Compare And Contrast The French And Indian War

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The French and Indian War The French and Indian War was fought over possession of land in North America. This war lasted seven years, 1756-1763, and is also called the Seven Years War. The war was fought between the colonies of British America and New France. Both colonies were backed with military units from their parent countries, Great Britain and France. When the war began, the French North American colonies had about 60,000 European settlers. The British North American colonies had about 2 million (Robertson, 27). Since the French North American colonies were so outnumbered, they depended on the Indians for help. British and European historians call this the Seven Years War, while historians in the United States call it the French and …show more content…

Both the English settlers and the French settlers thought they owned the rights to the land. France claimed the Ohio River Valley as New France, while England considered it part of Virginia. Both sides wanted this area because of the profitable fur trade. The British also wanted it for settlements. The British colonists thought their religious freedom would be in danger if the French had control, because their holdings were controlled by the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. The French had the advantage of closer alliances with the Indians. As trappers and hunters, they had lived among them. They also had a better knowledge of the land. The English had a larger naval force, more soldiers, and could also call in the colonial troops to help. The colonies could also be used to store and even manufacture some weapons and ammunition. The French were more adept at fighting in the woods, than the British. Both sides had distinct advantages and …show more content…

This became known as the Battle of Jumonville Glen. This battle began the long and sought out seven years’ war. After the Battle of Jumonville Glen, Washington began the construction of Fort Necessity in case of a French counter attack. He was exactly correct, because it was only a matter of weeks until the French ambushed the fort gaining control of the region for two years. In 1756, British Prime Minister William Pitt created a plan to successfully defeat the French in both the Ohio River Valley, North America, and in all other regions of contention. By 1758, they had captured Lake Ontario, Louisburg, Nova Scotia, and the Bay of St. Lawrence