As colonists struggled to make the New World their home, countries around the world wanted to conquer this new land for themselves.
In 1754, the French and Indian War began. The French alongside Native Indians fought on one side of the conflict against the British soldiers and colonists on the other.
One interesting fact I discovered was that George Washington led a militia out of Virginia during this war. He fought on the side of the British but as we know, this would be changing.
Some people call this the Seven Years’ War and put the fighting in the New World in the same war that was taking place in Europe at the time.
Many battles were fought over the next seven years but in 1763, the British claimed the victory.
With this victory came the declaration of land being now owned by the British. They grabbed hold of most of the French colonies in the Americas and thus became known as the most powerful colonial entity in the region.
One such colony was the French colony in Acadia. These French people were expelled from their homes in what we now know today as Nova Scotia and sent elsewhere. Some returned to Europe but many went down to Louisiana. This is why we have a big Cajun community there today.
By the time the war ended, there was a large quantity of British soldiers in the colonies. It was taking a lot of money to feed and keep them there. The British government was expecting the colonists to provide the funds for these soldiers. They imposed many taxes and duties on the colonists. The colonists resented this and did not go along with said taxes.
The feuding was not over in the colonies. The people there were beginning to see that they needed to be finally free of all British rule.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1