Page 4: 1700-1799

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1702-13: Queen Anne's War

    In this series of skirmishes Spain allied with France against the British. The French and their Indian allies captured many British settlements throughout the colonies, killing many. Some colonists were captured and ransomed, but some children were adopted into the tribes. The British again captured Port Royal in Acadia and the French settlements around the St. Lawrence. A mixed French and Spanish fleet attacked Charleston but failed to capture it. A party of Carolinians and Indians burned the Spanish city of St. Augustine.
    At the end of the war the British kept all of Acadia and the country around Hudson Bay. Port Royal was re-named Annapolis Royal. Acadia became Nova Scotia. France had lost much territory but was still a power in America.

1713: Treaty of Utrech

    Resulting from wars, France recognized Britain's claims to HBC explored territories, ceded Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Britain and abdicated its claims to Newfoundland.

    After Britain regained Nova Scotia, the treaty provided for the free exercise of the Catholic religion by such of the French inhabitants as were willing to remain there, and also allowed that any who might chose to leave could do so within a year. To remain, each person must declare their allegiance to the Crown.

    Most of the French remained, but in the hope of a return to French power, they postponed taking the oath of allegiance. Later, they became of such concern that they were rounded up and expelled to other colonies. Many of these French refuges, called Acadians, found their way to Louisiana where their descendants now live.

1728: Vitus Bering

    Russian Vitus Bering discovered the Aleutian Islands, and the Bering Straits. Bering sent two boats out to make contact but neither returned. This, and other Russian explorations were the basis of their claims to Alaska.

1732: The Colony of Georgia

    A charter establishing the colony of Georgia was granted in June 1732 by King George IV upon an application of a group of men who desired to found a refuge for the Salzburgen and other persecuted religious sects, and a home for the poor of England. Gen. James Oglethorpe landed a group of 162 immigrants at Yamacraw Bluff on Feb. 12 1733. Later, a large number of Scottish refuges entered the colony upon the collapse of the Stuart Pretensions in England. While the grant gave Georgia the whole of the lands extending westward to the Pacific Ocean, Oglethorpe obtained lands from the Indian Tribes for the settlers until the beginning of the Revolutionary War and there were no clashes between the colonists and the Indian tribes.

1744-48: King George's War

    The French had built a fort at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island and it was thought to be so strong as to be impregnable. In 1745 Britain sent a force of 4000 New Englanders in ships to attack the fort. The fort was captured.

1748: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle

    This treaty restored Cape Breton to France.

1749: Halifax founded

    Halifax was founded by Col. Edward Cornwallis for Britain. Cornwallis arrived in 13 transports carrying 3,000 colonists. A new fort was quickly built and the colonists were organized into a militia. The founding of Halifax brought about the second capture of Lewisburg (1758) and the eventual downfall of Quebec and the French power in North America.

1749: Ohio

    In the valley of the Ohio River, there was much game but few Indian tribes. Virginia said that this was part of the territory granted by King James I. Pennsylvania claimed part of the land. New York also claimed part of the western lands. France claimed that it was theirs by rights of exploration, since La Salle had discovered the Mississippi River and the Ohio River was one of its tributaries. In those days, a nation that occupied the mouth of a river always claimed the entire watershed of that river and all of its tributaries. France began building forts along the Ohio.

    When Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia heard of these French forts he sent the young George Washington to warn the French that they must leave the Virginia territory.

1754: George Washington's first Military achievement

    Since the French would not abandon their forts on the Ohio, Virginia's Governor sent Washington back to attack Fort Duquensne with a group of 40 and some Indian allies. They dragged cannon along rough cut roads through the wilderness. While building entrenchments at a place he called Fort Necessity, Washington was re-enforced to a strength of 300 white men and 150 Indians under command of the Indian Chief Half-King. There were about 1500 French at Fort Duquensne (now Pittsburgh). Six hundred marched out and attacked the Virginians. Washington's force surrendered and were allowed to depart without penalty. Thus the illustrious first President of the United States began his military experience in defeat.

    But this began another war between Britain and France. Soon the British sent General Edward Braddock with 1,000 regulars to Virginia. About 600 Virginians commanded by George Washington joined Braddock and were received with contempt for such un-trained troops, and Braddock refused the assistance of the Indians. This account will be continued under 1756-63 The French and Indian War (below)

1754: HBC Begins to Explore.

    Britain authorized the HBC to launch a "scouting party" from York Factory into the interior. This was prompted by the French having become dominant all the way from Hudson Bay westward to Edmonton. This first tentative venture launched HBC into ever-widening exploration of the Northwest.

1756-63: The Seven Years War (The French and Indian War)

    The defeat of General Braddock and the King's Regulars: Benjamin Franklin, who met Braddock at Alexandria Virginia, warned him of the dangers he would meet fighting the French and their Indian allies. Braddock replied that the French and Indians might frighten raw militia, but they would make no impression on the King's Regulars. On July 9,1755 Braddock's 1,000 regulars and 600 Virginians commanded by George Washington were met near Fort Duquense by a party of French and Indians. Fighting began. The British regulars fought bravely from tight formation in the open, while the French and Indians fought from behind trees showing themselves only while aiming their muskets. Braddock was killed along with two thirds of his Regulars. George Washington led what was left of the little army to safety. Most of the survivors were of the Virginian militia who had fought from cover.

    Sage advice from the Indian Chief King Hendrick: After the defeat at Fort Duquense and the loss of Gen. Braddock, other British Generals began to take the advice of the Militia and the Indians about fighting in the wilderness. At a council of war called by General Johnson he proposed to send 800 men to Fort Edward. The Indian chief Hendrick told him; "If they are to fight they are too few; If they are to die they are too many." Whereupon, Gen. Johnson doubled his force. Then when Johnson proposed to split his force into three parties, the war experienced old chief handed him one arrow and told him to break it, which Johnson did. Then he handed him three arrows and said, "Put them together and you cannot break them; but you can break one by one easily." Again, Johnson gave way to Indian war logic and did not split his force. But tragically, the wise old Indian Chief was killed and Johnson was severely wounded at Lake George.

    The French and Indian war was fought savagely throughout the colonies on both sides.

1759: Fort Niagara and Fort Ticonderoga fell to the British

    Before this, the six Indian Nations had become unsure of their alliance with Britain because of prior failures. As a result of the British victory at Ticonderoga, the Indian allies of the French began to desert them, while the confidence of the Six Indian Nations in Britain was restored and they forgot that they had ever thought about ceasing their aid to the British.

1759: The Battle of Quebec

    The Battle of Quebec began as General Wolfe sailed up the St. Lawrence in June of 1759. His fleet remained near the city during the whole of July while Wolfe tried to figure out how to take it. Gen. Wolfe became gravely ill and begged his physician to "patch me up enough for this business." Moving his ships up and down the river without seeming purpose, he puzzled the French General Montcalm. But Wolfe had spotted places in the cliffs along the river where he thought his forces could climb. On the night of Sept 12 Wolfe had a small part of his men feint a landing below the city to attract the attention of the French. In the meantime 1600 troops were landed under the cliffs above the city. This main force gained the tops without notice. 3000 more followed.

    During the fighting Gen. Wolfe was wounded twice before a bullet went through his lungs. As he lay dying he heard an officer say, "See how they run!" He raised and gasped, "Who runs?" The officer replied, "The enemy is giving way everywhere." Wolfe lay back saying, "God be praised, I die in peace."

    The French General Montcalm also died in the battle. He was struck in the chest, but at first seemed not to feel the wound, until he fell from his horse. When told that the wound was mortal he said, "So much the better, I shall not live to see Quebec surrendered."

    The next year an unsuccessful attempt was made by the French to retake Quebec. Soon Montreal also fell to the British and New France was captured.

1763 (Feb 10): Treaty of Paris

    In this treaty between Britain, France and Spain, the following North American territories changed hands:
1. France ceded to Britain all North American territories except Louisiana;
2. France ceded Louisiana to Spain;
3. Spain ceded Florida to Britain;
4. France retained possession of the colonies of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (on the St Lawrence River).

    With the close of the war and the Treaty of Paris, Britain then realized its long held claim of all of North America by rights of exploration begun by John Cabot. But, the continuance of wars had been very costly and it was deemed necessary for the British to maintain standing armies on the continent in order to preclude France from re-installing its influence, and to quell any possible up-rising of the Indians.

1774: The Quebec Act

    The Treaty of Paris had consolidated all of North America under British Colonial rule (except for Mexico). Britain assumed that the colony on the St Lawrence river would become like the other American colonies, to be governed the same with a Royal governor, an appointed council, and an elected assembly.

    However, there were some 65,000 French-Canadians in the valley of the St. Lawrence. They spoke French and were French. In addition, many of the French had expanded westward into the wilderness and were trappers.

    At first there were only a few British settlers north of the St. Lawrence. Gradually Britain decided that Quebec should remain as a colony of French people within the empire. This decision was made law by the Quebec Act.

    The Quebec Act stated that the civil laws of French Canadian settlers would remain in effect, but English Criminal law was adopted. Lands were still to be held according to the feudal seigneurial system which had grown up in New France. The French Catholics of the colony were freed from the laws which elsewhere in the Empire prevented them from having any part in government, and the Catholic Church was given the right to collect tithes. Government was to be by a Royal Governor and an appointed council, without any elected assembly. (Thus, the people of the Colony in Canada would have no representation at all in its government, a virtual dictatorship having been established under the British Crown.) The Canadian colonies would live under such rule until around 1846 when a reform movement forced the British to install measures to allow some degree of self rule. The foundation was then laid for the modern British Commonwealth system to begin.

1775-1776: The War of Revolution (The War of Independence)

    (This will be just a brief overview of the very long and bloody Revolutionary War between the 13 Colonies lying south of the St. Lawrence river and Britain. Since the history of this event is well documented only the causes and the conclusion will be touched upon.)

    In order to recoup costs of the wars and to pay for standing armies on the continent, King George and Parliament set about levying taxes upon the colonies. The taxes were so repressive as to deprive the colonists of their livelihood. In addition, the colonists were required to support the British military within each colony. As the military moved about through the colonies their commanders had the right to domicile themselves wherever they chose and to take whatever they needed for their subsistence. Conditions deteriorated to an extent that the colonies were under virtual military rule. The conditions deteriorated rapidly causing the colonies to begin inter-colony discussions and formulate plans to secede from British control. Such clandestine meetings were tantamount to conspiracy to treason and were vigorously prosecuted by the British lords in the colonies. The populous of the colonies were divided, between Loyalists and separatists. Generally, the Loyalists were those who were appointed in some capacity or status by the British Governors, favored land holders, members of the British militia, and some who had close family ties within the mother country. By far the separatists outnumbered the Loyalists, but the latter were in such numbers and in such positions as to always know of the separatist's activities and planning. Thus everything that the separatists did required great secrecy.

    The first skirmish of the war was in 1775 at Lexington, where General Gage sent a detachment of militia to confiscate a cache of arms. Eight (so called) "Minutemen" were killed. Skirmishes between rebellious Minutemen and British troops continued. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed by representatives of all of the Colonies. The thirteen British Colonies south of the St :Lawrence River declared independence from Great Britain. Most of the (then) leaders in the revolution were former men of British status. Indeed, many had fought with the British during the French and Indian War and some were Officers of the British Regulars who changed sides. All of these men of British status faced execution for treason should they be captured.

    The war began as a move by the British to quell rebellions and their hunting down of small groups of rebels. War continued with a general building of strength and organization by the Colonies.

    During the latter year of the war, Britain's old nemesis France became allied with the American Colonies. This came about after the battle of Saratoga in the fall of 1778 when Gen. Washington defeated British Gen. Howe's superior force. France was so impressed that it recognized the Independence of the American Colonies and treated with them to provide naval support.

    Upon that happening Britain made an offer to the colonies that Britain would give up every single point in the dispute that caused the war and Britain would not to levy any taxes on the colonies if they would stop fighting for independence. But the offer was too late and the Americans only cared for independence since they had been fighting for three years and were then seeing victory ahead.

    France contributed substantially by assisting the American fleet of privateers in establishing an effective Naval blockade of the East Coast, thus preventing British supply and re-enforcements. This worked well at Yorktown, the final battleground where General Washington defeated General Cornwallis' British forces on Oct 21, 1781.

1783 (Sept 3): Paris Peace Treaty

    This treaty settled the war of revolution between Britain and the United States. Britain recognized the independence of the United States of America. Additionally, the treaty restored Florida to Spain.

Westward Expansion by Britain and The United States

1784: Another fur company emerged in North America

    The North West Company quickly became a major competitor to both HBC and the French. For some 60 years these three companies continued a fierce and sometimes bloody competition in fur trade.

1792: Canada's first legislature

    Sept. 17, Upper Canada's first Legislature met at Newark (Niagra).

    Dec.17, Lower Canada's first Legislature met at Quebec.

1792: York founded

    York (Toronto) was founded by Simcoe.

1799: Sitka Established

The Russian American Company established a fort at Sitka (Archangel).

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