The British Colonies

Role in the French and Indian War

1. More than one million people lived in the 13 colonies
2. The colonies were not united as they went to war
3. Each colony was concerned with its own problems and cared nothing about the others

Albany Plan of Union

1. 1754 proposed by Ben Franklin to unite the colonies under one government
2. Modeled after Iroquois government
3. Called for a militia or volunteer army from each colony
4. Turned down by colonial assemblies who feared losing power

Britain Tightens Its Grip

War Debt

1. Britain won the French and Indian War but were left with a huge war debt
2. It was expensive to fight a war on another continent
3. Many British citizens felt American colonists should help pay for the war

On the Frontier

1. Native Americans, fearful of colonial invasion of their lands, began attacking British forts on the frontier.
2. Chief Pontiac led the American Indians

Proclamation of 1763

1. Order by King George III closing off western lands to colonists
2. Britain felt it was too costly to protect colonists from Indians
3. This proclamation angered the colonists

Who Fought?	Why?	Who won?	What did they gain?
British & Iroquois VS. French and most other Indians	Both wanted the rich Ohio river valley	Britain	All of North America from Canada to the gulf of Mexico & from the Atlantic ocean to the Mississippi river

The War

-At first the French were winning because the Indians taught them to fight hiding between rocks and trees while the British fought in straight lines.

Turning point

-The British took Quebec and cut off French supply lines down the St. Laurence river

-The French could not get men or supplies