In 1753 a young George Washington crossed the Allegheny Mountains on missions he hoped would lead to a career as a British Officer and land holdings that would make him wealthy. He was unsuccessful in both goals and his actions sparked a war that spread across the globe.
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Article 1: Prelude to war in North America
Events in the mid-18th century put the French and British on a collision course in the Ohio River Valley. Read more
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Article 2: Jumonville Glen
George Washington encounters a French patrol in a secluded glen in 1754. Contemporary historian Horace Walpole said it was here that "The volley fired by a young Virginian in the backwoods of America set the world on fire." Read more
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Article 3: Battle of Fort Necessity
The French intend to stop the British advance to the Forks of the Ohio at all costs. They march out of Fort Duquesne with a large force of Marines bolstered by their American Indian allies and encounter the Virginians at the Great Meadows. Read more
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Article 4: The Braddock Campaign
After the Virginians failed to secure the Ohio Country, the British sent General Braddock of the Coldstream Guard to evict the French. His failure was even more spectacular than Washington's. Read more