The French and Indian War was part of a much larger conflict happening around the world. Some battles took place in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The fighting in North America focused on land, trade, and control over important waterways. British and French soldiers fought across a wide area. Colonial militias and Indigenous allies also fought. This area of fighting included Canada, the Ohio River Valley, and the Mississippi River region.
The war began in 1754 with a series of early victories for the French. British colonial troops were poorly trained. Indigenous groups helped the French protect forts and raid British settlements. George Washington led one of the first British attacks, but was forced to surrender. Many colonial families feared that the British would not be able to protect them. Even though some Indigenous groups supported the French, others sided with the British. Some also tried to remain neutral because they wanted to avoid going to war.
In 1757, British leaders turned to William Pitt to take over the war effort. Pitt believed that controlling North America was essential to Britain’s future. He sent more troops and gave local colonial leaders more control. He also promised to pay for supplies and soldiers. British strategy began to change, and so did their results.
Over the next two years, British forces captured major French forts. They cut off French supply lines and began to surround French territory. In 1759, British troops climbed the cliffs near Quebec and defeated the French. Both generals were killed in the fight. The newly controlled one of the most important cities in Canada.
Then, France formed an alliance with Spain. It hoped to strengthen its position against Britain in Europe and other places. However, this alliance came too late to change the outcome in North America. One year after the fall of Quebec, France surrendered.
Fighting in North America ended in 1760. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. France had suffered many defeats in North America and was ready to negotiate a peace treaty. In the treaty, France gave Canada to Great Britain and gave up all land east of the Mississippi River except for New Orleans. Spain joined the conflict near the end of the war but failed to stop Britain in the Caribbean. Spain gave up Florida in exchange for the return of Havana. To make up for this loss, France gave Spain the territory of Louisiana, which included New Orleans. By the end of the war, France was no longer a political or military power in North America. Britain now controlled land along the Atlantic coast from the Hudson Bay to the Florida Keys and had no colonial rival on the continent.
