French

and Indian War (1754-1763), the American phase of the Seven Years’ War, and the culminating portion of the struggle between France and England for the po e ion of North America. In 1754 France claimed the whole region west of the Alleghanies as a part of the basins of the St. Lawrence and the Mi i ippi. England laid claim to all the country west of its Atlantic settlements. The French colonists numbered only about 80,000 whites, the English more than 1,100,000. But the latter were divided under thirteen discordant governments and were industrial, while the French rule was unified and military, and had help from the Indians. The war began with a struggle for Pittsburg (Fort Duquesne), Washington attacking the French at Great Meadows and being forced to surrender at Fort Nece ity (1754). In %755 the English planned four attacks: Braddock’s expedition against Fort Duquesne, and others by way of Lake Cham plain, by way of Oswego and Niagara, and against the French posts near Nova Scotia. The first was disastrous, the second and third accomplished nothing substantial, but the fourth was succe ful. From 1756 on, the French and Indians being under the command of the able Marquis of Montcalm, the English made no progre until the advent of William Pitt to the head of the ministry in England in 1757. He formed a general scheme of conquest in America. In 1758 Amherst and Wolfe took Louis bourg, Brad street captured Fort Frontenac and Forbes took Fort Duquesne. Encouraged by these succe es, Pitt undertook the conquest of Canada. In 1759 Amherst took Ticonderoga and Crown Point, while Prideaux took Niagara. But the chief operation of the year was a direct attack upon Quebec, intrusted to General Wolfe, who captured that town, considered impregnable, by means of the battle upon the Plains of Abraham. The French were unable to retake Quebec. Montreal was taken in 1760, and the conquest of Canada was completed. The French empire in North America came to an end. By the peace of Paris (1763) France resigned to England all her po e ions east of the Mi i ippi, and to Spain New Orleans and all her po e ions west of that river. To the colonists the war was important as relieving them from the pre ure of hostile neighbors, as giving them military experience and as enforcing the nece ity of union. 274