Colonial Weapons, Defense, and Wars

By Liam Mellon 7A3 ID4

Protection

The main fear of a New World colony was attack. Whether from natives or from the nation’s enemies, it happened. Because of this, colonists had many weapons and fortifications to protect their settlements. Throughout colonial history, countless forts were built, weapons used, and battles were fought.

Muskets

The favored weapon of colonial times was the smoothbore musket. Until c.1630, matchlock muskets were used throughout Europe and the New World. Then, flintlock muskets took their place, seeing action from the Seven Years war to the Civil War era.

Flintlock vs. Matchlock!•Flintlocks required no wicks. •They were fired when the trigger was

pulled. Then, the hammer fell. Attached to the hammer was the flint. When the flint hit the battery, it produced a spark that ignited the gunpowder, causing an explosion that propelled the bullet through the barrel.

•Matchlocks required a wick to fire.•Matchlocks required a rest to support the gun with when firing. • The wick lit the match. When the trigger is pulled, the serpentine falls onto the pan. The match starts a small explosion that propelled the bullet out of the barrel.•It was hard to keep the ammunition dry, and it was very hard to fire these guns when it rained.

ArtilleryArtillery- large guns used in land battle; Cannons•The most common artillery piece in the 1700s was the horse-drawn cannon.•Cannons were placed on the walls of forts to protect them. They were also pulled along with land armies. They were used in battle to either destroy an enemy’s walls or to bombard the enemy army from a long distance.•Although many colonies had cannons, they weren’t always effective. Natives could hide in the forest, making it hard for the men aiming the cannons to aim at them.

Forts

Forts were built throughout Colonial America to protect settlements and territories from attack. They were made from various materials, such as wood, stone, and even seashells! Forts were built on important places. They sometimes served as trading posts, supply posts, or ways to repel an enemy from a certain area.

Louisbourg fortress was a French fort built to protect the entrance to the St. Lawrence river from the British.

Fort Orange was a Dutch trading post built where the city of Albany stands today.

Jamestown (the first successfulEnglish colony) had a triangular fort built around it with cannons at each corner.

Fort Duquesne was built at the juncture of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. Whoever held this fort had control of trade in the Ohio River Valley

Star FortsThe star fort was the most common style of fortress used in colonial America. It first appeared in the 15th century and was used until the 19th century. It’s triangle shaped walls (also known as bastions) eliminated blind spots where the enemy could not be shot at. When an enemy came close to the wall, he could be shot at from different angles.

The New World at War

Once colonies were settled in the New World, conflict erupted. There were a number of different causes to these wars. When countries took more and more land from natives, they occasionally fought back. Another factor in a war is territory. When countries wish to gain control of another nations territory, war was declared, and countless lives were to be lost.

American Indian Conflicts

The Pequot WarThe Pequot War was the first serious conflict between English settlers and American Indians. It occurred when a trading party of Narragansett men was murdered by Pequot warriors. The Pequot were also angry about English settlers taking so much of their land. In 1637, the Pequot war started. After small battles, the English and Narragansett men burned the Pequot village at Mystic. Over 300 Pequot men, women, and children were killed. The rest were sold into slavery.

King Phillip’s WarKing Phillips war began in 1675. The Wampanoag chief, Metacomet (also known as King Philip) attacked an English settlement at Swansea. The news spread through New England, and settlements immediately responded. Hundreds of men were prepared for war. The cost of the war was terrible. 13 English settlements were destroyed, and 600 settlers killed. King Philip was killed in 1676 by a native allied with the English. 3,000 Indians had died. The New England tribes were almost completely gone in a few years.

French and Indian WarThe French and Indian War took place between 1756 to 1763 (War and peace were officially declared at these times. Skirmishing took place before 1756, and even a few minor battles). It involved the British and their native allies, against the French and their native allies. The Spanish joined the war on France’s side in 1762. The war started well for the French. They defeated a British army of 1,400 in 1755, and captured Fort William-Henry in 1757. The British had trouble fighting in the forests, because they were used to fighting on open plains. Eventually, they learned how to fight in the forests, and the turning point occurred in 1759, when the British captured the strategic city of Quebec. In the end, France lost almost all of it’s colonial territories, left with only Haiti and a few islands off the coast of Canada.

The Death of General James Wolfe, the British General who captured Quebec. He died on the battlefield.

The Battle of Quiberon Bay. This battle occurred on November 20, 1759.

This painting shows General Edward Braddock as he is shot of his horse. Around half of his army returned from the battle. They were ambushed on their way to Fort Duquesne.

The Result

After these battles and wars, technological advancements, and construction of great forts, the United States was formed. After the French and Indian war (around 12 years later) the American Revolution was fought. After 8 years of war, America gained independence from Great Britain.

The End!

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BooksSeven Years War By Daniel MarstonThe Mayflower and the Pilgrims’ New World By Nathaniel Philbrick

Websiteswww.britishbattles.comwww.starforts.comwww.usahistory.info