Results of the French and Indian/Seven Years War

 

French and Indian War/Seven Years War

The Seven Years War, all nine years of it when counting the flash point conflict in North America called the French and Indian War, was truly the first of many devastating "World Wars." Fought on every known and settled continent, the war changed the lives of tens of millions. From the French deported from Canada by the British who became the Cajuns of New Orleans, to the conquest most of the vast population of India by the British East India Company, the repercussions of this war have lasted down to our World today.

Results of the French and Indian War/Seven Years War (aside from the one million+ dead):

1. France is forced to make humiliating concessions to the British-
Forced to give up all Claims to Canada, all lands East of the Mississippi and all trade claims to India. To the Spanish, France gave New Orleans and all land claims West of the Mississippi. The bitterness of these loses and hatred for the British will lead the French to search for ways to gain revenge, through war if possible.

2. Spain, in return for New Orleans, gave Florida to Great Britain.

3. Most European and Caribbean borders are returned to prewar claims.

4. The British become the undisputed number one World Power and largest empire.  The Royal Navy will remain the premier naval power for the next two centuries.

5. With the removal of the French threat, British-American colonials look forward to moving West to settle the former French territories. 

6. All combatant nations are saddled with massive war debts that needed to be paid for through higher taxes.
 
7. One formally unknown British Colonial officer earns valuable experience and a thrill for the sound of battle. His first defeat will be forgotten after his brave actions in the Battle of Braddock's Defeat. His newfound fame and military training will serve George Washington well in the next war.

The first Worldwide war is over, the stage is now set for the "Road to Revolution!"

Revolution - Rebellion, Who Will Win?

 

Bacon's Rebellion 1675-76, Early Success Leads Death and Failure

Virginia Colony in 1675, was in turmoil. Native American troubles on the frontier, dissatisfied farmers, restless indentured servants, freed Blacks and slaves, a worried Gentry Class and a seemingly dysfunctional Colonial Royal Governor led to the first armed revolt in Colonial North America. 

The main protagonists were 70-year-old Royal Governor Sir William Berkeley and his cousin by marriage, 28-year-old land grant owner Nathaniel Bacon Jr.  Governor Berkeley, wanting to avoid another bloody war like the Anglo-Powhatan Wars (1610-1646), tried to appease friendly tribes and at the same time establish a defensive zone around the colony to protect against "bad Indians." Trade with the natives was strictly regulated and taxes raised to support the enhanced military protection.

Bacon, on the other hand wanted to attack the "Indians" with his own militia of unhappy frontier farmers and settlers. He did so after his foreman was killed in a raid. Unfortunately for all concerned he attacked an innocent, friendly tribe.  The situation continued to worsen. An angry Berkeley called on Bacon to give up his command and submit to his orders. An equally enraged Bacon gathered his forces of frontier farmers, indentured servants freed ex-slaves and even slaves and marched on the capital, Jamestown. Berkeley fled, after saving colonial documents, Bacon burned the capital, which lost him much needed support.

Soon after abandoning the ruined capital, Bacon suddenly died of "Bloody Flux and Lousey Disease" (Dysentery and Body Lice). The rebellion collapsed, 23 of its leaders were hanged, Governor Berkeley was recalled to England to explain the fiasco to the king and in 1699 the capital was moved from rebuilt Jamestown to Williamsburg. The first American revolt was a dismal failure for all concerned.


Glorious Revolution 1688, Success at No Cost

When the beloved British King Charles II died in 1685, without a legitimate child, his loathed brother, James II came to the throne. James was married to a Catholic, acted like a Catholic and introduced laws like the "Declarations of Indulgence," that eliminated punishments for "nonconformist" religious groups. The birth of James' son, Charles, who would be raised as a Catholic, threatened the supremacy of the Church of England and the vast majority of British Protestants. 

 

In response to James' rulership and faith choices, religious and government leaders invited William Duke of Orange (James' nephew and son-in-law) and his wife Mary to replace James as ruler of the British Empire. They accepted and landed in 1688, to the adoration of the crowds. James with little political support called on the army to keep him in power, the army joined William and Mary instead.  James fled to France, William became King William III, and Parliament passed a law preventing Catholics from taking the throne. Without a drop of blood being spilt, the Glorious Revolution replaced an unpopular king and changed British history forever. More direct British government involvement in American colonial political and military affairs was on the horizon.

As a side note, the term "Revolution" is usually used when the revolt succeeds while "Rebellion" normally denotes that those in revolt lost to the established government. The Glorious Revolution, American Revolution, French Revolution and Russian Revolution all were won by those in revolt. Bacon's Rebellion, Shays Rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion and Confederacy Rebellion were all lost to the government of the time.

13 English Colonies of 1750 Major Products

Colony Name, Founding Date, Important Founder(s), Major Products

New England Colonies:  

Massachusetts 1620, William Bradford, John Winthrop-Fishing, Shipbuilding, Shipping, Naval Stores, Lumber, Food Crops, Rum, Livestock, Whaling.

New Hampshire 1623, John Mason, Ferdinando Gorges-Naval Stores-Timber, Fishing, Furs, Shipping, Whaling.

Connecticut 1636, Thomas Hooker-Shipping, Food Crops, Livestock, Whaling.

Rhode Island 1636, Roger Williams-Fishing, Shipbuilding, Iron Foundries, Food Crops, Rum-Snuff, Livestock, Rum, Whaling.

Middle Colonies:

New York 1625, Dutch Settlers,/Patroons James Duke of York-Fishing, Shipbuilding, Shipping, Food Crops, Rum-Beer-Glass, Livestock.

Delaware 1638, Swedish Settlers, Quakers-Shipping, Food Crops.

New Jersey 1664, John Berkeley, George Carteret-Shipping, Food Crops, Copper.

Pennsylvania 1681, William Penn-Shipbuilding, Food Crops, Paper, Iron, Rum.

Southern Colonies:

Virginia 1607, John Smith-Tobacco, Food Crops, Iron, Livestock.

Maryland 1632, Cecil Calvert-Tobacco, Food Crops, Snuff.

North Carolina 1663, Group of Eight Aristocrat Proprietors--Naval Stores, Tobacco, Furs.

South Carolina 1663, Group of Eight Aristocrat Proprietors-Rice, Indigo, Silk.

Georgia 1732, James Oglethorpe-Indigo, Rice, Naval Stores, Lumber.

All colonies had "Subsistence Farmers" who were able to produce enough food to live on with little or no excess to sell.

Dutch and Swedes, the Non English North American Colonies

 

New Netherlands, 1625-1674, (present New York and New Jersey) and New Sweden, 1638-1655, (Present Delaware) were two short lived North American colonial establishments.  New Sweden was taken first by the Dutch in 1655, while the Dutch colony was taken by force by the English in 1674.

New Netherlands was established for trade and territory power projection by the Dutch West Indies Company with the creation of Fort Nassau, a "Facrorij" (trading post). Established mostly on the Hudson River Valley, the major towns of New Netherlands were New Amsterdam (New York), Beverwijck (Albany), Schenectady and New Amstel (New Castle, Delaware). Their most powerful and unpopular leader was Governor Peter Stuyvesant.

Established for fur trade with the Native Americans, Nova Sweediae (New Sweden) was founded in 1638, by the Swedish South Company with the building of Fort Christina on the Delaware River. Under the leadership of Peter Minuet, the Swedish colony made friendly trade relations with the Susquehannock and Delaware tribes.

The tribes allowed further Swedish settlements at Fort Nya and Fort Nya Gothenborg. As trade communities, few actual settlers came to the colony. With a small European population of less than 600 the colony was easily overrun by the Dutch of New Netherlands during the 2nd Northern War (1655-60). From that point on New Sweden was now part of the New Netherlands Colony.

By 1670, the colonial population of New Netherlands was over 9000 Europeans or European descendants. As the English did not want an unfriendly power to have a colony dividing the English controlled territories of New England and Virginia/Maryland plans were laid to take the territory.

The diverse group of people of New Netherlands had little enthusiasm for fighting the English when the English fleet of James, Duke of York, threatened New Amsterdam in 1664. The city and colony of New Netherlands basically surrendered without a shot fired. With the end of the 2nd Anglo-Dutch War (1665-1667) the Dutch formally gave up any claim to New Netherlands-now known as New York colony

While both New Netherlands and New Sweden were non-English colonies for only a short period of time, their national traits had much longer effects upon the formation of the "Colonial Spirit" of the thirteen colonies that would form the basis of the United States.

Wiliam Penn's "Holy Experiment"

 

"Now I would have you well observe, That I am very sensible of the unkindness and injustices that has been so much exercised towards you by the people of these parts of the world...to make great advantages...sometimes by the shedding of blood...But I am not such a man...I have great love and regard for you, and I desire to win and gain friendship but a kind, just and peaceable life..."                    -William Penn letter to Native Americans

William Penn, a converted Quaker, wanted to found a colony based on religious freedom and the Quaker concepts of a good and fair society.  He was able to set his “Holy Experiment” into motion when King Charles II repaid a 16,000-pound debt by deeding William land that would be named Pennsylvania (Penn's Woods) after William’s popular father. Added to this was land from the Duke of York, future James II, that would become Delaware.

Penn invited people of all religions to join him in his new colony where freedom of religion would be the law. His “City of Brotherly Love,” Philadelphia, was his dream city of Quaker ideals. He also insisted that the Native Americans be treated as equals and that their land be purchased at fair prices which lead to sixty years of peaceful relations,

Even the City of Brotherly Love needed a night-watch for those who might try to take advantage of those who believed in peace.

As with other colonies established for religious freedom, the Quaker population was soon vastly outnumbered by other religious groups. But the concepts of equality and freedom of religion remained in the fabric of the new colonies of Pennsylvania (1681) and Delaware (originally founded by the Dutch in 1638), helping establish these concepts critical to the future United States. While Penn’s ideas prospered as did his colonies, he himself received no financial gain and died in poverty.  He saw this as a small price to pay for his “Holy Experiment.”