Chapter 6: The Duel for North America, 1608 – 1763
p. 106 – 121
- near end of 17th c, struggle for NA involved 3 Old World nations: England, France, Spain
- from 1688 – 1763, 4 bitter wars take over Europe for domination in Europe as well as New World – American people unable to stay out of any
- Seven Years War / French and Indian War set stage for American independence
What were the French interests in the New World?
- was latecomer like England in scrable for NW holdings – foreign wars, domestic strife
- 1598 – Edict of Nantes grants limited toleration to French Protestants – religious wars cease, France grows into mighty and feared nation in Europe, led by King Louis XIV – reigns for 72 yrs
- takes deep interest in overseas colonies – 1608 – 1 yr after Jamestown, permanent beginnings of vast empire at Quebec
- leading figure – Samuel de Champlain – enters into friendly relations w/ Huron Indians – joins in battle against their foes (Iroquois tribes) – earns lasting enmity of Iroquois, thereafter hampering French penetration of Ohio valley
- New France (Canada) falls under direct control of king
o Regime almost completely autocratic
o Elected no representative assemblies
o No trial by jury
- Catholic New France grew slowly (only 60k by 1750)
o Landowning French peasants little economic reason to move
o Protestant Huguenots denied refuge in New France
o French govt favored Caribbean island colonies (sugar and rum)
- valuable resource: beaver
o scour NA in search of ever declining numbers of beaver
o leave mark w/ many French names – Baton Rouge, Terre Haute, Des Moines, Grand Teton
o recruit Indians into fur business
- other explorers seek to expand empire
o Antoine Cadillac – founds Detroit to thwart English settlers pushing into OH valley
o Robert de La Salle – to Gulf down Mississippi to check Spanish penetration – names great interior basin “Louisiana”
- in effort to block Spain on Gulf of Mexico, plant fortified posts in Mississippi and Louisiana – New Orleans most important
What were the early contests for North America b/t the European powers?
- King William’s War (1689 – 1697) and Queen Anne’s War (1702 – 13)
- Mostly pitted Brit colonists against French coureurs de bois
o Both sides recruit Indian allies
o Neither B or F considered America worth commitment of large detachments of regulars
o Indian allies of F ravage B colonial frontiers
o Spain allied w/ F and probed from Floride base at outlying SC settlements
- Brit colonists failed miserable in battles against Quebec and Montreal, but score big victory when temporarily seize Port Royal in Acadia (Nova Scotia)
- Treaty of Utrecht – 1713 –
o B gets Acadia (Nova Scotia), Newfoundland, Hudson Bay
o B now pinches F in St. Lawrence, foreshadowing doom (map p.110)
o B also gets limited trading rights in Spanish America
- War of Jenkins Ear – 1739
o B captain Jenkins encounters Spanish revenue agents and gets ear cut off for smuggling
o Spanish officer – “carry this home to the king, your master, whom, if he were present, I would serve in like fashion”
o Jenkins tells tale to King, arouses furious resentment
o War confined to Caribbean sea and GA colony
o Small-scale scuffle merges w/ large War of Austrian Succession/King George’s War
- War of Austrian Succession/King George’s War
o F allies self w/ Spain
o Rustic force of New Englanders invaded New France
o w/ help from B fleet, capture F fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island and commanded the approaches to St. Lawrence River
o peace treaty in 1748 – Louisbourg given back to French – New Englanders outraged
How did George Washington come to inaugurate war with France?
- OH valley bone of contention b/t F and B
- Critical area into which westward pushing Brits would inevitably penetrate
- For F was key to continent that had to retain of were to link Canadian holdings w/ those in lower Mississippi
- Brits determined to fight for econ security and supremacy of their way of life in NA
- Rivalry for land comes to snapping point
o 1749 – B colonial speculators (influential Virginians, inc GW family) secured shaky legal rights to 500k acres
o F erecting chain of forts commanding strategic OH river in same area – especially formidable was Ft Duquesne at 3 rivers poiont (Monon and Allegheny form OH)
o 1754 VA gov sends GW to OH country as lt col in command of about 150 militiamen
§ encounter small detachment of F troops about 40 miles from Duquesne, VA’s fire first shots – kill F leader
§ F return w/ reinforcements and surround GW in hastily constructed Ft Necessity – GW forced to surrender but permitted to march men away
§ B authorities in Nova Scotia took vigorous action – brutally uproot 4k French Acadians in 1755 – scatter as far south as Louisiana – Cajuns
- French and Indian war first Anglo-French colonial war to begin in America
o After GW in Ohio valley, continued on undeclared basis for 2 yrs, then widened into most far-flung conflict world had yet seen
o Fought in America, Europe, West Indies, Philippines, Africa
- In Europe:
o Britain/Prussia vs F, S, Austria, Russia
o Bloodiest was in Germany – Frederick the Great repels F, Austrian, Russian armies w/ opposing forces outnumbering own 3:1 – London govt subsidized them w/ gold
o F wasted so much strength here were unable to give adequate force to New World
o “America was conquered in Germany”
- in previous colonial clashes, Americans reveal astonishing lack of unity – those nearest shooting respond more generously with $ and volunteers
- 1754 Brit govt summons intercolonial congress to Albany NY
o only 7:13 show up
o immediate purpose to keep Iroquois tribes loyal to Brits in spreading war – gave 30 wagonloads of gifts to appease
o longer range purpose – greater colonial unity to bolster common defense against F
o BF – PA Gazette – cartoon join or die p. 113
o BF leading spirit of Albany Congress
§ Well devised but premature scheme for colonial home rule
§ Delegates unanimously adopted plan, but individual colonies spurned it, as did London – to colonists did not give enough independence, to London, too much
- opening clashes of F/I War bad for Brit colonists
o Gen Braddock – old and bullheaded – sent to VA w/ detachment of B regulars – set out in 1755 w/ 2k men to take Ft D
o Large part of force consisted of ill disciplined colonial militiamen
o Moved slowly, few miles from Ft D encountered much smaller F/I army who melted into woods and poured murderous fire on Brits – GW has 2 horses shot from under him, Braddock killed
o Charged up by easy victory, Indians took to a wider warpath – whole frontier from PA to NC flet fury
o Brits launch full scale invasion of Canada in 1756
§ Unwisely attack numerous wilderness posts simultaneously instead of throwing all strength at Quebec and Montreal – if these would have been taken, all outposts to west would be starved of supplies – but Brits ignored strategy
- William Pitt steps up
o Superlative leader – Great Commoner – drew much strength from common people
o 1757 becomes foremost leader in London govt – earns title of “Organizer of Victory”
§ cuts back on assaults on French West Indies
§ concentrate on vitals of Canada – Quebec/Montreal
§ picks young, energetic leaders
- first dispatches powerful expedition in 1758 against Louisbourg and takes – first significant Brit victory
- Quebec next – chose James Wolfe
o In daring night move sent detachment up poorly guarded part of rocky cliff protecting Quebec
o Scaled cliff, showing way for others
o 2 armies face each other next day on Plains of Abraham on outskirts of Quebec
o F defeated and city surrendered
o Battle of Quebec in 1759 ranks as one of the most significant engagements in B and American history
o When Montreal fell in 1760, French flag flew in Canada for last time
o W/ Treaty of Paris 1763, F power thrown completely off continent of NA
§ F allowed to retain small sugar islands in West Indies
§ Final blow to F when ceded to S all trans Mississippi Louisana plus outlet of New Orelans
§ Spain turns over Floride to B in return for Cuba
- B emerges as dominant power in NA and leading naval power in world
How did American-British friction come to be displayed after the F-I War?
- b’s colonists emerged w/ increased confidence in military strength
o had borne brunt of battle at first; fought alongside Brit regulars, gained valuable experience
- F-I War bolstered colonial self esteem and simultaneously shattered myth of Brit invincibility
- Friction developed during war b/t arrogant B officers and colonial “boors”
o B’s refused to recognize any American militia commission above rank of captain – demotion to colonel GW
o Showed condescension of snobs from civilized Old Country toward scum who had confessed failure by fleeing to outhouses of civilization
o Energetic, hardworking settlers believed selves to be cutting edge of Brit civilization – felt deserved credit rather than contempt
o B officials distressed by reluctance of colonists to support common cause wholeheartedly
§ American shippers developed trade w/ enemy ports of S and F West Indies
§ Others refused to provide troops/money – demanded rights of Englishmen w/out duties and responsibilities of Englishmen
- curse of colonial disunity continued throughout hostilities, caused by:
o enormous distances
o geographical barriers
o conflicting religions
o varied nationalities
o differing colonial gov’ts
o boundary disputes
o resentment of backcountry against aristocratic bigwigs
- SOME unity achieved during F-I War
o Soldiers from widely separated colonies met around common campfires and were surprised at what they found
§ All fellow Americans
§ Generally spoke same language
§ Shared common ideals
Results of the French and Indian War:
- affected American attitudes
o when the F were in north and west, colonists forced to rely on B for protection – now that F were removed, could range far w/ new spirit of independence
- French
o Wishful thought that loss of their American empire, one day B would lose its empire also
- Spanish/Indian menaces reduced
o Spain eliminated from Florida, although in control in Louisiana and possessed much of west America
o Indians – Treaty of Paris dealt harsh blow to Iroquois, Creeks, and other interior tribes
§ Spanish removal from FL and French remoal from Canada deprived Indians of diplomatic weapon – ability to play off the rival European powers against one another – would now have to deal exclusively w/ B
§ Ottawa Chief Pontiac and some French traders go on violent campeagn to drive B’s out of OH country – besiege Detroit and overrun all but 3 B posts west of Appalachians
§ B’s retaliate swiftly and cruelly – B commander ordered blankets infected w/ smallpox to be distributed to Indians – crushed uprising
- Episode convinced B’s to stabilize relations w/ western Indians and keep regular troops stationed along frontier – would ask colonists to foot bill
- American colonists ready to burst over Appalachian mts and into western lands
- Out of the blue, London issued Proclamation of 1763
o Prohibited settlement in the area beyond Apps, pending further adjustments
o Not designed to oppress colonists but to work out Indian problems and prevent another bloody encounter
o Americans thought that western lands were their birthright, paid for in blood during the war
o Many completely defy proc and flood westward – wholesale flouting of royal authority boded ill for longevity of B rule in America
- 7 Years War caused colonists to develop new vision of their destiny – sensed were a potent people on the march and were in to mood to be restrained
- B’s were in no mood for back talk – were already annoyed by unruly colonists
- Stage set for violent family quarrel
Chapter 7: The Road to Revolution, 1763 – 1775
p.122 – 139
7 Years War made B master of enlarged imperial domain in NA; but victory costly
B struggles after 1763 to compel colonists to shoulder some costs of empire – change reinforces emerging sense of American political identity, prepare for revolution
- Americans reluctant revolutionaries – sought only to claim rights of Englishmen, not to separate
- squabble about economic polities exposes irreconcilable differences
What were the deep roots of the Revolution?
- New World nurtured new ideas about nature of society, citizen, and govt
- Old World – lived in shadow of graveyards that contained bones of ancestors – people were born into changeless surroundings – didn’t question social status
- In America, world was what they wanted to make it
- 2 Ideas take root in minds of colonists:
o Republicanism: a just society as one in which all citizens willingly subordinated their privast selfish interests to common good – stability of socity and autority of govt depended on virtue of citizenry – selflessness, self sufficiency, civic involvement – opposed to hierarchical and authoritarian institutions like monarchy
o Radical Whigs – feared threat to liberty posed by arbitrary power of monarch – mounted attacks on use of patronage and bribes by king’s ministers – corruption – Whigs warned citizens to be on guard against corruption and be vigilant against conspiracies to strip them of liberties
o Circumstances of colonial life bolsters these attitudes – no nobility, property ownership, political participation – run own affairs – distance weakens authority
What were the basic ideas behind mercantilism and what effects did it have on colonists attitudes toward England?
- not one of 13 colonies except GA was formally planted by B govt