The British Conquest of New France

1. The British Conquest of New France

2. WHAT ? • The Conquest of New France is the British capture of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Quebec, and Montreal. • This marks the end of French dominance on the North American continent.

3. WHEN ? • Four main events between 1756 to 1763 led to the fall of New France: • 1756 - Hostilities between Britain and France broke out in what would be called the Seven Years’ War. • 1758 - British forces outnumbered French forces four to one. The French were defeated at Fort Frontenac and had to retreat to the St. Lawrence valley. • Following an attack by British forces launched from New England, Louisbourg also fell in 1758.

4. 1759 - General Wolfe and his British troops captured Québec City. • 1763 - The Treaty of Paris officially hands over the colony of New France to the British.

5. WHO ? The Marquis de Montcalm, Commander of the French Forces in Quebec. Major-General James Wolfe, Commander of the British Forces

6. WHY? • The British retaliated for French attacks on their fur trading posts and forts located in the Ohio Valley. • It would be difficult for the Thirteen Colonies to expand further west. • French soldiers from Quebec along with their Aboriginal allies kept harassing the British colonists.

7. WHERE ? • The British were able to defeat the French army for on the Plains of Abraham • Both Wolfe and Montcalm were mortally wounded in the fighting.

8. What difficulties did the British have in keeping New France secure? • The British faced three immediate problems in the territory that had been added to their other Atlantic colonies. • There were more than 60,000 new French-speaking subjects in what had formerly been New France. • In addition, there were large tracts of thinly settled wilderness in the Great Lakes area where their little garrisons (forts) were seriously outnumbered by Natives. 3. Britain was also experiencing increasing tensions with its 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast. • Because of these concerns Britain’s course of action toward New France was a conciliatory one designed to create stability in its newest colony.

9. Royal Proclamation of 1763 • The Royal Proclamation of 1763 granted control of New France to Britain. It was designed to create stability in its newest colony. • The French turned over control of: 1. Canada ( the St. Lawrence Area) 2. the rest of Acadia (including Cape Breton & PEI) 3. any claim to the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes 4. Louisiana