No, It Wasn't French vs. Indians

The New York Times ^ | January 1, 2005 | GLENN COLLINS

[Pharmboy]

Glad you picked up on that subtlety..many others would not have...

[RaceBannon]

Oh, Please, point me to where the English did anything that resembled the slaughter the Indians did.

The Indians came into towns outnumbering the Whites 200 to one, took little children and swung their heads into trees, scalped women and children.

The English only did these things in response. The English did their best to live with the same Indians who were trying to slaughter the whites.

Look up INCIDENTS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF NEW ENGLAND or TRUMBULL'S HISTORY or WOLCOTTS HISTORY

You need to read more! :)

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[RaceBannon]

It would be PG-13 or R, and many people would just not like what they saw.

What most people refuse to face is that the wars back then were based on religion.

And that is exactly what this war was about.

[Nowhere Man]

Great post; I've always enjoyed history. The French & Indian War is little known even in the upstate NY, Ohio Valley & Great Lakes areas where it was fought; Washington's role was probably more central to this conflict than anyone else of his age--and that in turn gave him the military knowledge and leadership experience he used to bring victory in the Revolutionary War.

I know here in the Pittsburgh area, we were one of the central areas of the French and Indian War. I think I have the July 1976 issue of National Geographic that tells of George Washington's experiences here in the 1750's IIRC. WE have a town named Braddock and a road near me named Brodhead, IIRC, they were both British generals in that war.

[fish hawk]

That was my first thought also.

[Missouri]

Interesting that the French embraced them, learned their languages and lived amongst them.

There is a movie called "Black Robe" in which a French priest travels with some Indians to a mission in the wilderness. Relationships between the natives and Europeans were complex. It was brought up that the Indians would trade captured Frenchmen to the English or Dutch for weapons. In turn I would guess that the English and Dutch would sell the French back to France.

It seemed the the church had good intention's but it was the Indians destiny to lose the New World to the Europeans due to lack of technology and old hatreds between tribes.

Same old story throughout mankind's history.

[TontoKowalski]

It certainly is fascinating. I've been teaching my son that history isn't made by men who were born great, but by men who became great. And that everything in Nation's past has led us to the point we are today.

Our history lessons reminded me that the French and Indian War opened the Ohio Valley to greater British settlement, planting the seeds for Eminent Domain, and it gave the very inexperienced Colonials an opportunity to earn their stripes prior to the Revolution.

Washington became a Colonial hero because of the F/I War, and that fame helped cement his selection to lead the Patriot Army. I'm really enjoying 4th Grade History!

BTW, I enjoyed your story of visiting Mount Vernon on Christmas Day. Our family tradition is to visit the Smithsonian Museums and other Mall attractions on Christmas Eve. It's the best time to go. Very little traffic and minor crowds.

Have you been to the new Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian? It is a beautiful building, gorgeous architecture, but disappointing exhibits. I'd like a lot more on Native American history and traditions and a lot less of "Modern Artists who just happen to be Indians."

[wtc911]

The birth of the US Army Rangers traces right back to Rodgers Rangers in this war. The precepts he devised are the basis for Ranger tactics still.

[Nowhere Man]

We homeschool, and this is covered in the 4th grade curriculum. I frankly admit my shame at discovering just how much I had forgotten about this important part of our history.

We're transitioning to the American Revolution now, and I find I'm re-learning some of that, too.

I feel the same way when I read these threads. In 1976, I was in third grade and the BiCentennial was in swing and I remember learning a lot about the American Revolution although we covered some of the French-Indian War with George Washington's involvement in it and so on. I later turned 10 on July 8th of that year, during the height of the celebrations but these discussions do take me back. 1976 was a horrible year family-wise, parents got divorced so the BiCentennial and the history was like a buffer against it to take my mind off my personal troubles.

[AmishDude]

This was a war to see who would dominate North America, the British or the French. It was not a war between absolute good and absolute evil.

Wherever the French are involved, we're talking absolute evil!

[nathanbedford]

No, it is time we unburdened ourselves of this utterly fictitious notion of the noble savage. While the white man was not free of evil, the politically correct version of frontier history now being sold is dangerous and misleading. As the descendant of a white settler murdered by the Indians in this French and Indian War, I am happy to state the reality of our Aborigines without embarrassment.

I do not deny that the red race produced admirable examples such as Pocahontas, Sacajawea, Chief Joseph and Washaiki, but the objective truth remains that these people were Aborigines who engaged in the barbarous practices I have described in my previous post to a degree that surpassed the excesses of the English settlers.

[Labyrinthos]

The war continued in Europe, Africa and Asia until 1763, when the Treaty of Paris formally concluded hostilities. France lost all of its colonies in North America to the English, except for two coastal islands.

Really? Then I guess the Louisiana Purchase never happened.

[Pharmboy]

Rodgers was a Loyalist during the RevWar and partly responsible for having Nathan Hale captured and hung as a spy. But, he was a great fighter.

[Pharmboy]

I think the French acquired that land from the Spanish in 1800. So, their statement would be correct.

[Missouri]

Really? Then I guess the Louisiana Purchase never happened.

That territory went to the Spanish in 1763 due to the treaty. Napolean Bonapate got it back about 1800 when he put his brother up as ruler of Spain. Then, we bought it in 1804 off of Napolean.

[Labyrinthos]

Thanks for the history lesson. I should have looked up the facts before I shot my mouth off.

[Snickersnee]

The movement for American independence, not strong anywhere before the F&I War, was given a powerful kick-start by the contempt with which colonial officers and soldiers were treated by their British counterparts sent to North America to oversee things. Washington himself politicked for a regular commission in the Army during and after the war but he and his contemporaries were treated like oafs and bumpkins by the lace-cuff Redcoat set. Well, if that's how they really feel, we'll get our own damned army! And before you know it, it's 1775 on Cambridge Common....

[Snickersnee]

The movement for American independence, not strong anywhere before the F&I War, was given a powerful kick-start by the contempt with which colonial officers and soldiers were treated by their British counterparts sent to North America to oversee things. Washington himself politicked for a regular commission in the Army during and after the war but he and his contemporaries were treated like oafs and bumpkins by the lace-cuff Redcoat set. Well, if that's how they really feel, we'll get our own damned army! And before you know it, it's 1775 on Cambridge Common....

[Missouri]

I've been visiting the St. Charles Missouri riverfront lately and there is a quite a bit of frontier history there (Lewis and Clark's expedition) . Even though there wasn't any fighting here because of the French and Indian War, the territory around here was in a state of flux due to this war and others.

They have a "Frenchtown" section which I find fascinating. Some of the buildings there may be about 200 years old. Almost colonial.