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Ohio Valley Forts
In the Ohio valley, French colonial governors had built forts along the Ohio River and its tributaries. Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissoriere commandant-general of New France from 1747 to 1749, extended the fortifications, trying to ensure French control over the region and to keep the Thirteen Colonies contained. -
Seven Years War Begins
During the seven years war the great empires of Europe struggled to maintain colonial, territory, economic wealth, and power on the European continent and in Lands far removed from Europe. Involving the largest armies and navies in human history up until that time the war was fought on all the seas of the world aligned French and Australia against Britain and Persia. -
William Pitt Becomes Prime Minister
William Pitt became British Prime Minister in 1757; he began to concentrate British forces on defeating the French in North America. Pitt sent one quarter of the British Navy, two hundred ships, and at least twenty three thousand troops to conquer New France. -
Fall of Louisbourg
The British determined that they had to capture Louisbourg, the remaining and powerful French for in the Atlantic region. It served as a base for the French Navy, protected the entrance to the St. Lawrence, and offered refuge for French pirates who captured ships belonging to the New Englanders. This event led to the loss of Quebec in 1759. -
British Attack at Fort Carillion
A British force of fifteen thousand soldiers, the largest army amassed in North America to that time, attacked Montcalm and the French at Carillion. Montcalm, with only thirty six hundred soldiers, kept the British at bay, though with a heavy loss of life. -
General Wolfe
General James Wolfe started out from London under instructions from King George II and William Pitt to conquer Quebec. Wolfe sent out a fleet that stretched over 150km and had a population great than Quebec. General Wolfe is recognized as the man who conquered Quebec. -
Siege of Quebec City
The bombardment of the town of Quebec lasted nine weeks. Night after night British cannon and the fires that followed the cannon shots destroyed homes, warehouses, churches, convents and streets in Quebec. The taking of Quebec was the beginning of the end of French rule in Canada although the British troops had to endure a severe winter in the ruined city. -
The Plains of Abraham
The battle was fought between the British Army and Navy, and the French Army, on a plateau just outside the walls of Quebec City. It involved fewer than 10,000 troops between both sides, but proved to be a deciding moment in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France. The battle lasted about 15 minutes. British troops commanded by General James Wolfe successfully resisted the column advance of French troops. -
Articles of Capitulation
The Articles of Capitulation was the formal surrender document signed by Governor Vaudreuil of New France when the British captured Montreal in September, 1760. This document ended the Seven Years War in Canada. This document detailed the terms of surrender for both the French and the British. While the terms were very harsh, those French who wanted to remain in the colony were allowed to keep their property. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed on 10 February 1763 by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, after Britain's victory over France and Spain during the Seven Years' War. The signing of the treaty ended the Seven Years' War, which marked the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe. -
The Royale Proclamation
The purpose of the proclamation was to organize Great Britain's new North American empire and to stabilize relations with Native North Americans through regulation of trade, settlement, and land purchases on the western frontier. The Treaty of Paris ended Britain's participation in the Seven Years' War. It ceded enormous areas previously claimed by France to British Crown control. -
Pontiac Signs Peace Treaty with the English
The war began in May 1763 when Native Americans, offended by the policies of British General Jeffrey Amherst, attacked a number of British forts and settlements. Eight forts were destroyed, and hundreds of colonists were killed or captured, with many more fleeing the region. It came to an end after British Army expeditions in 1764 led to peace negotiations over the next two years.
