French and Indian War

The French and Indian War (also called The War That Made America)was a conflict that lasted from 1754-1763, and was fought on the continent of North America. The war was actually a chapter of the much larger conflict that was known as the Seven Years' War.

Struggle over North America
Throughout the 1740s, the British colonies of North America were very cautious of the French encroachment into the Ohio Country. Realizing that their Native allies might join with France if provided with enough trading supplies, Britain sent traders of their own to make peace with the Natives. However, the French were not deterred, and continued their move into the Ohio River Valley. Therefore, Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia, ordered that a small outpost be constructed at the point where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers flow into the Ohio River.

Work began on the small fort in the spring of 1754, and was about half way done, when a force of nearly 2,000 French and allied Natives surrounded the garrison. The forty workers constructing the post surrendered without even firing a shot. The French then set about finishing the fort and named it Fort Duquesne. Hearing of the surrender, Colonel George Washington marched his four-hundred man army to within a hundred miles of the Forks of the Ohio in hopes of recapturing the point from the French. On May 28th, Washington along with thirty men ambushed a small French force of scouts under the command of Joseph Coulon de Jumonville. All but one of the French soldiers were either killed, wounded, or captured (including Jumonville) during the skirmish.

Forces

 * British
 * French
 * Native Americans
 * American Colonists