You are on page 1of 11

Name: ____________________ Date __________ Class: ____________________

ATKINS REPORT ON RELATIONS WITH THE INDIANS


It is truly absurd to imagine that either the French or ourselves could maintain a relationship with the
Indians simply by building forts on the land. Either side must also be in possession of their affection.
The largest forts may be easily starved into surrender by the Indians whenever they please. We must
look into the way the French manage their forts. That way, we can discover how they have earned the
Indians friendship.
The French forts give gifts to the Indian chiefs. The Indians repay the French for those trifles by
speaking kind words about the French to other tribes.
We need to practice the same ingratiating arts as the French do. We must build forts in the Indians
hearts, not simply on their lands.
The way that French missionaries influence the Indians is such that they are respected as much as the
French forts. The way they act and carry themselves has helped the French earn the Indians respect.
The way our merchants live and behave has cost us the friendship of many Indians.
Part of a report written by Edmond Atkin in 1755. The governor of South Carolina had asked him to make a
report on why the French had so many allies and friends with the Indians, while the English had so few.

1. Define the following words, which are written in bold and underlined in the
passage above. The way theyre written is identical to the way theyll
appear in the dictionary.
a. Absurd (adj):______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. 1 Affection (n): ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. 1 Trifle (n): _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
d. Ingratiating (adj): __________________________________________
________________________________________________________
e. 2 Missionary (n): ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2. Read the first two lines of the primary source. Do you think that Atkin
would like or dislike George Washingtons plan of building Fort Necessity in
the middle of Indian land?______________________________
3. Gifts are a major way the French gain friends among the Indians. Explain
how gifts help the French make friends with
a. The Indians that they present the gifts to: ______________________
________________________________________________________
b. Other Indian tribes: ________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Atkin mentions that French missionaries easily make friends with the
Indians, while English merchants dont. Why do you think missionaries
would be better at making friends with people than merchants? (Hint:
whats the major focus of a merchant and a missionary? You might want to
check your definition of missionary for help.)
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. What do you think Atkin means when he says that We must build forts in
the Indians hearts?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
6. Look at the following statement. If we wanted to summarize Atkins
message, a good summary would be: To get the Indians on our side, its
better to act like friends rather than as bullies. Explain why you agree or
disagree with that statement.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Top picture: The Shooting of General Braddock by Edwin Willard Deming, which shows the way the French
and their Indian allies liked to fight.
Bottom picture: A Charming Field for an Engagement by Robert Griffing, which shows the way the
British/English liked to fight.

Name: ____________________ Date __________ Class: ____________________

THE MASSACRE AT FORT WILLIAM HENRY


English colonists were enraged by the Massacre at Fort William Henry in 1757. It became a rallying cry
for revenge against both the Indians and the French. Why and how did it happen? And how bad was it?
Montcalm and the French only wanted the English to accept that they were beaten and to leave the
fort. The terms of surrender were therefore honorable by European standards but were completely
alien to Montcalms Indian allies. Whats more, they had been negotiated without even consulting the
Indians. It became clear that their friend Montcalm was going to deprive them of their rewards of
captives, plunder, and trophies. When they realized this, the Indians left.
From Fred Andersons The Crucible of War: the Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British
North America.
the savages carried away officers, enlisted men, women, and children, some of whom they later killed
and scalped in the road. This horrid scene of blood and slaughter obliged our officers to ask the French
for protection. They refused.
Written by Colonel Joseph Frye, leader of the Massachusetts Militia, in 1757.

Outcomes for the men, women, and children of the British army at Fort William Henry
Killed
200

Taken prisoner
400 (of whom 200 were
ransomed from the Indians by
the French).

Took refuge with the French


400

1. Define the following words, which are written in bold and underlined in the
passages above. The way theyre written is identical to the way theyll
appear in the dictionary.
a. 1Alien (adj) the second definition: ___________________________
________________________________________________________
b. Deprive (vb) the second definition: __________________________
________________________________________________________
c. Enlisted (adj): ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
d. Horrid (adj): ______________________________________________

2. Add up the number of people from Fort William Henry those who were
killed, those who were taken prisoner, and those who took refuge with the
French.
a. How many people were there in the English army at Fort William
Henry? __________________________________________________
b. What fraction of the army was killed in the massacre? Use the lowest
form. ___________________________________________________
c. What fraction of the army was eventually saved meaning those
that were ransomed back to their families and those who took refuge
with the French? Use the lowest form. ________________________
3. How do you think the massacre at Fort William Henry would affect the
attitudes of English soldiers and colonists towards Montcalm and the
French? How do you think it would affect the motivation of British and
American troops for the rest of the war? __________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. In some ways, the massacre was the result of differences in what
victory meant to the French and to their Indian allies.
a. To prove that they were victorious, what did the French want from
their enemies? ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
b. What did the Indians want to prove that they were victorious?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. How do you think the differences in that definition of the word
victory led to the massacre? _______________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Name: ____________________ Date __________ Class: ____________________

THE KING WANTS YOU! RAISING AN ARMY OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS


Fighting the French and Indian War required a great deal of cooperation between the British and their
colonies in America. The British king appointed an official to arrange this cooperation. The king first
appointed a man named Loudon, but later fired him and replaced him with William Pitt. As youll see,
one of those men was far more successful than the other at his job.
The king has judged it proper that Loudon should return to Britain. His Majesty has been pleased to appoint
Major General Abercromby to succeed Loudon in America while I, William Pitt, will oversee affairs from Britain.
From this point forward, ranks between British officers and their American counterparts will be equal. The
practice of British officers being viewed as superior to Americans, regardless of rank, shall be ended.
The king is further pleased to furnish all American troops with weapons, ammunition, and tents. In addition,
supplies will be provided to American troops and paid for by the British Treasury. What His Majesty expects from
the colonies is the levying, clothing, and paying of the American soldiers. The king is further pleased to tell you
that he will command Parliament to repay those expenses to the colonial governments.
-

Letter written by William Pitt in 1758 to the governors of New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey.

Soldiers recruited in American colonies by Loudon and Pitt


Colonies
Soldiers recruited by Loudon
Soldiers recruited by Pitt
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
New York
Connecticut
Massachusetts

608
608
1,216
1,520
2,128

1000
800
2,680
5,000
7,000

1. Define the following words, which are written in bold and underlined in the
passages above. The way theyre written is identical to the way theyll
appear in the dictionary.
a. Succeed (vb) (1b): ________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. Counterpart (n) (3): _______________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. Treasury (n) (2):___________________________________________
________________________________________________________

d. 2Levy (2): ________________________________________________


________________________________________________________
2. Before Pitt wrote these letters, governors of the American colonies didnt
support the British very enthusiastically. They worried that it was going to
be too expensive, and that their soldiers wouldnt be respected by the
British soldiers they fought beside. How did Pitts letters help solve both of
those worries?______________________ __________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Look at the table, which compares the number of American soldiers that
were recruited by Loudon and by Pitt.
a. Who was better at recruiting American soldiers, Loudon or Pitt?
________________________________________________________
b. Estimate the numbers of soldiers recruited in the colonies under
Loudon and under Pitt, rounding to the nearest hundred rounding
down if the last two digits are less than 50, rounding up if the last
two digits are 50 or bigger. How many total soldiers did Loudon
recruit? How many did Pitt recruit?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement: It would
have been impossible for Britain to win the French and Indian War if
William Pitt had not been one of the highest British leaders.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

VOICES FROM PONTIACS WAR


The end of the war with France did not mean a complete end to the fighting in North America. British
soldiers, and Americans moving west, very soon angered Indians into war yet again. These are primary
sources from that period, known as Pontiacs War.

It is important for us, my brothers, that we exterminate from our land the British people,
who seek only to kill us. When I go to the English chief to tell him that some of our brothers
are dead, he laughs at me and makes fun of me and you. When I ask him for something for
our sick, he refuses and tells me to go away. You can see that he seeks our ruin. There is no
time to lose, and when the British have been defeated we will guard the shores to ensure they
never return.
--Speech by Pontiac, a chief of the Ottawa tribe, to a gathering of other Indians, in 1763
Why do you complain that our young men have fired at your soldiers and killed your cattle
and your horses? You marched your armies onto our land and build forts here. We told you,
again and again, that we wanted you to leave. This land is ours, and not yours.
-- Speech given by Shingas and Turtles Heart, chiefs of the Delaware tribe, to British
messengers in 1763
We will never abandon Fort Pitt as long as the white man lives in America. I despise the
Ottawa, and am very much surprised at our friends the Delawares, for suggesting that we
leave this place and go home. This is our home.
-- British Captain Simon Ecuyers response to Shingas and Turtles Hearts speech in 1763
I wish there was not an Indian settlement within a thousand miles of us. Could it not be
contrived to send the smallpox to those discontented tribes of Indians? We must use every
tactic to reduce their numbers.
-- Sir Jeffrey Amherst, commander of the British Army, in a letter to Captain Ecuyer
Turtles Heart, a chief of the Delawares, came a short distance from Fort Pitt. He made a
speech about how Indians were on their way to attack us, and out of friendship to us, he had
told other tribes not to join our attack. We invited him in for a feast and thanked him grandly
for his assistance. We gave him two blankets and a handkerchief from our hospital that had
belonged to a soldier who had died of smallpox. We hope this will have the desired effect.
-- William Trent, a British merchant at Fort Pitt, from his diary in 1763

Name: ____________________ Date __________ Class: ____________________

1. Define the following words, which are written in bold and underlined in the
passages above. The way theyre written is identical to the way theyll
appear in the dictionary.
a. Exterminate (vb): _________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. Despise (vb): _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. Contrive (vb) (1):__________________________________________
________________________________________________________
d. Discontented (adj):_________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Explain how the British caused this conflict.
a. Look at Pontiacs speech and explain how the British attitudes
towards Indians helped turn the Indians into enemies.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. Look at Turtles Hearts speech and explain what British actions
angered the Indians. _______________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. Labor efficient means to get some big result with only a small amount of
work. What is Sir Jeffrey Amhersts plan for killing off the Indians, and how
could it be viewed as labor efficient? _____________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

4. Duplicitous means double-dealing, or pretending to be one way while


actually acting another way. Turtles Heart can be viewed as duplicitous.
a. How does Turtles Heart act towards the British at Fort Pitt? (Look at
William Trents diary) ______________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. How did he act earlier around a British messenger? ______________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. Why do you think Turtles Heart was being duplicitous? __________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
5. The British were also duplicitous towards the Indians. Look at William
Trents diary.
a. What do the British do to Turtles Heart to try to earn his trust?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
b. What nasty thing do they do after that to Turtles Heart? __________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
c. William Trent says he hopes it has the desired effect. What is he
hoping will happen to the Indians? ___________________________
________________________________________________________
6. Youve seen how whites and Indians would sometimes say one thing and do
another completely different thing. How do you think this is going to affect
the future relationships between whites and Indians? ________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

You might also like