The French and Indian War


The French and Indian War
Students examine how the causes and effects of the French and Indian War and how the war’s outcomes changed colonial attitudes toward Britain.

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Overview

In this experience, students explain how the French and Indian War led to new tensions between Britain and the colonies by identifying causes, effects, and changing perspectives. First, they examine maps to predict why territorial control shifted. Next, they explore the causes of the war and why the conflict broke out. Then, they analyze the outcomes of the war and how British actions affected colonial attitudes. Finally, students are invited to interpret a political cartoon to evaluate how its original message shifted because of the war’s results.

Estimated Duration: 45–60 minutes

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

  • debt: money that is owed to someone else
  • expansion: the act of growing or spreading into new areas
  • militia: a group of local, part-time soldiers who are not part of a regular army
  • neutral: not taking sides in a conflict or disagreement
  • political cartoon: a drawing that uses humor or symbols to express an opinion about politics or current events

 

Objectives:

  • Identify the causes and effects of the French and Indian War
  • Explain how the effects of the French and Indian War changed the relationship between Britain and its colonists


At the start of this unit, students may notice changes in the way colonial power is named. Early in colonial history, most references were to English colonies. These colonies were established before the 1707 unification of England and Scotland into Great Britain. After this unification, and especially during and after the French and Indian War, the colonies were increasingly referred to as British colonies.

This shift in naming helps students trace the growing identity and reach of the British Empire. It also supports their understanding of the ever-increasing sense of American colonial identity. You may wish to point this out explicitly and reinforce it as the unit progresses. As colonial protests grow stronger, the language will begin to shift again to American colonists and finally to Americans.


This experience introduces students to both the content and the historical thinking skills that will shape the rest of the unit on the American Revolution. The French and Indian War was a turning point because it changed how Britain viewed its colonies and set in motion the policies that colonists would come to resist. As students engage with this moment, they will also begin developing the historical thinking habits they’ll carry throughout the unit.

In particular, this lesson begins building skills in analyzing cause and effect and multiple perspectives. Prompt students to consider how different groups viewed and experienced the same events. This critical thinking lens will become essential as the unit progresses toward protest, revolution, and independence.


By the middle of the 1700s, the relationship between England and its colonies in North America had begun to change. For many years, the colonies had grown and developed while England focused on other priorities. But now, new events and decisions were starting to shift the way the two sides viewed each other.

Look at the maps. Think about what you see, what they make you think, and what questions you have about them. Then, add your ideas to the See-Think-Wonder chart.


A two-panel map shows the changes in European colonial control of North America between 1750 and 1763. In the 1750 map, French, English, and Spanish colonies are visible, along with a disputed territory, while the 1763 map shows only Spanish and English colonies, with the English territory having expanded significantly.

Maps of European Colonies in 1750 and 1763


Look at the maps. Record what you see, what they make you think, and what questions you have about them.



In this lesson, you will learn what caused the French and Indian War and how it affected the relationship between Britain and its colonies in North America. You will explore how this war changed land control, colonial views of Britain, and the way Britain governed the colonies.

Objectives:

  • Identify the causes and effects of the French and Indian War
  • Explain how the effects of the French and Indian War changed the relationship between Britain and its colonists


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