Chapter 5: Key Ideas

 

I. The worldwide rivalry between Great Britain and France resulted in four major conflicts between 1689 and 1763

        A. King William’s War (1689-1697), Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)

             King George’s War (1744-1748), French and Indian War (1756-1763)

        B. The last (French and Indian) began in America and spread to Europe.

                The first 3 began in Europe and spread to America. This war drove

                the French from the North American continent.

 

II. The culminating phase of the “wars for empire” focused on the sharply 

     contested Ohio River Valley region

        A. Leadership of William Pitt in London and capable, energetic generals

                such as James Wolfe proved decisive

        B. A young Virginia officer, George Washington, gained valuable military

experience in wilderness warfare.

        C. A strategy aimed at key French strongholds- Fort Louisbourg, Quebec

                and Montreal proved decisive

 

III. The British victory over France, which the colonists officially supported, paradoxically created new sources of tension between America and the mother country

        A. expansion into newly acquired lands

        B. large British military presence in North America

        C. the costs incurred be England in fighting the war

        D. bitterness on both sides over perceived “attitudes”

       

IV. The French and Indian War helped create a new vision for many Americans

        A. The vast lands to the west were “cleared” for settlement

        B. Their abilities to fight with and against European armies bolstered self

confidence of the colonists

C. Their growing economic strength, growing population, and growing

        political self-assertiveness, placed them in “no mood to be

        restrained”

        D. The British, by contrast, viewed the colonists as ungrateful and the

                British were in “no mood for backtalk”