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The Acadian Resistance
The Acadians resented the presence of the British therefore they joined forces with the First Nations for raids on the British settlements. These actions forced the British to back off.
This allowed the French to build a fort on land that both the French and British had claimed. -
Ohio Valley
Hostilities began in 1754 in the Ohio Valley, where both the French and British had claimed. The French built fortifications to strengthen their claim. Colonel Washington was sent to ambush the French but was defeated.
Even though war had not yet been officially declared, the British began planning an assault against the French. It marks the beginning of the war. -
Acadian Expulsion
Tensions grew as thousands of Acadians were forced from their homeland by the British. France and Britain were on the verge of war. The British demanded that the Acadians sign an oath of allegiance to the British but they refused. This refusal forced the British to retaliate by ordering the expulsion of the Acadians.
It affected the war because the British gained more land and the threat that the Acadians might fight with the French if they went to war disappeared. -
Attack On The Town Of German Flatts
When the Germans failed to support the French in the assault on Fort William Henry, Vaudreuil decided to punish them. He attacked the German Flatts. Vaudreuil assembled a force of about 300 under the command of Belestre. Although Oneida had warned them, the settlers had made no defensive preparations.
The raid was considered a victory for the French in that a small force had penetrated into New York, virtually unopposed and managed to do a great deal of damage. -
Siege Of Louisburg
British forces consisted of almost 14,000 soldiers. On June 2nd, the British force anchored 4.8 km from Louisbourg. The French commander was unable to assemble significant number of solders leaving them outnumbered.
After a six week siege, the French surrendered the fort. The British gained control over the gulf of St-Lawrence entrance to the river. The fortress was used by the British as a launching point for its 1759 Siege of Quebec that culminated in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. -
River Of Fire
The French attempted to attack the British fleet by sending seven fire ships down river to disrupt the landing of Wolfe’s ship on Ile D’Orlean. The ships fired too early and British sailors in longboats were able to pull the flaming crafts clear of the fleet leaving them unharmed.
The following day, Wolfe's troops landed on the south bank of the river at Point Levis nearly directly across the river from Quebec. -
Siege Of Quebec
In June 1759, Major General Wolfe and the British navy transported a powerful army to Québec city. 2 months, 40,000 cannon balls & 10,000 bombs later, they were still unable to overcome the city’s fort, steep cliffs, and stone walls.
On the verge of failure, the British noticed a small cove three kilometres west of the city walls. Wolfe and 4800 troops landed undetected there on the night of September 13th, 1759. They scaled the cliffs and advanced to the Plains of Abraham. -
Plains Of Abraham
Wolfe sent 4800 troops up the cliffs as a sneak attack on Quebec city to land on the plains. Montcalm leads first charge on the British however Montcalm and many French soldiers were hit. The battle lasted less then 1 hour and both Wolfe and Montcalm were killed of their wounds. The French surrendered.
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham marked a turning point in the history of New France. By defeating and securing Québec, the British established a strong presence in New France. -
The Treaty Of Paris
The British moved from Quebec city to Montreal to fight the French. The French put on a strong fight over the winter but both sides were waiting for reinforcement and supplies to come down the St-Lawrence after winter. The British ship was the first one down the river so the French surrendered and the British gained control of New France.
The Treaty of Paris officially marks the end of the Seven Years' War. France had to give up all its main territory claims in North America.
