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Pros And Cons Of The First Colonial War

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The development of an American military tradition, predates the American Revolution, and is rooted in England’s Colonial Wars that dated between 1689 to 1763. The four colonial wars that occurred during this period were the following: War of the League of Augsburg (1689 – 1697), War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1713), War of the Austrian Succession (1744 - 1748), Great War for the Empire (1567 - 1763). Each of the four Colonial Wars had a North American Theater, which pitched Spanish, French, and British Colonies against each other with the Native Americans acting as the constant ‘x’ factor. The Native Americans were always flip flopping seeking the side with the best advantages; the leadership of some tribes would unite and spark raids …show more content…

War divided up the Native American Loyalties with the French Colonist in Canada and the English Colonist in the middle colonies and New England. The Indian assaults and French forces proved that the colonial militias were unable to provide real frontier protection. While Sir William Phip’s 1690s expedition began with initial success into New France; the expedition ultimately failed in the attempt to take Quebec. It did represent the cooperation between English colonies in effect to provide a stronger defense. The ‘tedious war’ continued till 1697, when both sides were exhausted. the Treaty of Ryswick returned conditions in North America to pre-war …show more content…

Governor William Shirley of Massachusetts proposed to the Massachusetts general court to mount a military assault on Fort Louisbourg, which had a strategic location on the St. Lawrence River. William Pepperrell led the 4000-man militia force north from New England, which was poorly planned and lack sufficient resources. The 4000-man militia was ill-trained, but were fierce fighters. After a seven-week siege of the fort, the French surrendered. The Louisbourg expedition was one of the biggest victories for the American Colonies pre – revolutionary period. The expedition was aided by a British naval squadron that successfully block-aided the French ports and waterways. Despite the British assistance, the capture of Fort Louisbourg boasted the colonial military mindset; according to Millet and Maslowski, some colonist saw the “finger of dog” in Pepperrell’s victory. “Citizen soldiers doing God’s Will seemed infinitely superior to British regulars serving an earthly sovereign (MM, 34)”. The divide created in the colonist against their own identify was growing wider as the following quote states: “Colonist believed the mother country had callously disregarded their sacrifices and had sacrificed their security on the altar of England’s own selfish interest (MM 34)”. The Great War for Empire (1756 - 1763), or better known in the colonies as the “French and Indian war”, began

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