Hypothetical: French & Indian War

1,311 Views | 7 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Rabid Cougar
easttexasaggie04
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I've been watching one of my favorite movies, The Last of the Mohicans, and it got me to thinking. What would have happened if the French had defeated the English in The French & Indian War? Would the colonies been taxed by the French as badly? Would we have had taxation without representation? I just wonder how our history would have changed.
Aggies Revenge
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think it would have been a status quo victory. The French may have gained control of the Ohio but would not have exploited it with full colonization. The 13 colonies were too full of (at that point) devoutly loyal British subjects. Had the French tried to take over, the odds of a protracted conflict would have been pretty good.
Smokedraw01
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I wonder what effect this might have on the future of the French Revolution and Napoleon. Does the American Revolution happen in 1775 or is it delayed, causing France to hold on to their money and avoid such a massive debt?
BQ78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Probably the opposite, the American Revolution is accelerated, like Aggie Revenge said the 13 colonies would still be British but taxation might have been heavier and earlier to pay for a lost war that lasted longer and cost even more.
Sapper Redux
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Probably no independence. Fear of the French would have stopped many from supporting separation from Britain. Additionally, you would have seen a limit in migration across the Appalachians and an economic crisis in Virginia and Pennsylvania as land speculators saw their holdings crash in value. Interesting to think that George Washington might have gone bankrupt or close to it, as he was very heavily leveraged in land speculation. As far as the map, little would have changed in North America, but the Caribbean would have seen a lot of change and transition. It's hard to say what impact that would have had on the colonies, but it would have driven the price of some imports up and driven down the value of some exports.
Rabid Cougar
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think America would have developed just as it did but with more French influnce in the Ohio Valley much like Quebec. As mentioned before, the established colonies were far more entrenched. In regard to the possible hesitation of moving over the Appalachians, the French and Spanish being on the Mississippi were not barriers to the Americans in real life, merely speed bumps.
FTACo88-FDT24dad
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Fascinating. What impact would a geographically removed French authority have on the clannish, warrior, Presbyterian culture of the Scot-Irish who were quite happy to go settle where no one else would or could? We all know how the Scot-Irish settlers in southern Appalachia responded when the British overlords tried to quash the Revolution in the south.
Sapper Redux
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Rabid Cougar said:

I think America would have developed just as it did but with more French influnce in the Ohio Valley much like Quebec. As mentioned before, the established colonies were far more entrenched. In regard to the possible hesitation of moving over the Appalachians, the French and Spanish being on the Mississippi were not barriers to the Americans in real life, merely speed bumps.


The large scale migration happened after the French and Indian Wars. I think you're discounting the fear of the French that existed in the colonists' minds and the desire of the British to maintain the status quo.
Rabid Cougar
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Dr. Watson said:

Rabid Cougar said:

I think America would have developed just as it did but with more French influnce in the Ohio Valley much like Quebec. As mentioned before, the established colonies were far more entrenched. In regard to the possible hesitation of moving over the Appalachians, the French and Spanish being on the Mississippi were not barriers to the Americans in real life, merely speed bumps.


The large scale migration happened after the French and Indian Wars. I think you're discounting the fear of the French that existed in the colonists' minds and the desire of the British to maintain the status quo.

This is true. But the French and Spanish were still very involved in Louisiana, Florida and the Southwest even after the Revolution was over, at least until the Mexican independence in 1820. The Americans were not very respectful of the European claims. Jefferson was basically going to thumb his nose at the French /Spanish with the L&C and Pike Expeditions.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.