The Seven Years War (1754 - 1763)

Question 1

When and what was the Albany Congress

Answer 1

This was an attempt from delegates from 7 colonies to improve their coordination and relations with the Native Americans, which it what they needed to defeat the French.
It was held in 1754

Question 2

2 outcomes

Outcomes of the Albany congress

Answer 2

1. They failed to make better relations with the Native Americans, especially the Iroqui.
2. Benjamin Franklin proposed a union of the colonies consisting of a grand council with representation from all the colonies led by a president general (who would have been choses by England) to help them win the war. This body would have power over defence and Native American affairs. This was rejected by both the colonies and the crown, but was the first attempt of the colonies to unite.

Question 3

4 problems

What problems did the colonists face when fighting against the French?

Answer 3

1. Very few trained British troops in North America (in the early 1750s, only 500 in the entire area.
2. Colonial troops were poorly trained and badly led.
3. The colonies were reluctant to work together (e.g. faliure of Albany Congress)
4. France had the support of the Native Americans

Question 4

6 reasons

Reasons for British success in the Seven Years’ war

Answer 4

1. William Pitt
2. The Navy
3. Finances
4. French Weaknesses
5. The Colonists
6. Native Americans

Question 5

6 reasons

How did Pitt help the British succeed?

Answer 5

1. He prioritised the fighting in North American and the Caribbean rather than all the other places Britain was fighting in.
2. He initially sent 25,000 troops to the colonies, and by 1758 he was able to get an additional 20,000 colonial volunteers to fight (the previous commander, Loudon, hadn’t been able to get any). He also refused to call these troops back home when England faced the threat of invasion from France. The French only had 6800 regulars.
3. In 1757 he passed the “Militia Act” which created local militias to protect British lands and gave him more front line soldiers In America (these were funded by England).
4. The commanders he placed in charge, Lord Amherst and Wolff, were more aggressive and also had better relations with the Native Americans. He got rid of the rule saying that British officers always outranked Colonial ones, and promoted people based on merit.
5. His three pronged strategy to attack Louisburg, Ticonderoga and Quebec as well as the capture of Fort Duquense reestablished British control of the Ohio river.
6. He got the crown to fund the colonial militias as well as reimburse the assemblies for other expenses.

Question 6

2 reasons

How did the Navy help the British succeed?

Answer 6

1. Under admirals Hawke and Boscawen, British ships patrolled the channel and stopped the French from getting supplies to North America. Since the French didn’t farm in North America, they relied on France to supply all their needs. In 1759, Hawke won the battle of Quiberon bay, ending any chances for the French to resupply their colonies or take back their lost cities.
2. The navy (which had recently increased a lot is size) was used to take the fortress of Louisbourg, giving the British access to the St Lawrence river.

Question 7

2 reasons

How did finances help the British succeed?

Answer 7

1. Money was used to build up the navy and pay / supply the army.
2. Pitt paid William the great of Prussia to attack French forces in Europe so that the French couldn’t send reinforcements to North America (British troops were also sent to help Prussia)

Question 8

How did the Native Americans help the British succeed?

Answer 8

They held all the local knowledge and had experience with guerilla warfare. During the beggining of the war, the French used them to win a lot of battles against the British, but after the naval blockade the British became the only ones that could supply and trade with them, so they swtiched sides.

Question 9

How did the colonists help Britain succeed in the Seven Years’ War?

Answer 9

They volunteered for Pitt’s army (when they hadn’t for previous leaders) and made up 20,000 of the 45,000 soldiers fighting in the war.

Question 10

3 reasons

How did French weaknesses help the British succeed?

Answer 10

1. They lost their best commander, Mont Calm, during the battle of the plains of Abraham, 1759.
2. There colonies were smaller and built on less fertile land, so they relied on supplies from France.
3. They had had bad harvests in 1757 and 1758, increasing their reliance on supplies.

Question 11

In your opinion, which is the most important factor for British success in the Seven Years’ War and why?

Answer 11

I believe that a combination of Pitt and the navy are the most important factors.
The navy played a crucial role in not allowing the French to resupply (e.g. battle of Quiberon bay). Without supplies, there was no hope for the French to regain any of their territory.
Pitt was a crucial commander and without his strategies and plans (as well as his use of the navy), Britain could not have won the war.