The French and Indian war Essay Example for Free

The French and Indian war Essay The French and Indian war which took place from 1754 to 1763 was fought between the French, American Indians and Great Britain. Contrary to what the title might imply the French and Indian war was not a battle fought between the French and Indian but a war fought against the British with the French and American Indians as allies. This war also goes by the name of the Seven Years’ War as it was part of the Seven Year’s war that also took place throughout Europe and Asia (Anderson, F. , 747). The main conflict over the start of the war was an expansion of territory, both New England, under British rule and New France, under French rule, wanted to expand their territory. The outcome of this war was highly important to the forming of the United States as France ceded all of its territory to the east of the Mississippi river including French Canada to the British, left Great Britain in so much debt it raised colonial taxes, and trained future military leaders that the conclusion of the French and Indian War lay the seeds for what would ultimately result in the American Revolution and the formation of the United States of America. This war is considered to be the last major war between, France, Great Britain the Native Americans. Unlike previous wars this siege began on American soil and moved its way into Europe. The Native Americans did fight on both sides but they are primarily considered to have allied with the French. It was during this war that many of the future leaders of the American Revolution, such as George Washington, would fight ironically for Great Britain. As most wars in this time period occurred over the acquisition of land or expansion of territory. Due to Britain’s strong Navy the British were able to colonize much of the Eastern Seaboard as they had superior ability to transport supplies as well as colonists. British claims to North American soil came from royal grants that had no definite boundaries towards the west (Asimov, I. , 174-175). The French additionally wanted to expand their territory and used Robert de LaSalle’s exploration to claim the Mississippi river and its surrounding basin for the French. This also would include what is known as the Ohio River Valley basin (Anderson, F. , 2005, 9-10). Both countries wanted to expand their hold over the land for the natural resources available including fur trading, fertile soil for farming, control of important fishing grounds and other trades that contributed to economic stimulus. The British colonists also feared the French’s influence on religion. British subjects were primarily protestant and the French were Roman Catholic and had many active Missions within North America. A French control of North America would provide a threat to the British colonist’s religious beliefs and like-wise the French feared the British rule as under British law Catholics were still persecuted. (Anderson, F. , 2005, 85) Though fighting in North American finished in 1760 the actual end of the war was not until 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris and the Treaty of Hubertusburg. France lost all of its territory in North American East of the Mississippi river, including Canada, and retained two small islands off of Newfoundland. France regained the two Caribbean Islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, previously occupied by the British. Spain gained Louisiana as compensation for losing Florida to the British as well as Cuba and Manila. There was also many other territorial shifts throughout Asia as British regained control of India and Sumatra as an example. The outcome of this was the key that set events into motion for the future formation of the United States of America. (Marston. , D. , 84) Great Britain was now in control of the majority of North America. But the war and resulting treaty had left enormous debts as France had traded French Canada for the Caribbean islands. The islands provided a large economic value as they were a large source of sugar and being small islands much easier to defend. Great Britain chose to pay off its debts from tax money collected from the colonies. The end of the French control in North America also influenced the start of the American Revolution as it united the colonists to focus on one enemy, namely the British instead of having to worry about additional conflict. The increase in taxes as well as the withdrawal of French rule in North American would prove fuel for increasing conflicts between the colonies and Great Britain and ultimately result in the American Revolution and the formation of the United States or America. (Anderson, F. , 2005, 242-250) It should also be noted that many of the American Revolutions military leaders participated in the French and Indian War. George Washington commanded troops at the first confrontation of the French and Indian war were he was sent to negotiate boundaries with the French at Fort Duquesne, currently Pittsburgh. A skirmish occurred in which a French officer was killed and added weight for the French to resist (Ellis, J. , 5). Additional Revolutionary war heroes served under the great general Edward Braddock during the French and Indian War,; Brigadier General and Adjutant General Horatio Gates, Captain Daniel Morgan of â€Å"Morgan’s Sharpshooters† rifle company, and Major General Charles Lee of the Continental Army to name but a few (Higginbotham, D). It is possible that without the French and Indian War the United States of America would not be what it is today. The French and Indian war directly resulted in partitioning North America in a way the resulted in what is known as eastern United States over one rule, the British. It resulted in an increase on taxes which is a direct precursor to the American Revolution as increased taxes stemmed various rebellious demonstrations most notably the Boston Tea Party. The French and Indian war removed a potential threat of the French from colonist’s minds, allowing them to completely focus on the British and experience in the army during the French and Indian war produced great revolutionary leaders like George Washington. Without the French and Indian war it is doubtful weather these events would have occurred which would have culminated in the formation of the United States of America. Without the French and Indian War George Washington might have just been a farmer and the United States might not have become independent. Who knows the United States under British rule might have resulted, only stretching to the Mississippi and another country might have formed, perhaps under Spanish rule to the West. Bibliography: Anderson, F., Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766. New York: Knopf, 2000, page 747 Anderson, F. , The War that Made America, Viking Penguin, 2005, pages 9-10, Asimov. , I. , The Shaping of North America. , Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1973, pages 174-175 Ellis, J. , His Excellency George Washington. New York: Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc. , 2004, page 5 Higginbotham, D. Daniel Morgan: Revolutionary Rifleman. University of North Carolina Press, 1961 Marston, D. The French-Indian War 1754-1763. Osprey Publishing, 2002, page 84