### == Cause == The French, British, and Natives all claimed land west of the Appalachians ### == Early War == Began when George Washington ambushed a French scouting party in Pennsylvania in 1754 - Built and defended Fort Necessity The French had a better relationship with the natives - Colonized by building forts and trading with the Indians ### == The Albany Plan of Union == In 1754 the Northern English colonies held a meeting in Albany Goals: - Strengthen ties with the Iroquois League, a coalition of 6 native groups in the northeast - Created a united war effort from the colonies They accepted the Albany Plan of Union - Written by Ben Franklin - Proposed that the colonies come together in a permanent alliance Rejected by the colonial governments - Unwilling to give up power to a central government ### == Bad Start for the British == The French had early victories - Defeated Washington at Fort Necessity The British fought in straight lines, the Natives and French hid - The French were able to win despite being outnumbered ### == British Turn the Tide == William Pitt became prime minister - Helped raise taxes to fund the war - Troops were better prepared with better leaders British took over many French forts The Iroquois decided to support the British ### == Fall of Quebec == Quebec was the capital of "New France" - French colonies in the new world British commander Wolfe laid siege to the city - By September, he was running out of time - Used an undefended path up the cliff - A battle led to heavy French losses and both commanders died The city surrendered within a few days ### == Treaty of Paris (1763) == British forces then took Montreal and seized the remaining forts European representatives met in France to create a peace treaty Ended the French and Indian War - Also ended the conflict known as the Seven Years War Terms of the peace: - The British got all French land east of the Mississippi except New Orleans - The British got Florida in return for giving Cuba back to Spain - The Spanish got all French land west of the Mississippi and New Orleans ### == Side Effects of the War == British and the colonists resented each other - British felt the colonists had not done enough to support the war - Colonists lost respect for the British military and felt disrespected by the British - They wanted to expand and prosper without British interference