What Are The Causes Of The French And Indian War

The French and Indian war lasted from 1756 until 1763 (actually events leading to the war started in 1754). This war was also known as the Seven Years’ War because, well it lasted seven years (nine to be exact but seven years’ war has a better ring to it). The competing claims over ancestral Indian land covering the Ohio River valley, known as the “most fertile country of America” was the major cause of this war. The French built forts in parts of Western Pennsylvania to protect their interest in this land. When the Governor of Virginia heard about the French forts, he sent a Virginia militia officer to warn the French to leave the area. That officer was one of the most notable historical figures in American history, Major George Washington. The French commander refused to leave so Washington went back to inform the Governor. Due to the refusal, in the spring of 1754, Washington took 150
inexperienced volunteers including Iroquois allies to build a fort near where Pittsburgh is now.
He found out that the French had already beat him to this site and they had erected another fort there. The next day the Virginians attacked a French scouting party killing ten soldiers including the commander, and capturing twenty one others. The Indians that were with the Virginians tomahawked and scalped many of the French soldiers who had been wounded in the attack. The soldiers who were mutilated and died were the first people to die in the French and Indian war. Washington and his group left and set up a fort that was called Fort Necessity. However on July 3, 1754, French soldiers attacked the fort killing or wounding a third of Washington’s men before he surrendered. France was now in control of the Ohio land that had caused so many fights and arguments in the beginning.
There are several things that may not have occurred had the French and Indian
war not been fought or ended the way it did. George Washington played a part in this war and had it turned out differently, had he been killed or taken prisoner, he may not have worked so hard to become the first president of the United States. The French and Indian war led to another very important war in our history, the American Revolution. Had the American Revolution never occurred, we would not have one of the most important documents in our freedom, the Declaration of Independence. Prior to this war, people living in North America had no issues with being British as this meant they would be protected from the French if they attempted to take over their colonies. However, after the war French were thrown out of America and so the British people living there no longer required help defending against the French soldiers. Things may have went back to pretty much the way they were, however the British had lost a lot of money fighting this war. They increased the taxes of those in the United Kingdom, but also attempted to raise the cost of taxes in the American colonies to offset the cost of war. With this they also attempted to increase British power and rules among the American colonies. This led to the people in those colonies becoming unhappy with the British rule over them. Since they no longer needed protection from the French soldiers they set out to make a change for the better and to separate themselves from the British. Many things would have been different from how we know them now had any of the events that took place ended differently. Many people do not agree with war but must see the importance when it comes to their freedom. Of course I guess had it ended differently, we would not know any different from the life we were living under British or French reign