01:512:104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Iroquois, Albany Plan, Battle Of The Plains Of Abraham
13 May 2018
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Chapter 04 - Empire in Transition
1)Loosening Ties
a)A Tradition of Neglect
i)After Glorious Revolution Parliamentary leaders less inclined to tighten
imperial control b/c depended on support of merchants + landholders who
feared taxes, diminished profits
ii)Colonial administration inefficient split btwn Board of Trade and Plantations,
Privy Council, admiralty, treasury. Many Royal officials in America apptd b/c of
bribery or favoritism
iii)Resistance centered in colonial legislatures, claimed right to tax, approve
appts, pass laws. Saw themselves as little parliaments, checked governor
power
b)The Colonies Divided
i)Colonists often felt stronger ties to England than to one another. Yet cnxns
still forged, Atlantic settlement created roads, trade, colonial postal service
ii)Loath to cooperate even against French and Indian threat. Still, delegation in
Albany to Iroquois proposed establishing a general govt with power to govern
relationships with Indians, but colony retaining constitution but power. This
Albany Plan was rejected by all the colonies
2)The Struggle for the Continent
a)New France and the Iroquois Nation
i)By 1750s growing English and French settlements produced religious and
commercial tensions. Louis XIV sought greater empire, French explorers had
traveled down Mississippi R. and looked Westward, held continental interior
ii)To secure holdings founded communities, fortresses, missions, trading
posts. Seigneuries (lords) held large estates, Creoles in S had plantation
economy
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iii)“Middle ground” of interior occupied by French, British, Indians. English
offered Indians more and better goods, French offered tolerance + adjusted
behavior to Indian patterns- French developed closer relationships
iv)Iroquois Confederacy a defensive alliance, most powerful tribal presence in
NE. Forged commercial relationship w/ Dutch and English, played French
against English to maintain independence. Ohio valley became battleground
b)Anglo-French Conflicts
i)Glorious Revolution led to William III and later Queen Anne to oppose
French
ii)King William’s War (1689-1687), Queen Anne’s War began 1701 brought
border fighting w/ Spanish, French and Indian allies. Treaty of Utrech 1713
ended conflicts, gave much land to English
iii)Conflict over trade btwn Spanish and English merged w/ conflict btwn
French and English over Prussia + Austria. Resulted in King George’s War
1744-1748
iv)After, relations in America btwn English, French, Iroquois deteriorated.
Iroquois granted concessions to British, French built new fortresses in Ohio
valley, British did the same. Iroquois balance of power disintegrated
v)1754 VA sent militia under George Washington to challenge French,
assaulted Fort Duquesne. F counter-assault on his Fort Necessity resulted in
its surrender
c)The Great War for the Empire- The French and Indian War
i)First phase lasted from 1754 after For Necessity to expansion to Eur in 1756.
Colonists most on own w/ only moderate British assistance- navy prevented
landing of larger French reinforcements, but failed Ohio R. attack.
(1)Local colony forces occupied with defending themselves against W. Indian
tribes’ (except Iroquois) raids who allied themselves with French after Fort
Necessity defeat. Iroquois hesitant to molest French but allied with English
ii)Second phase began 1756 when French and English opened official
hostilities in Seven Years’ War. Realignment of allies. Beginning 1757 British
Sec. of State William Pitt began to bring most impt war effort in America under
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British control: forcibly enlisted colonists (impressments), seized supplies and
forced shelter from colonists w/o compensation. By 1758 much friction
iii)Third phase Pitt relaxed policies, reimbursed control, returned military
control to assemblies, additional troops to America. Finally tide in England’s
favor, after poor French harvests 1756 suffered many defeats at hands of
generals Jeffrey Amherst and James Wolfe thru 1758. Fall of Quebec 1759 by
Wolfe resulted in surrender of French 1760
iv)Pitt didn’t pursue peace, but George III ascended throne and signed Peace
of Paris 1763. F ceded Canada and land east of Miss. R
v)War expanded England’s New World territory, enlarged English debt.
English officials angry at American ineptitude and few financial contributions
vi)Colonists had been forced to act in concert, return of authority to
assemblies 1758 seemed to confirm illegitimacy of English interference in
local affairs
vii)Disaster for Indians in Ohio Valley allied with French, Iroquois passivity
resulted in deteriorated English relationship, Confed began to crumble
3)The New Imperialism
a)Burdens of Empire
i)After 1763 empire management more difficult. In past viewed colonies in
terms of trade, now ppl argued land and population’s support and taxes were
valuable
ii)Territorial annexations of 1763 doubled size of British Emp in NA. Conflict
over whether west should be settled or not, colonial govts competed for
jurisdiction, other wanted English to control or make new colonies
iii)English govt had vast war debt, English landlords + merchants objecting to
tax increase, troops in India added expense, England couldn’t rely on
cooperation of colonial govts. Argued tax administered by London only
effective way
iv)New king George III 1760 determined to be active monarch, created
unstable majority in Parliament, suffered mental illness, immature, insecure
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Document Summary
Many royal officials in america apptd b/c of bribery or favoritism iii)resistance centered in colonial legislatures, claimed right to tax, approve appts, pass laws. Saw themselves as little parliaments, checked governor power b)the colonies divided i)colonists often felt stronger ties to england than to one another. Yet cnxns still forged, atlantic settlement created roads, trade, colonial postal service ii)loath to cooperate even against french and indian threat. Albany to iroquois proposed establishing a general govt with power to govern relationships with indians, but colony retaining constitution but power. Albany plan was rejected by all the colonies. 2)the struggle for the continent a)new france and the iroquois nation i)by 1750s growing english and french settlements produced religious and commercial tensions. Louis xiv sought greater empire, french explorers had traveled down mississippi r. and looked westward, held continental interior ii)to secure holdings founded communities, fortresses, missions, trading posts.
