A Century of Conflict: France, Spain, and England in the American Colonies

This class will look at the major conflicts that involved the American colonies, including the Nine Years’ War, the War of Spanish Succession, Queen Anne’s War, the War of Jenkin’s Ear (aka King George’s War), and the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War in the colonies). We will consider the causes for each conflict, the treaties that settled them, and how these disputes laid the groundwork for the colonies pursuing independence in the American Revolution. We will also look at the decisions made by the Haudenosaunee (often called the Iroquois) concerning which European nation to ally with during these conflicts, and how they hoped to preserve their own way of life through these alliances.

Each class is 45 minutes, which will be comprised of alternating lecture and discussion – I want to see students engaged as much as possible, because when they find details of interest in history, that’s when they can really learn from it and retain the material. Some conflicts may take up a little more of our time than others, but each week will proceed roughly as follows:

Week 1: Introduction to the class. We will also begin with the Nine Years’ War, which took place at the end of the 17th century. And who knew that a bank could make all the difference? We will go over the creation of the Bank of England in 1694 and why that gives the British government an advantage going forward. 

Week 2: The first wars of the 18th century between these forces, the War of Spanish Succession occurred in Europe, but affected everyone. This will also include Queen Anne’s War, a related conflict taking place in the colonies. We also take a step back to discuss the differences between European cultures and North American cultures and how that impacted their understanding of events. 

Week 3: Why would you name a war after someone’s ear? We will cover the War of Jenkin’s Ear, also known as King George’s War, and begin on the French and Indian War.

Week 4: Continue with French and Indian War. This will introduce us to many figures that later take active roles in the American Revolution, including George Washington. While this class doesn’t cover the American Revolution itself, we will discuss how the debt from this century of conflict caused tension between England and their colonies in America. We will also look at the implications of all this warfare for the Haudenosaunee and the Ohio River Valley tribes (Shawnee, Lenape, etc.) trying to adjust to life with Europeans, doing what they could to preserve their cultures despite continued encroachment on their lands.  

No prior knowledge needed!