The French and Indian War (part 1).

The Dragon Fountain, Versailles Palace. By Israel Silvestre
1676. Source: Library of the Congress, USA. {{PD-US}}

On a cold day of February, in the Year of the Lord of 1763, there was a meeting near to Paris, at the fancy halls of Versailles. A group of representatives had attended, to sign a treaty for a peace agreement, between the most powerful nations of those days. As outrageous as it may seem in the present, they were sharing out the territories of distant countries... as if were the spoils of war. They saw those lands as their properties, all the legal rights included. A few days later, they signed another treaty. Those agreements meant the end of a great confrontation, considered by many, as the First World War. It was the Seven Years War. 

The death of Jumonville. From The Life of
George Washington, by J.T. Headley. NY, 1859.

It appears that this war had its origin in the North American lands, and then spread to Europe. According to the tradition, it triggered by something almost irrelevant: a minor ambush in the middle of nowhere. And yet, its consequences would become so important, that it created a new world order. In other words, it changed the course of history.

But, for a better understanding about how could that happen, we have to travel a little earlier in time...

The house where the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed.
Photo by Txo, 2008.

In the far away times of discoveries and explorations, several European countries did not agree with the distribution of the New World. According to the Treaty of Tordesillas, Spain and Portugal should own almost everything. So they also launched their ships to explore the new lands (not only in the American Continent), without any permission. Besides, there was an important incentive... the quest of a northern pathway to the Pacific Ocean. That would produce huge commercial benefits to the nation which controlled it.

Sebastian Cabot.
A copy from a painting of Hans Holbein, the young.
National Maritime Museum, Greeenwich, London.

Cabot, Verrazano and Cartier exploring travels, at first... Hudson and Champlain, later, would put the north eastern territory of America in the world map. With that information, another countries took a stance there, and began to establish their colonies. But it was unavoidable to collide with the Spanish Empire. According to them, all those lands belonged to Spain, almost by divine right. Only when that powerful empire declined, they would reduce their aspirations. 

Scale replica of The Discovery. Commemoration of the 400th Anniversary
of the landing at Jamestown, on the 4th Hudson´s trip. Photo: Bmrbarre, 2007

The efforts and suffering of the first settlers, and the reasons they had to establish in North America is another story. 

Jamestown settlers, by the year 1650.

By the year 1650, there were five countries (Spain, England, France, Holland and Sweden), sharing those territories. They all had settlements at the eastern coast of North America. But, as the number of colonists began to grow, the problems started. The farmers needed more land! And it was not easy to expand to the west: there was a chain of mountains, as a natural obstacle to them. Soon the conflicts between the settlers were the sign of the peaceful coexistence times ending. Now was the time for one of those nations to begin to exert its domain over those lands.

Yet, it did not take into account the original inhabitants of those places...

The distribution of the North American territories, by 1750.
Nouvelle-France map-en.svg: Pinpin

In that way, by the last third of the 17th century, the East Coast of the current United States, belonged to Great Britain (except Florida, still Spanish). By that time, France was exploring the inner lands of North America... from most of the modern Canada, and going more and more to the south. This meant for them, the control of a huge territory, but very little populated, due to the harsh winters. But a profitable fur trade made it an interesting possession. They named it as New France, and a few important cities, such as Quebec and Montreal would arise, despite the difficulties. 

French and Indians meeting around a fire ceremony.
By Emile Louis Vernier, 1887. {{PD-US}}

By contrast with the coastal region, controlled by the British, at the French territory there was not any population pressure. It permitted a better understanding between the Europeans and the Indians. Besides, the furs exploitation and trading somehow was beneficial for everyone. As a consequence, most tribes considered the English as greedy persons: people who only wanted their land, always ready to oust them, no matter the cost!

René Robert Cavelier de la Salle.
From http://www.ifremer.fr {{PD-US}}

 The French explorers had gone through the Great Lakes zone, where they built fortresses and missions, by the year of 1670. While they were searching for a river passage to the Pacific, they found a stream which led to the Gulf of Mexico. Joliet, a hunter, and father Marquette, a missionary, discovered the upper course of that big river... it was no other than the Mississippi. Later, a notable personage: Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, plowed through those waters to the estuary, in Spanish territory. Still, he took possession for France, of all the river basin, from that place to the Great Lakes. He named all that huge land as Louisiana, in honor of Louis 14th, king of France.

La Salle, taking possession of Louisiana.
By Jean-Adolphe Bocquin, 1870.

In the meantime, the British colonies were flourishing, thanks to an intense productivity. Due to their different origins and interests, they finally gathered as provinces, independent between them... but under the British domain. The state of wellness they had reached, induced a steady increase of population in those territories. It included settlers, immigrants and slaves, brought from Africa. At the beginning of the 18th century, the governor of one of the provinces, suggested to the crown the necessity of obtaining new lands. Of course, it had to be at France expenses.

Allegheny Mountains. Photo: Snottywong.
Lic. CC-BY 3.0. 

The need to expand westward, began to be urgent. Among other reasons, they needed more farming lands. It was necessary to cross the Allegheny Mountains, to get to the fertile valleys of the Ohio River. Otherwise, the English colonies of North America, might be at risk of being stuck, between the Atlantic Coast and the mountains. Towards 1750, three quarters of a century of confrontation between British and French, were going to an end. Only one of them would own the lands of Septentrional America.

Area of operations, in the French and Indian War.
By Harper & Brothers, 1905. {{PD-US}}

The truth is, that after so many years of conflicts and treaties, the borders in North America, were anything but clear. There were so many unexplored territories, many lands to dispute. Lands with a growing strategic value. Hence, France decided to protect its interests. They set a chain of forts from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Great Britain had only got small territories to the northeast (Terranova, Acadia, or New Scotland, and at Hudson Bay). But the British tenacity and patience were still working in silence.

First contact between Europeans and Iroquois, by John Frost,
1653. From: Pictorial History of America. Philadelphia.
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We should not overlook that many of the original inhabitants of the eastern coast, died or had to leave their lands. They could not resist the permanent confrontations with the Europeans. Even worse, they had no defense against many diseases the white men carried with. The guns and the epidemies almost exterminated them. But some tribes managed to survive and still became allies of the British, in the conflicts which came thereafter.

Ohio region. By Nikater.

 The key for both nations was to establish at, and to control the valleys of the Ohio River. We might say that it was the "apple of discord", for France and Great Britain. If France resulted triumphant, the British colonies would be fenced and perhaps condemned to decay in the future. Then, was a true possibility of a great French Empire in North America. They were ready to accomplish that, and also counted on their native allies... who had understood that was necessary to fight for their home lands. 

Colonial City, by the middle of 18th century.

At the same time, the British settlers, always eager for land, were trying to establish new farms and colonies, every time more to the west. Between them, existed the conviction that it was a "no man´s land". They were bold people, full of ambition, coming from prosperous settlements. Many of them also knew how to use weapons. In those days began something that would mark many generations of North Americans: they were feeling "the Call of the West". 

We will keep visiting those lands and times... to witness the painful and terrible events, which later would led to the birth of a great nation. A bloody conflict, whose name in America, among others, was the French and Indian War. As we said before, it came to unleash a great world war.

George Washington, by 1760, wearing the uniform
of the Regiment of Virginia. By Charles W. Peale,
1772. University of Washington and Lee.
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