CENTURY OF IMPERIAL WAR

• European imperial conflicts spread to the Americas.

• British military superiority did not rest unchallenged during this era.

King William’s War– William III of England declared war on Louis XIV of

France (1689)– Called King William’s War or War of the League of

Augsburg– Canadians raided NY and NE frontiers

• No territory lost• Much suffering and disruption

– Ended w/Treaty of Ryswick in 1697

Queen Anne’s War/War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713)– Bloody combat along the American frontier– Ended with the Treaty of Utrecht (1713)– George I hoped for peace

1. War was destructive and expensive2. These wars had produced little gain3. But the French feared British territorial

encroachments in the Americas4. Iroquois sided with the British; Algonquians

w/ the French

King George’s War and Its Aftermath (1743-1748)*Also known as The War of Austrian Succession– American colonists captured

Louisbourg from the French– A strategic post that guarded St.

Lawrence & Quebec– Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, GB

returned Louisbourg• Colonists were puzzled• Colonial interests seemed unimportant to GB

– VA tried to defeat the French alone at Fort Necessity

• Washington & the Virginians were soundly defeated

• A sign that a single colony could not defeat the French

Albany Congress & Braddock’s Defeat– Franklin presented the Albany plan at this

British-called defense conference– Included formation of a Grand Council of

colonial delegates• oversee common defense • Also western expansion and Indian affairs

– Required the support of the colonies and Parliament

• The English feared an erosion of authority• Colonists couldn’t overcome regional

jealousies

– Frontier fighting continued in the Ohio Valley• Braddock and his men were badly defeated

by a small force• 70% were killed or wounded• Those who survived were angry and

embarrassed (GW)• The European style of warfare was not

effective…

Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)– William Pitt determined that the French

must be expelled from America– Pitt (a cabinet minister) took control of

the army and navy1. Amherst and Wolfe took

Louisbourg & cut French supply lines2. French forts in the Ohio Valley & Great Lakes fell3. Brits scaled cliffs & defeated the

FR on the Plains of Abraham * Wolfe and Marquis de

Montcalm died * Led to final FR surrender in Montreal

Treaty of Paris (1763) surrender the FR empire in North America

1. 80,000 residents of Quebec became British citizens

2. American colonists were thrilled at participating in the victory

Conclusion

Perceptions of War• Colonial cooperation was key to the victory• George Washington & others realized that the British were not

invincible• The British were upset by colonial ingratitude & refusal to pay war

costs• Colonists saw themselves as equal partners in the struggle• Wolfe & others mocked colonial soldiers and contributions

Question?• -Were Americans equal partners or spoiled children who wanted

more than they deserved? • The Seven Years’ War and its aftermath would raise these questions

and many more. But at first, Americans hailed the British victory and empire and saw themselves as full British citizens. Those in Eng. did not share this perception.