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Main Cause: Land Disputes in the Ohio River Valley
In the 1700s, the French controlled much of modern-day Canada (New France) and the land between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River (Louisiana). The boundaries between this French land and the English colonies were undefined. In the early 1750s, the French and the English began building forts in this disputed area. The war officially began with a French attack on the English Fort Necessity, where a young George Washington commanded troops.
The Albany Plan of Union
The advent of the war worried colonists because they had not historically been successful in cooperating for their own defense. Additionally, the Iroquois, who were the colonists’ only Native American allies, were concerned about white settlers’ encroachment onto their land. In 1754, colonial leaders arranged a meeting in Albany, New York, to discuss the situation with the Iroquois. Here, Benjamin Franklin proposed the formation of a colonial assembly that would coordinate trade, Native American relations, and colonial defense. Though some colonists supported Franklin’s plan, most were against it because it would have taken some sovereignty away from colonial assemblies.
The Course of the War
The French and Indian War (so named because the British and colonists were fighting against the French and their Native American allies) was a colonial war that eventually became part of a larger world war, the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763). These names are often used interchangeably. The global part of the Seven Years’ War was sparked in Europe primarily due to Prussia’s attempt to expand its territory. This is not covered on the AP® US History Exam, but it can help you better understand the context of the war.
Effects of the War
The British and their allies won the war. The Treaty of Paris (1763) outlined the terms of the peace. (There are several Treaties of Paris in American history, so you always have to indicate the year of the treaty so it’s clear which one you’re talking about.) Essentially, the Treaty of Paris (1763) removed the French presence from North America. France lost all of its colonies in modern-day Canada and modern-day Central United States. The war added new territories to Britain’s huge colonial empire, which was expensive to administer.
Most importantly, the war itself had been expensive. The British government was determined that the 13 colonies should “pay it back” for the money spent on the war. This led to the end of salutary neglect. Parliament passed and enforced a series of laws, most of which involved new taxes, that angered colonists and eventually led to the American Revolution.
