Salutary Neglect and The French and Indian War

Salutary Neglect• The philosophy that England should leave the

colonies alone to prosper• Great for the colonies (benefitted from England),

but England doesn’t prosper

The Navigation Acts• Earliest form of English control passed from 1650-

1673• Weak enforcement, customs officers took bribes

from merchants• Parliament relaxes restrictions to appease

merchants

The Colonies Divided• Colonists viewed themselves as “Virginians”,

“New Yorkers” (and British), not Americans• Colonial legislatures are becoming more powerful• Colonists are feeling threatened by the French and

Indians

The Albany Plan of Union• Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan to unite the

colonies against the common threat• Colonies would have kept most of their power,

colonial legislatures intact• Federal government would have power to

negotiate with Indians, levy war, and some taxes

In Pennsylvania Gazette

England and France Like to Fight!• Queen Anne’s War (1701-1713)- England fought

against Spain and France and gained Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland in the Treaty of Utrecht

• King George’s War (1744-1748)- England fights France but gives back the fort at Louisbourg which angers the colonists

• Relationships between the English, French, and Iroquois are falling apart (balance of power)

The French Lands

Fort Necessity

• France doesn’t trust the British and begins to construct forts in the Ohio Valley

• British are threatened and begin making their own forts

• The Iroquois ally with the British but try to stay out of it

• George Washington is sent to challenge French expansion

Fort Necessity

Battle of Fort Necessity (1754)• Washington attacked a French garrison

previously, which killed their commander Jumonville. (story of Indian, tomahawk, and brains)

• Washington constructs Fort Necessity and expects an attack, which happens

• He surrenders for the only time after 1/3 of soldiers die, admits he assassinated Jumonville (translation?), and goes back to Virginia

• The French and Indian War (1754-1763) begins

Phase 1- Colonial Struggle with some British Help• Mostly a colonial struggle with very little British

help• General Braddock tries to take back forts and fails

miserably (he dies)

Phase 2- England and France Declare War (1756)• England officially enters war• William Pitt takes over the war effort and exerts

more control over the colonies• Colonists are “impressed” into service• Problems between the British and colonial troops

Phase 3- Pitt Relaxes Policies• If you provide the troops, we’ll pay for the war• More power to colonial recruiters• British send more troops and supplies• The British overwhelm the French with sieges on

Lousibourg, Duquesne, and at Quebec• “Scalp Bounties”- pay for Indian scalps

Death of General James Wolfe

Peace of Paris (1763)• France gives Great Britain a lot of land including:• Most colonies in India• West Indian Islands• Canada• All French Territories East of the Mississippi

(except New Orleans)

Before and After

Impact of the War

• England gets a lot of land• France loses power and land• British mad at colonists poor military

techniques, lack of financial contributions, and effort

• British and colonists are in contact with eachother (us v. them)

• Unifies colonists• Indians lose a lot of power• Britain has a huge war debt- we need to get

taxes

Britain takes more control of colonies • Start contributing and stop freeloading!• Sets the stage for the American Revolution