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AP®︎/College US History
Course: AP®︎/College US History > Unit 3
Lesson 1: The Seven Years' War (The French and Indian War)Seven Years' War: lesson overview
AP.USH:
KC‑3.1.I.A (KC)
, KC‑3.1.I.B (KC)
, KC‑3.1.I.C (KC)
, Unit 3: Learning Objective B
, WOR (Theme)
A summary of the key events, people, and concepts related to the Seven Year's War.
Conflict between the French and the English over territory, led to a conflict known as the Seven Years’ War. The Seven Years’ War solidified Britain’s stance as the most dominant European country in the world. However, as Britain attempted to increase control on the American colonies, colonists began rebelling, eventually leading to the Revolutionary War.
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Seven Years War (1754-1763) | Sometimes called the French and Indian War, it was a conflict between France and Britain, in which the Algonquins sided with the French and the Iroquois sided with the British and the colonists. |
| Albany Plan of Union (1754) | A plan created by Benjamin Franklin to organize an intercolonial government, including a system to collect taxes and recruit troops. |
| Treaty of Paris (1763) | Treaty ending the Seven Years War, in which French ceded much of its North American territory to the British |
| Pontiac’s uprising (1763) | A force of 300 members of different Native American tribes led by Chief Pontiac attempted to stop British encroachment on their territory in an armed rebellion. |
| Proclamation of 1763 | A law passed by the British parliament that prohibited colonial movements west of the Appalachian Mountains. |
North America before and after the Seven Years' War
Core historical themes
Competition between European powers: After tobacco prices started to remain stagnant, plantation owners in Virginia wanted to move west into the Ohio River Valley to produce more tobacco and hopefully drive prices of that cash crop up. However, both Britain and France claimed ownership of the lands in the Ohio River Valley. The conflict between the two lead to the start of the Seven Years’ War.
Cooperation with Natives: Both the French and the British cooperated with Native Americans to use their forces in the Seven Years’ War. The French allied with the Hurons, whereas the British allied with the Iroquois. These alliances caused tension after the war in which the British began siding with Native Americans who were against colonial interest to move westward.
Migration after the war: When the Seven Years’ War ended, the British won all of France’s land holdings in colonial America. Colonists wanted to expand westward into these new lands in order to gain more land, but fearing conflicts with Native Americans, Britain passed the Proclamation of 1763. The proclamation prohibited movement west of the Appalachian Mountains, upsetting many colonists who wanted the land to increase their wealth. Thousands of colonists defied the law, moving west to claim land for themselves.
Review questions
- What are some of the ways in which the British monarchy reacted to colonists continuing to disobey British laws?
- How did Britain’s status as a world power change after the Seven Years’ War?
- What are three ways in which the Seven Years’ War altered the political and economic relationships between the Britain and the American colonies?
Want to join the conversation?
Why did the Indians fight with the French and people and not with each other.(10 votes)
Here is a summary of the relationship between the French and Indians that might help: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/colonial-america/early-english-settlement/a/french-and-dutch-colonization-lesson-summary
The name "French and Indian" war can be kind of confusing; The Hurons sided with the French
and the Iroquois sided with the British.(8 votes)
In the paragraph sub-titled "Competition between European powers," the text states that Virginia plantation owners wanted to move west to grow more tobacco in an effort to drive the price of tobacco up. Why would they expect the price to go up if they were increasing the supply?(11 votes)
This is probably wrong; but since all of their goods were supposed to go through the mother country (Britain), the British probably gave them more money for more crops they produced. The colonists also could have gone the whole illegal route, and free traded with more countries against the orders of the British which is exporting the surplus of crops to various places with lower prices compared to the British (more likely to buy more of cheaper tobacco).(5 votes)
This sentence does not make economic sense.
"After tobacco prices started to remain stagnant, plantation owners in Virginia wanted to move west into the Ohio River Valley to produce more tobacco and hopefully drive prices of that cash crop up."
According to the law of supply and demand, a larger supply would only decrease prices.(4 votes)
It would have been cheaper to produce the increased crop in the Ohio River Valley. Then the land used for Tobacco in Virginia could be turned to something more remunerative.(3 votes)
...its an overview of the seven year war...(6 votes)
how did the seven year war die(3 votes)
The Seven Years War did not "die", it was ended because the French lost too much to keep going.(3 votes)
- Why is it called the French and Indian war if the war was between France and Britain?(2 votes)
- Some things get poorly named. Somebody messed up.(5 votes)
Did the French help the colonies in the American Revolution because they wanted to get back on England?(3 votes)
@MonkeyAnne20 simplified the matter a bit. Lafayette came there completely independently, using his experience to convince France to Allie with the US. He hated the English beyond all imagination, partially because a Mr. William Phillips killed his father. Supposedly, Lafayette came close to a "My name is Inigo Montolio" moment with Phillips, only for the man to die of fever before Lafayette reached him.(3 votes)
why did slaves have to lef there family.(2 votes)
First of all, if you are referring to the indigenous peoples, they may have left their families to fight a war or find food. If you mean captured slaves, if slaves are captured, they owe themselves to the owner, not their families, and may have to have left their families.(5 votes)
How did Russia end up with more land after the F&I War if they weren't really involved?(3 votes)
Russia discovered Alaska in 1741 and Russian companies used the land to trap animals for their fur. Russia expanded their colony without any gaining of American territory from the Treaty of Paris. However, Russia didn't actually have a permanent settlement in Alaska until 1784.
These websites have more information about Russia's colonization of Alaska:
https://www.nps.gov/sitk/learn/historyculture/the-russians.htm
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russians-settle-alaska(3 votes)
- The war should have been called "The French and British War."(4 votes)