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French begin building forts along Ohio River
French colonial governors build forts along the Ohio River and its tributaries. Roland-Michel Barrin extended the fortifications trying to ensure French control over the region and to keep the thirteen colonies contained. -
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The Fall of New France
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7 Year War Begins
The great empires of Europe struggled to maintain colonial territory, economic wealth, and power on the European continent. Involving the largest armies and navies in human history up until that time, the war was fought on all the seas of the world and aligned France and Austria against Britain and Prussia. Once war was declared, France's attention was focused on winning the war in Europe. -
William Pitt becomes Prime Minister of Britain
Pitt began to concentrate British forces on defeating France in North America. If Fracne was gaining fround in Europe the British would focus their attention on winning the war in North America. Pitt sent one-quarter of the British navy, 200 ships, and at least 23,000 troops to conquer New France -
British attack at Fort Carillon
A British force of 15,000 soldiers, the largest army amassed in North America to that time, attacked Montcalm and the French at Fort Carillon. There were only 3,600 French soldiers but they were able to keep the British at bay. Though there was a heavy loss of life for the French. -
Fall of Louisbourg
The British sent 39 ships, more than 12,000 troops, and almost 1000 mounted guns to attack Louisbourg. The British commander, General Jeffery Amherst, laid seige to the fort and began the bombardment. After defeating Louisburg the British Prime Minister ordered that Louisburg be "totally demolished". -
General Wolfe ordered to conquer Quebec
Wolfe brought with him 29 ships totalling 15,000 soldiers. When the fleet arrived in the St. Lawrence River it stretched for 150km and had a population greater than Quebec. -
Siege of Quebec City
The bombardment of the town of Quebec began on July 12, 1759 and lasted for nine weeks. Night after night British cannon and the fires that followed the cannon shots destroyed homes, warehouses, churches, convents, and streets in Quebec. In an effort to force the Canadians to surrender, General Wolfe had ordered that the habitants' farms and livestock be destroyed for 150 miles along the St Lawrence. -
Battle on the Plains of Abraham
The Battle began on September 13, 1759 at 8am when the British fired their small field cannon. The battle ended less than three hours after it started and left 220 French and Canadian militia dead and 67 British casualties. Quebec was lost and although Montreal did not fall until the following spring, French rule in Canada was over. -
Artivles of Capitulation
On September 8, 1760, Vaudreuil signed the Articles of Capitulation and surrendered teh whole of New France to General Amherst. Members of the French-Canadian militia were allowed to evacuate the town, and any other French possession in Canada, to return to their habitations without being molested on any pretense whatever, on the account of their having carried arms against the English. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris, which ended the Seven Years' War, was signed on February 10, 1763 by representatives of England, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Prussia. By the treaty, various territories in Eurpoe shifted from the control of one country to another. With the signing of the treaty by the European powers, New France became the British colony of Quebec. Military rule ended and James Murray became the first governor of the colony. -
The Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation on October 7, 1763, set the boundaries and governmental policies of the colony of Quebec., along with those of East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada. The ultimate authority in the colonies would be the governors who were appointed by the English monarch, his or her council, and the British Parliament and House of Lords. -
Pontiac Signs Peace Treaty With English
Pontiac signed a peace treaty with the English in 1765 in which he again stated that the French surrender to the British of their forts did not mean that the Aboriginal lands had been surrendered as well. Pontiac was present and spoke at the final ratification of agreements in Fort Ontario in 1766 but his influence dwindled.
