History Chapter: The Seven Years' War

The Seven Years' War

• The conflict between the French and British reached its peak during the Seven Years' War, lasting from 1756 to 1763 in Europe.
• In North America, this war became known as the "War of Conquest" and unfolded between 1754 and 1760.
• In 1758, the British gained momentum, seizing Louisbourg with 200 ships and bombarding the fortress.

The Ohio Valley

• The Ohio Valley was crucial to France in the 1750s.
• Many French forts were built for fur trade with Indigenous peoples.
• The British aimed to eliminate these forts, competing with the French in the fur trade.
• The French held off British attacks until 1758, when Lieutenant-Colonel John Bradstreet captured Fort Frontenac.
• Later that year, Fort Duquesne (in the Ohio Valley), renamed Fort Pitt after the British victory, fell to the British.
• This allowed British navigation deep into New France.

Capture of Quebec

• General James Wolfe led a British campaign to capture Quebec in the spring of 1759.
• His forces included 49 warships and 80 transport ships, comprising 9,000 soldiers and 2,000 cannons with 40,000 cannonballs.
• In June 1759, the British fleet extended over 150 kilometers along the St. Lawrence River, anchoring near the Island of Orleans.
• Wolfe's strategy was challenging because of the steep cliffs surrounding the city.

The Battle of Beauport

• In July 1759, Wolfe dispatched 4,000 soldiers to attack Beauport, a shallow slope.
• The French, led by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, anticipated the attack and prepared a robust defense with 10,000 soldiers.
• The French successfully repelled the attack, inflicting around 440 British casualties.

Landing at Anse-au-Foulon

• Wolfe shifted his strategy, aiming to approach Quebec from the west at Anse-au-Foulon, a difficult, narrow path for troops.
• On the night of September 12-13, 1759, a small British force secured the path's guard post.
• The following morning, roughly 5,000 British soldiers ascended the steep path to the Plains of Abraham, a cleared area west of Quebec City.

The Plains of Abraham

• On September 13, 1759, Wolfe positioned his red-coated troops on the Plains of Abraham, facing the impending French forces.
• Montcalm's troops advanced toward the British line, resulting in intense fighting.
• The British, using a disciplined volley-fire strategy, inflicted heavy casualties on the French.
• Wolfe was fatally wounded during the battle.
• General Montcalm also died soon after, creating significant leadership gaps for both sides.
• The British victory at the Plains of Abraham played a crucial role in the eventual British conquest of New France.

Aftermath and Treaty of Paris

• The British victory led to the surrender of Montreal, marked by the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
• The Treaty of Paris formally ceded New France to Great Britain.
• However, some concessions, including fishing rights in the area, were retained by France.

Explore the major events and battles of the Seven Years' War, focusing on the conflict between France and Britain. Understand the significance of the Ohio Valley, the role of key figures, and the pivotal capture of Quebec. Test your knowledge of this historical turning point that shaped North America and Europe.