INDIANS IN THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR IN AMERICA

Sedmogodišnji rat, još poznat kao Francusko-indijanski rat, je vjerojatno bio najvažniji događaj 18. stoljeća u Sjevernoj Americi. Iako su se u ratu sukobljavale britanske i francuske kolonije, Indijanci su imali ključnu ulogu u sukobu. Dapače, jedan od Delaware poglavica je taj koji je uzrokovao neprijateljstvo između kolonija 1754. kada je ubio francuskog poslanika kako bi učvrstio svoj položaj vođe. Njihovo savezništvo s Francuzima u ranim godinama rata je omogućilo Francuzima da preuzmu kontrolu nad dolinom Ohio i da napadaju britanske doseljenike na graničnim područjima. Britanci su bili u lošoj situaciji sve do 1757. kada Francuzi gube indijansku potporu. Novi francuski zapovjednik, Montcalm, nije mario za indijanske ratnike te je učinio pogrešku, podcjenjivajući ih i uskrativši im nagradu nakon osvajanja utvrde William Henry. Na pregovorima u Eastonu 1758. Britanci su uspjeli dogovoriti mir s Indijancima doline Ohio i usmjeriti pažnju na sjever. Nakon što su Irokezi 1759. napustili politiku neutralnosti i stali na stranu Britanaca, pobjeda je bila nadomak ruke. Britanci su 1760. zauzeli Montreal i francuska kolonija je prestala postojati. Indijanci su imali ulogu u gotovo svim sukobima rata i ishod bi vjerojatno bio drugačiji bez njihovog sudjelovanja. Jedini problem je što Britanci to nisu priznavali. Napetosti između doseljenik i Indijanaca su također rasle te su rezultirale izbijanjem Čerokeškog rata. Čerokezi su izgubili, a Britanci su počeli vjerovati kako je potrebna prisila kako bi se kontroliralo Indijance. Nove reforme i zabrane su uzrokovale još problema i dovele do Pontiacove pobune. Iako je završio neriješeno, Indijanci su također počeli vjerovati kako je oružani odgovor dobar način rješavanja problema s Britancima. Nastavljanje ilegalnog naseljavanja zemlje i tenzije između britanskih kolonista i Indijanca će nadolazeća desetljeća obilježiti sukobima i razmiricama.The Seven Years' War, also known as the French-Indian War, was probably the most important event in the 18th century North America. Even though the war was led between the British and the French colonists, the Native Americans played the most essential role in the conflict. In fact, it was one of the Delaware chiefs who instigated the animosity between the colonists in 1754. when he killed a French emissary in an attempt to secure his position of a leader. Their allegiance to the French in the early years of the conflict enabled the French to gain the upper hand on the Ohio region and to harass British settlers on the borders. The British struggled up until the 1757. when the French lost the Native American support. The new French commander, Montcalm, had no love for the Native American warriors and made a mistake of underestimating their importance and denying them their rightful reward after the siege of Fort William Henry. In 1758. at the Treaty of Easton, the British managed to negotiate the peace with the Ohio Valley Indians and were able to turn their full attention towards the North. After the Iroquois departed from their policy of neutrality in 1759. and joined the British cause, victory was almost secured. In 1760. the British took control of Montreal and the French colony was no more. The Native Americans took part in almost every battle during the war and the result would possibly be very different without their envolvement. The only problem was that the British did not acknowledge this. Tensions between the settlers and the Indians were also high and they resulted in the Cherokee War. The Cherokee lost and the British believed that coercion was the way of dealing with the Natives. New reforms and restrictions caused more problems and resulted in the Pontiac's War. Even though it ended in a stalemate of sorts, the Natives now also thought that they could use force to dissuade the British from their plans. Continued illegal settling of the land and tensions between the British colonists and the Native Americans resulted in conflicts and disputes for decades to come