Why the French & Indian War is Worth Remembering, The Ironies of a Decisive Victory

U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
52,943
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Published 2010-03-29
Dr. Fred Anderson, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Histories of the American Revolution tend to start in 1763, the end of the Seven Years War, a worldwide struggle for empire that pitted France against England in North America, Europe, and Asia. Among its surprising results was the disruption of the British empire as a political system; indeed, within a dozen years that empire fell into the civil war that produced in the American Revolution. Fred Anderson, Professor of History at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will seek to explain the significance of the American phase of the Seven Years War commonly called the French and Indian War -- in American history, affirming that the best way to understand the Revolution is as part of a 40-year-long attempt to assert imperial control over the Forks of the Ohio, where Pittsburgh now stands. He will argue in favor of the perhaps surprising proposition that winning an imperial war in a decisive way may ultimately carry consequences more harmful to the victor than the vanquished.
All Comments (21)
  • @nschwab686
    excellent lecture. understanding the british weaknesses at the end of the SYW is essential to understanding the budding of the American revolution.
  • @nowone21
    Brilliant. Just what I needed to get me out of New Netherland without jumping right into the genealogists' seemingly favorite war, the Rev. Scholarly work; so appreciated.
  • @44musher
    excellent presentation, interesting concept to the contrary, to the victors the spoils of war, and thought provoking as to taxation contributing to the following years events. I decend from early lines both in Quebec and the colonies from the early 1600's so this history is captivating. thank you for sharing this.
  • @Jubilo1
    Fascinating ! Forbes gets his due. Perhaps Half-King's smashing out Jumonville's brains was indicative of Indian policy making.
  • @Enbarr11
    Americans WERE British! In the French and Indian War, Americans were British, dude, and considered themselves British until after 1776. Paul Revere never did his ride saying, 'The British are coming!'. He rode saying, 'the Redcoats are coming!'. And Britain barely gives our militia credit for its help in the F&R War. Our Rangers were good raiders, but it was largely British Regulars.
  • @williamarthurfenton1496
    It's something we did again in WW2. We apparently won that war, but ended it as a completely crippled and spent nation.
  • @Loctambule
    Population growth->growing economy->War.. We can see were we go with that, direct in the wall. But then we saw what England done with other colonies destroying the inhabitants, but then it's not like the history was repeating in Irak.
  • @Eddythebeast666
    The Abolitionists wouldn't have it. They were the biggest obstacle to colonial representation in Parliament. If slave using colonies gained that much power in Britain they may never have ended slavery in the Empire. As it was slave owners had so much influence in the USA it almost tore your nation apart to do it & notably even having the Right of Freedom as a core principle Britain still ended slaver first.
  • @treerat7631
    The French and Indian war set the seeds for the American revloustion.
  • @ervinsims2062
    To suggest that General Forbes had no idea that the road he built would be used by settles is incredulous. It is presented by a historian of the clique that believe that anything European in America is tainted with evil intent. While many of the points made in this presentation are interesting, it is wearyingly sad to see the anti European/American bias presented here.
  • @tomasreymeric4573
    Good conference...but It seems to me that to mention "Remember the Maine" as ..."the resault of enemy´s treacherous or inmoral action...the supposed murder of sleeping sailors on board the Maine..." is simply false and inmoral. Dr Anderson is very well aware of the fact (read Admiral Rickover study) that the USS Maine was sunk as the consequence of an internal explosion, and never was the "treacherous or inmoral action" of Spain. You are also very well aware that the Imperial Republic blame Spain as an excuse for intervention in Cuba and the Philipines.
  • @marcdedouvan
    Americans didn't win that war, it was the brits. And who helped americans to free from brit domination? The french. French colonists were more americans than the brits, since they married and trade with native americans unlike Brits who stole territories and chase them or massacred them. The agressive attacks, brutal invasion and empire was brit, not french. Stop fake history (anglo) american liars! Bullshit history, and you pretend to be doctor? Ha from anglo american school, ok, i understand. In fact, you betray the ones who fought in the war of independence, fake patriot, brit sucker.
  • @Enbarr11
    I think Canada is as close to paradise as nations come, but I don't live there, just visited. Are you Quebecois? Do the French Canadiens share English Canadian and First Nations' outrage at the US invasion of 1812? I ask, because it seems to me the US was essentially attempting to copy the British invasion of New France, in premise, if not detail, by exploiting their enemy's preoccupation in Europe. Britain was able to concentrate large numbers of Regulars to invade New France in the 7 Yrs War.