Colonists involved with Mother Country's struggle?

What colonists. what mother country and what date? clarify your question.

I might think, luvebug, your quetion has to do somehow with the Seven Years War (1756-1763), but I'm not that sure.

In the War of the Oranges (1801), Spain and Portugal (plus their colonists) were struggling with France.

And ...

You really should clarify your question a bit more precisely, if you want to start a discussion! (Or ask for some help for a homework)

Sorry my question was asked in a hurry and I didn't have time to clarify. I probably sould have waited to post it anyway. I was just wondering how the American colonists from the Seven Years War were involved in England's struggle with France. I know a few reasons why, such as the War of Jenkins Ear and the Ohio River Valley dispute, but if anyone can develop those ideas more and help me get an understanding of them or add more reasons it would be greatly appreciated. Let me clarify one thing though, this is not for homework. I am learning about this in class and my teacher does not go as in depth as I would like. I need to gain a better understanding or else I won't learn. So if anyone can help, please do.

Caroline

luvebug, I suggest you read this book by Dr. Fred Anderson, of the University of Colorado.

"Crucible of War: The Seven Years War and the Fate of Empire in British North America 1754-1766" knopf 2000

Dr Anderson is a well respected historian and in my opinion he has written the definitive book on the subject of your question.

The American historian with the most information to offer you on this subject is Frances Parkman. He wrote a seven volume history of the French in North America. The volume on le Comte de Frontenac has a good deal of information on the raiding by Canadians (who were then all French) and Indians against New Englanders. His final volume was Montcalm and Wolfe: The French and Indian War. I've not read the work to which Acquiunk refers, so i've not got a comparison for you. The French and Indian War (corresponding roughly to Europe's Seven Years War) was by far the most dramatic instance of the Americans being drawn into Enland's wars with France, but as you would learn from Parkman's books, there was a good deal of strife for several generations before that.

Interestingly, when we were no longer colonials, and the United States had been founded, we were drawn into our first major war because of the English-French debacle of the Napoleonic era. Napoleon was attempting to strangle England economically by his "continental system," which banned all English imports. The enforcement was a sieve, but recent economic analysis shows that the English gross domestic product stagnated after 1804, and began to decline after 1808. America was the last major trading partner of either nation after 1809 (beginning of the Spanish campaign in earnest), and Napoleon issued the Milan Decree, which declared neutrals (read, the US) carrying certain cargoes to an enemy were forfeit. The English responded with the "orders in council" which were largely to the same effect. Napoleon was very sharp in some respects (although consistently overrated militarily), and he quickly saw his error, and withdrew the Milan Decree. The English dragged their heels, government would not listen to the cooler heads who adivsed against the orders in council, and Madison eventually declared war. The English had finally come to their senses, and news of the repeal of the orders in council were coming across the Atlantic when Madison's administration was preparing (and, thanks to Jefferson, very ill-prepared they were) for war. The Americans crossed the Niagara River and occupied the heights above Queenston in December, 1812--so the war was on in earnest, although it ought never to have occured, but for English arrogance and contempt for Americans. Teddy Roosevelt's book The Naval War of 1812 had a decided American bias, but the research he did is sound, and it's a good read. Napoleon was faced at this time with the defiance of the continental system by Russia, and invaded, which eventually resulted in his destruction.

During Wellington's campaigns in the Iberian Penninsula, one very valuable regiment were the Royal Americans, who were equipped with rifles in a time when that was still relatively uncommon. We would think of them as Canadians, but it is worth noting that at this time, as throughout most of Canada's history, the largest immigrant group were Americans, so it is not a stretch to imagine that a good many Americans served in that regiment. One of the prime greviances of the New Englanders was that the English were impressing (that is, kidnapping) American sailors from ships they stopped at sea to fill the ranks of the Royal Navy. It is ironic that this was a major factor in Madison's decision to go to war, as New England's commerce was suffering badly. Yet the New Englanders sneered about "Mr. Madison's War" and got busy making up the losses in commerce by trading with the enemy in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most English soldiers who fought Winfield Scott in Canada were fed with rations sold them by New Englanders. As a result of impressment of Americans into the Royal Navy, there were more than 2500 sailors in the Royal Navy who went to prison rather than fight American ships in that war (at least, according to Roosevelt). Whether true of not, there is every reason to believe that a significant proportion of the Royal Navy seamen in the Napoleonic wars were Americans.

Parkman, yes! His writing is lucid, and, though it doesn't bear directly on the topic under discussion, his history of LaSalle and the exploration of the Mississippi is fascinating.

Hey there Mr. D!

Hello, Maestro C. Long time no see. You were off maneuvering, last I heard. You back to bivouacing hereabouts again?

Yeah, I have baby roots already. But a return to Brazil is very attractive.

Welcome back, Debacle!

Thank you, Walter. It's good to see you.

A decade or two before the Revolutionary War, the colonists, and occasionally British troops, attempted to expel the French from a series of forts they built in Ohio. The American efforts were not well managed and were continually hampered by the failure of locally purchased supplies to arrive. I believe that the soldiers were all or mostly volunteers. Both sides enlisted Indians to fight with them. Discipline was generally poor, and the American soldiers would often run for their lives at some point during a battle. Sorry, but that's the truth. Washington had to work very hard to get the men trained properly. One great diffuculty was that the Americans, and more particularly the British, insisted on fighting in formation, which was virtual suicide against French/Indians fighting from concealment. For much of the conflict, Washington had the rank of Colonel, and, at one point, was in charge of about a thousand men.