from the very beginning colonialism in
America meant competition European
countries were eager to gobble up as
much land as possible in the New World
sometimes this competition turned into
open warfare and the French and Indian
War is a perfect example of this here's
a crash course of five things about the
war to get you up to speed
North America was a big beautiful place
full of endless opportunities and Great
Britain and France each one and a piece
of the action the British controlled
their thirteen colonies and we're
looking to expand West the French
occupied Canada and we're looking to
expand south it was inevitable that they
bump into each other and that's exactly
what happened in the Ohio River Valley
an important trading area with access to
the Mississippi River the French and
Indian War marked a debut of 21 year-old
George Washington a lieutenant-colonel
for the militia in the British colony of
Virginia in 1754 he was ordered to
protect a British fort near what is now
Pittsburgh on the way Washington
encountered a French military unit and
the two sides fought in the First Battle
of the French and Indian War the Battle
of Jumonville Glen Washington was young
but he was quickly gaining the
experience he would need to eventually
command the Continental Army
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years of territorial scuffles turned
into full-blown
declarations of war in 1756 as fighting
broke out the British and French sought
allies among the local Native American
populations the French were familiar
with many tribes portrayed and recruited
the Potawatomi Winnebago Ojibwa
Mississauga and the Huron while the
British turned to the Iroquois
Confederacy
at first the French were winning a lot
they simply had more troops and better
supplies than the British Army and drove
them back towards the 13 colonies but
the tide turned in 1757 when British
Secretary of State William Pitt took
control of the war effort dreaming of a
vast British Empire he made it his
mission to defeat the French in North
America pouring in generous funds to
beef up military resources on the ground
the war ended with the French defeat at
the Battle of Quebec and the signing of
the Treaty of Paris in 1763 the British
gained control of Canada and all land
east of the Mississippi River
it may seem that the British made out
well after all was said and done but
there was a catch you see William Pitt
borrowed heavily to finance the French
and Indian War which left his nation in
tons of debt to make up for it the
British taxed American colonists up the
wazoo Americans didn't particularly
appreciate this years of protests
rallies town hall meetings and petitions
would eventually lead to the American
Revolution and the creation of the
United States the French and Indian War
may not have had the glorious battles or
fearless heroes of other great conflicts
but it was one of the most consequential
wars in American history it also opened
the eyes of a young military leader to
the tyranny of the British a man who
would go on to be the first American
president
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you