United States History Student Edition

The British raised the prices of their goods. Unlike the French, the British refused to pay Native Americans to use their land. In addition, more colonists began settling on Native American lands. Many Native Americans saw the settlers as a threat to their way of life. One of these was Pontiac, the chief of an Ottawa (Odawa) village near Detroit. Speaking to a large group of Native Americans from various groups in 1763, Pontiac warned, "The English sell us goods twice as dear as the French do. . . . [Y]ou can well see that they are seeking our ruin. Therefore, my brothers, we must all swear their destruction and wait no longer." Tensions soon led to a conflict between Native Americans and the British in the Great Lakes region, called Pontiac’s War. The conflict resulted in a number of civilian and military casualties on each side. Pontiac and his forces

laid siege to the British fort at Detroit and other British outposts. During Pontiac’s War, attacks also occurred along the Pennsylvania and Virginia frontiers. The same year as Pontiac’s War began, Britain’s King George III declared that colonists were not to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. To enforce the new rule, the British planned to keep 10,000 troops in the American colonies. The Proclamation of 1763 helped remove a source of conflict with Native Americans. It also kept colonists on the coast—where the British could control them. Colonists believed the proclamation limited their freedom of movement. They feared that the large number of British troops might interfere with their liberties. As a result, distrust began to grow between Britain and its North American colonies. Britain’s financial problems also led to trouble. Deeply in debt as a result of the war with France, the British government made plans to tax the colonies and tighten trade rules. These efforts would lead to conflict—and eventually revolution. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING Explaining Causes Briefly explain the relationship between the French and Indian War and the taxes Britain imposed on American colonists. LESSON ACTIVITIES 1. Informative/Explanatory Writing Write a paragraph describing the Albany Plan of Union, including the problems it was meant to address and the response it received from American colonists. In your answer, explain Benjamin Franklin's famous "Join, or Die" cartoon and how it urged a union of the colonies. 2. Presenting Work with a partner to write a conversation that could have occurred in 1757 as the British role in the French and Indian War increased. Choose the viewpoints of two French soldiers, two British soldiers, two American colonists, or two Native Americans—and provide their thoughts on the issues related to the war. As you listen to your classmates’ conversations, compare their characters’ perspectives to that of your characters.

During Pontiac’s War, the Ottawa (Odawa) attacked British forts in the Great Lakes region and burned British ships harbored in the Detroit River, as seen in this illustration from the 1800s.

North Wind Picture Archives/Alamy Stock Photo

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