Unit One Part One At the onset of the 18th century three Old World countries had a vested interest in North America: England (Great Britain), France, and Spain. Though there were many major conflicts over the course of the century, The French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) would have the greatest impact on the colonists, as the aftermath planted the seeds for the American Revolution. Latecomers to colonization Internal Strife St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572) Edict of Nantes (1598) Limited religious toleration Quebec (1608) Samuel de Champlain Good relationship with Huron Fought against Iroquois Stymied colonization in Ohio River Valley Royal Colony Ruled autocratically No assembly No trial by jury Population 60,000 (1750) Fur Traders—beaver Transients Runners of risk Drinkers Free spirited Trading posts widespread Collaborated with natives Damaged native culture and ecosystem Jesuit Missionaries Catholic converters Unsuccessful—mixed conversions Important explorers Antoine Cadillac Detroit: “The city of straights” 1701 Check the English Robert de La Salle Explored the Mississippi 1682 “Louisiana”—after Louis XIV Block Spanish control of the Gulf of Mexico New Orleans 1718 Early conflicts King William’s War (1689-1697) Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713) Occupying forces Native recruitment Treaty of Utrecht (1713) British gain territory The War of Jenkins’s Ear (1739-1744) Some fighting in GA King George’s War (1744-1748) New England invades New France Capture of Louisbourg 1745 Returned 1748 Ohio River Valley Future interest British—westward expansion French—links northern and southern possessions Immediate interest British—land speculation French—fur trade Fort Duquense cross waters Allegheny Monongahela Lieutenant Colonel George Washington Secure Virginian claims to the Ohio River Valley 150 militiamen Skirmish with French detachment French flee Construction of Fort Necessity French retaliate—10 hour siege Washington surrenders Nova Scotia British authorities deport 4,000 French Acadians F+I War=Seven Years’ War Two years of undeclared war in N. America Full scale world war (1756) Spanned seven seas—America, Caribbean, Philippines, Africa Britain and Prussia v. France, Spain, Austria, and Russia Frederick the Great Holds off the French and allies in Germany Subsidized by Britain The Albany Congress (1754) Intercolonial congress 7/13 show up Woo the Iroquois—delegation came bearing gifts Bolster defense against New France The Albany Plan Colonial home rule Rejected! British Shortcomings General Braddock Led 2,000 men to Fort Duquesne Redcoats and Buckskins Heavy artillery Carving out roads Skirmish Small French and Indian detachment Braddock attacks—French and Indian “disappear” Guerrilla tactics Braddock mortally wounded Washington takes reins Indians attack frontier settlements from PA to NC Washington and 300 men attempt to defend frontier Canada Full scale invasion (1756) Attack wilderness outposts Failure The Organizer of Victory (1757) Focuses on Canada Appoints young leaders Turning the tide Siege of Louisbourg—1758 First victory Quebec James Wolfe—1759 Breaches unguarded wall at night Defeats French Montreal—1760 French flags leave Canada Lessons of War 20,000 “Americans” serve in F+I War Officers and men alike Shatters myth of British invincibility British arrogance displayed Not all colonists support cause Trade with Spain and France Some colonies don’t send troops Pitt had to promise reimbursement Distance between colonies Geographical barriers Conflicting religions Varied nationalities Colonial governments Boundary disputes Class differences Natives Left to deal with only the British Pontiac’s uprising (1763) Remove British from Ohio frontier Killed 2,000 soldiers and settlers Biological Warfare ends uprising Proclamation Line of 1763 Work out native problems No trespassing West of Appalachians Hard to enforce Great Britain’s debt doubles In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, the British had to bear the burden of empire. The economics of administering an empire was a burden that the colonists were not interested in bearing. The colonists, though mostly self-identifying Brits, fought tooth and nail in protest of the motherland’s economic policies, which ultimately created a rift that was irremediable. Republicanism—citizens subordinate private, self interests to common good. Society and government depended on citizenry Focus on civic involvement: Antithesis of aristocracy and monarchy “Radical Whigs” Warned Britons of political corruption Cherished hard won liberties Distance weakens authority Salutary neglect/autonomy Wealth=power Power is measured by gold and silver in their coffers Exports>Imports Colonies are an extension of the mother country Work with, rather than against mother country Natural resources Markets Navigation Acts (1650-1660s) Regulated trade: Mandated the use of British vessels in trade All European commerce had to pass through Britain Tariffs and duties collected Certain colonial products shipped exclusively to Britain Currency Shortage Bought more from Britain than they sold—cash Gold and silver would leave the colonies Paper money and lenient bankruptcy laws Veto Power Merits Salutary Neglect Laws were seldom enforced Lord Walpole Benefits Bounties paid for ship parts over competitors Tobacco monopoly in England for colonists Protection Royal Navy and Redcoats Menace Stunted economic growth British agents and creditors bankrolled the colonies 70 million pounds of debt: F+I War PM George Grenville Strict enforcement of Navigation Acts Sugar Act (1764)—duty on sugar grown in West Indies First law to raise revenue in the colonies Quartering Act (1765)—10,000 troops stationed in colonies Food and quarters THE STAMP ACT (1765) Bills of sale, legal, and commercial documents Direct tax Taxes as trade regulation=okay Taxes as revenue=not okay