From the very beginning, colonialism in America meant competition. European countries were eager to gobble up as much land as possible in the New World. Sometimes this competition turned into open warfare, and the French and Indian War is a perfect example of this. Here's a crash course of five things about the war to get you up to speed. North America was a big, beautiful place full of endless opportunities, and Great Britain and France each wanted a piece of the action.
The British controlled their 13 colonies and were looking to expand west. The French occupied Canada and were looking to expand south. It was inevitable that they'd bump into each other, and that's exactly what happened in the Ohio River Valley, an important trading area with access to the Mississippi River. The French and Indian War marked the debut of 21-year-old George Washington, a lieutenant colonel for the militia in the British colony of Virginia.
In 1754, he was ordered to protect a British fort near what is now Pittsburgh. On the way, Washington encountered a French military unit, and the two sides fought in the first battle of the French and Indian War, the Battle of Jumonville Glen. Washington was young, but he was quickly gaining the experience he would need to eventually command the Continental Army.
Years of territorial scuffles turned into full-blown declarations of war in 1756. As fighting broke out, the British and French sought allies among the local Native American populations. The French were familiar with many tribes through trade and recruited the Potawatomi, Winnebago, Ojibwa, Mississauga, and the Huron, while the British turned to the Iroquois Confederacy. At first, the French were winning.
A lot. They simply had more troops and better supplies than the British Army and drove them back towards the Thirteen Colonies. But the tide turned in 1757 when British Secretary of State William Pitt took control of the war effort.
Dreaming of a vast British empire, he made it his mission to defeat the French in North America, pouring in generous funds to beef up military resources on the ground. The war ended with the French defeat at the Battle of Quebec and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The British gained control of Canada and all land east of the Mississippi River. It may seem that the British made out well after all was said and done, but there was a catch.
You see, William Pitt borrowed heavily to finance the French and Indian War, which left his nation in tons of debt. To make up for it, the British taxed American colonists up the wazoo. Americans didn't particularly appreciate this.
Years of protests, rallies, town hall meetings, and petitions would eventually lead to the American Revolution and the creation of the United States. The French and Indian War may not have had the glorious battles or fearless heroes of other great conflicts, but it was one of the most consequential wars in American history. It also opened the eyes of a young military leader to the tyranny of the British, a man who would go on to be the first American president.