法国印第安人战争

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北美洲阶段算起,法、英两国之间的战争(1754~1763)。它决定对殖民地区的统治权。更复杂的是欧洲阶段的七年战争(1756~1763)。这场漫长的争夺海外统治权的较量的前期可分为三个阶段︰威廉王之战(1689~1697)、安妮女王之战(1702~1713)、乔治王之战(1744~1748)。这场战争的争论是︰究竟俄亥俄河上游河谷是属於大英帝国,还是属於法帝国。这个问题後面隐藏着一个巨大得多的问题︰即北美心脏地区将以哪国文化为主。在这个双方觊觎的地区,英国血统的居民在人数上占优势,但法国的勘探、贸易及其与印第安人的联盟领先。1754年,法国人逐走了英国军队,华盛顿上校突然发动了一次战斗。不久,被包围在宾夕法尼亚州尼塞雪蒂堡,被迫投降。到1757年法国仍占优势。1758年英国增加军队装备,在路易斯堡、弗隆特纳克堡及迪凯纳堡(今匹兹堡)和获得重大胜利。英国在魁北克战役(1759)取得战争的最後胜利。一年以後,蒙特娄和整个新法兰西失陷。根据「巴黎条约」(1763),法国把北美领地割让与英国。

French and Indian War

North American phase of a war between France and Britain to control colonial territory (1754-63). The war's more complex European phase was the Seven Years' War. Earlier phases of the quest for overseas mastery were King William's War (1689-97), Queen Anne's War (1702-13), and King George's War (1744-48). The North American dispute was whether the upper Ohio River valley was a part of the British empire or part of the French empire; the bigger question was which national culture would dominate the heart of North America. British settlers were the majority in the coveted area, but French exploration, trade, and Indian alliances predominated. In 1754 the French ousted a British force, including a colonial militia under Col. George Washington, at Fort Necessity, Pa. Until 1757 the French continued to dominate, but in 1758 Britain increased aid to its troops and won victories at Louisbourg, Fort Frontenac, and Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh). The final British victory at the Battle of Quebec (1759) led to the fall of New France (1760). In the Treaty of Paris (1763) France ceded its North American territory to Britain.