also played a part in his decision to resign.  George wanted Pitt to do his will, but Pitt had a strong will of his own.

Around the same time, the Spanish gained the Louisiana territory through a treaty with the French. The French forts remained in the territory, running along the Mississippi as far north as Michigan.  Later, in 1800, Spain sold this land back to France, which then sold it to America a few years later.

George III openly controlled Parliament, bribing men to do anything he wanted by placing them in good positions.  This significantly altered the face of Parliament, and the majority became much less sympathetic to the colonies.  The ruling sentiment was that the colonies should be obliged to pay for their own expenses, rather than depending on the mother county.

 

== King George III, and Debts ==

 

Meanwhile there had been a big change in England.  [[King George III]] assumed the throne in 1760 (he ruled until 1820).  He had wanted to end the war quickly.  William Pitt wanted more war by England and resigned in 1761, due partly to pressure by George III.  George III, after all, was the king and he demanded obedience by Pitt.

Around the same time, the Spanish gained the Louisiana territory through a treaty with the French.  The French forts remained in the territory, running along the Mississippi as far north as Michigan.  Later, in 1800, Spain sold this land to France, which then sold it to America a few years later.

George III openly controlled Parliament, bribing men to do anything he wanted by placing them in good positions.  This significantly altered the face of Parliament, and the majority became much less sympathetic to the colonies.  The ruling sentiment was that the colonies should be obliged to pay for their own expenses, rather than depending on the mother county (England).

In America, the end of the French and Indian Wars left British with a great deal of territory west of the Appalachians, but the Indians did not give up their land easily. From 1763 to 1766, The Ottawa Indians destroyed every British post west of Niagara.

This war with France left Britain deeply in debt, and tired of war itself.  A new prime minister, George Grenville, came into power in 1763.  The citizens of England were already being heavily taxed, so guess where Grenville looked to raise money to pay the bills? The colonies.

This conflict left Britain deeply in debt, and very tired of war.  A new prime minister, George Grenville, came into power in 1763.  England was in debt after the wars in the colonies, and her citizens were already heavily taxed.  So Grenville turned to the colonies as the means to raise enough revenue to free England from debt.  England felt that the colonists hadn’t paid their fair share of the war expenses.  To keep from spending any more money, England was eager to make peace with the Indians and stop fighting.  It passed the Proclamation Act of 1763, forbidding colonists from settling west of Appalachians and forcing them to stop buying land from Indians.  The Proclamation Act ordered, "that no governor or Commander in chief of our other colonies of plantations in America, do presume for the present, and until our further pleasure be know, tho grant warrant of survey, or pass patents for any lands beyond the heads of sources of any of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or north west..."

England felt that the colonists hadn't paid their fair share of the war expenses.  To keep from spending any more money, England was eager to make peace with the Indians and stop fighting.  England passed the Proclamation Act of 1763, forbidding colonists from settling west of Appalachians and forcing them to stop buying land from Indians.  The Proclamation Act ordered, "that no governor or Commander in chief of our other colonies of plantations in America, do presume for the present, and until our further pleasure be know, tho grant warrant of survey, or pass patents for any lands beyond the heads of sources of any of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or north west..."

The logic behind the Proclamation Act was that as long as the colonists stayed in the colonies and had nothing to do with Indians, there would be peace.  Little did the British know that peace would not last for long in the colonies, and that when war did break out again, it would be against them.

The logic behind the Proclamation Act was that as long as the colonists stayed in the colonies and had nothing to do with Indians, there would be peace.  Little did the British know that peace would not last for long in the colonies, and that when war did break out again, it would be against the British themselves.

==Tension Grows==

==Tension Grows==