Jessica Kochik

12/14/15
French I
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Year War, that began in
1756 was fought by the French and the English over North America. This was the final
great Colonial War. There were a series of battles that were fought by the two countries
in the United States (French and Indian War, n.p.).
France expanded to the Ohio River valley in the early 1750s. The French built a
number of forts and strongholds as a way to show their territory. England was threatened
by the expanse, and it caused repeated conflicts. Eventually, Britain declared war on the
French (French and Indian War, n.p.).
Fort Niagara was a French owned fort that allowed the French to have a great
advantage over the British. Fort Niagara was built at the mouth of the Niagara River. This
was important because it was the river that allowed direct access from the Atlantic Ocean
to the Great Lakes and other important waterways (DVD Documentary).
The building process of Fort Niagara started after the French held a conference
with some Iroquois and five Seneca leaders to ask permission to build a stone house. The
French asked to build a Peace House at the Rivers mouth in 1726 and it was finished
by the following year. It was originally used as a trading post to trade furs and goods, but
it quickly became a vital advantage over the British. The French then spent 3 years
strengthening what became Fort Niagara (History of Old Fort Niagara, n.p.).
The Fort saw action on July 6, 1759 when the Iroquois battled against the French.
Later, the British fought the French at this area because the British wanted control over
Fort Niagara. There was a large number of British soldiers compared to the small number
of French soldiers. There was about 4,000 British soldiers to 500 French soldiers. After
two weeks of fighting, both sides had little ammunition left and there were many
causalities from both opposing sides. The French decided to give Fort Niagara to the
British. The British finally had control over the Great Lakes. The British adapted the fort
by building two towers that were basically forts within the larger fort (DVD
Documentary).
In 1775, the Revolutionary War began, and people began to fight for their
independence from Great Britain. Colonial Loyalists fled to Fort Niagara. During the war,
Indian forces got involved. The Continental Force tried to get the Iroquois out of the war.
Through this process, hundreds of Iroquois starved and froze or died of disease. The war
took 11 years until Britain ceded Fort Niagara to America (DVD Documentary).
During the War of 1812, American forces fought at Fort Niagara against the
British who fought at Fort George. In 1813, American forces destroyed Fort George.
During this battle, 330 American soldiers were captured by the British. Fort Niagara was
taken control of by the British on December 18, 1813. The British kept the fort for the
remainder of the war. It was later returned to the Americans (War of 1812, n.p.).

Jessica Kochik
12/14/15
French I
After World War I, Fort Niagara was abandoned and became unused. Restoration
of the Fort began in the 1920s. It became a historic museum in 1934. It is now a visitor
attraction in New York for those who come near Niagara Falls. Throughout hundreds of
years, Fort Niagara was passed back and forth between countries. Depending on if the
wars and battles ended differently, sections of what we now know as the United States
could still possibly be under French or British control. Fort Niagara is a very historical
place that I think is a good attraction for Americans to visit.

Jessica Kochik
12/14/15
French I

Work Cited
"French and Indian War." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Dec.
2015.
"French and Indian War/Seven Years' War, 175463 - 17501775 - Milestones - Office of
the Historian." French and Indian War/Seven Years' War, 175463 - 17501775 Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
"History of Old Fort Niagara." Old Fort Niagara. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
"War of 1812." War of 1812. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.