Sixty Years' War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sixty Years' War |
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| Part of American Indian Wars | ||||||||
 A 1755 map of the Great Lakes region |
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
1754–1763 Great Britain British America |
1754–1763 Kingdom of France New France
1763–1766 Warriors from numerous American Indian tribes |
Various native tribes | ||||||
| 1775–1782 Great Britain Loyalists |
1775–1782 United States Spain |
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| 1785–1795 Northwestern Confederacy Province of Quebec (until 1791) Lower Canada (1791–1795) |
1785–1795 United States Chickasaw Choctaw |
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1812–1815 United Kingdom Upper Canada Lower Canada Spain (1814) |
1812–1815 United States |
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The Sixty Years' War (1754–1815) was a long series of conflicts. It was a military struggle for control of the Great Lakes region in North America. This area includes important lakes like Lake Champlain and Lake George.
Historians use the term "Sixty Years' War" to connect these different wars. They see them as one big, ongoing struggle. This helps us understand how events over many years were related.
In 1998, many experts from different countries met. They studied the history of the Great Lakes region, including the War of 1812. They found that even though different groups fought for different reasons, these wars were all part of a larger, connected history.
Contents
French and Indian War (1754–1763)
This war was fought between the colonies of British America and New France. Both sides were supported by various Native American tribes. Great Britain and France also helped their colonies.
The main goal was to control the Ohio Country and the Great Lakes region. This area was very important for trade and land. Many Native American tribes in the region had strong trade ties with the French. So, they often fought alongside the French.
The Iroquois Confederacy tried to stay neutral. However, the Mohawks joined the British side. When the British won, French power in the region ended. British rule then began in Canada.
Pontiac's War (1763–1765)
After the French and Indian War, Native American allies of the French were unhappy. They felt the British were not treating them fairly. This led to a war against the British.
The war was led by Pontiac, a famous Odawa leader. It eventually ended with a peace agreement.
Lord Dunmore's War (1774)
The colony of Virginia started expanding into the Ohio Country. This led to a war with Native American tribes in Ohio. The main tribes involved were the Shawnee and Mingos.
The Native Americans were forced to give up their hunting lands south of the Ohio River. This area is now Kentucky. This war also started a period where the Shawnee fought hard to protect their territory.
American Revolutionary War in the West (1775–1783)
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 stopped American colonists from settling new lands. These lands were gained from France after the French and Indian War. This rule made many colonists angry. It was one reason for the American Revolutionary War.
The war spread to the frontier areas. British commanders in Canada worked with their Native American allies. They wanted to distract the American forces from the main battles in the east.
Many conflicts in the west made the feelings worse between Native American nations and the new United States. After the war, Great Britain gave up a large area called the Old Northwest. This land was home to many British Native American allies.
Britain also gave up all lands between the mountains and the Gulf of Mexico. The new western border became the Mississippi River. This was decided in the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Native American allies were not part of these discussions.
Northwest Indian War (1785–1795)
After the 1783 peace treaty, the new United States wanted to expand. They aimed to settle the Ohio Territory. A large group of Native American nations, called the Northwestern Confederacy, resisted this expansion.
They wanted the Ohio River to be the border between their lands and the United States. There were many small fights between American militias and Native Americans. Then, the United States launched big military actions into the Great Lakes region.
The Native American confederacy won major victories in 1790 and 1791. They also got support from Great Britain. The United States had to rebuild its army.
Finally, the American army defeated the confederacy at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. The confederacy then broke apart. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Greenville. This treaty gave the United States control over most of what is now Ohio.
During this time, the U.S. Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance. It said that Native Americans' lands and property should not be taken without their permission. It also said they should not be disturbed unless there was a fair war allowed by Congress.
To avoid more costly wars, President Thomas Jefferson tried a new approach. He promoted a policy of assimilation and removal. This continued to cause anger among Native American nations.
War of 1812 (1812–1815)
Many Native American tribes formed a union to resist American expansion. This union was led by the famous Shawnee war chief Tecumseh. While Tecumseh was away, his union, Tecumseh's Confederacy, lost a big battle in 1811 called the Battle of Tippecanoe. This was a year before the second British-American War.
The United States declared war on Great Britain in June 1812. The British Canadians again asked Native Americans to help them fight on the frontier. Native American fighters won several battles against the United States. These included the Battle of Fort Dearborn (near modern-day Chicago), the Siege of Detroit, and Prairie du Chien.
The war between the United States and British Canada ended in a stalemate. This means neither side truly won. After many bloody battles along the border, the Americans failed to take over Canada. This had been a main goal for some American leaders.
The peace treaty was signed in Ghent in 1815. When it reached North America, efforts began to make the Great Lakes a permanent border. The United Kingdom returned outposts and lands captured from the United States. This left their Native American allies without the advantages they had gained.
After this long struggle, more European immigrants came to Canada. Like their neighbors to the south, they were free to develop the British colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. These eventually became semi-independent provinces. They joined together in the Canadian Confederation in 1867. This made Canada an independent Dominion under the British Crown.
Native Americans in the region no longer had European allies. They were left to face American and Canadian expansion alone.
Legacy of the Sixty Years' War
Historians say that even though these wars were sometimes overlooked, they had a huge impact. The United States grew much larger. Its shared border with British Canadians was set along the Great Lakes.
French communities south of the lakes soon became American. Native American nations were pushed aside, moved, or destroyed. After these wars ended, the United States could focus on other conflicts. These included the Creek War and Seminole Wars in the South.
The United States and the Sauk signed a peace treaty in 1804. However, the United States later used this treaty to claim Sauk lands east of the Mississippi River. This led to the Black Hawk War in 1832.
The Ohio River continued to be a border. It separated southern states from the Northwest Territory, where slavery was outlawed. This difference helped shape the American Civil War later on.
