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British Colonialism and the American RevolutionConflicts among European nations increased with their attempts to control the fur trade and land in North America. The British and French empires fought the French and Indian War, or Seven Years War as it was known in Europe, from 1756 to 1763. Various Indian tribes became involved in the war as supporters of either the British or the French. The Illiniwek strongly supported the French. Many of the other tribes living in the Mississippi River Valley were either British allies or simply opposed to French occupation of the land. When the French lost the war and signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763, they gave the rights to their colonial possessions in North America to Great Britain. The end of the French and Indian War began a short period of British occupation of Illinois. In early 1763, the Ottawa Indian chief Pontiac formed an alliance of Indian tribes, including the Chippewa, Potawatomi and Ottawa, to fight the British. This alliance captured a number of British forts in the Great Lakes area and killed hundreds of British soldiers and settlers. In response, Great Britain sent a large number of British troops to North America to suppress the Indian uprising. Pontiac then traveled to Illinois and tried to get support from the Illiniwek to continue the battle against the British. However, a member of the Kaskaskia tribe, whose uncle Pontiac had wounded at an earlier time, killed him. Many of the tribes who were enemies of the Illiniwek sought to avenge Pontiac's death. They attacked the Illiniwek, who retreated to their settlement on a bluff near old Fort Saint Louis. The attackers cut off the Illiniwek from their food and water supply and many starved or died of thirst. Consequently, the location of this battle became known as Starved Rock. A few of the Illiniwek escaped and fled to the French town of Kaskaskia. The victorious tribes divided the Illiniwek land among themselves, and the Illiniwek dominance in Illinois was ended. Only a small number of people lived in Illinois at this time. Many of the French moved away, rather than live under British rule. British colonists lived mainly on the East Coast, so Illinois was not considered a strategically important area. Consequently, only a minimal number of British troops were stationed there. At the beginning of the American Revolution, there were only about one thousand permanent white residents of Illinois. The number of Indians living in Illinois had also declined, as many died during their many wars and from the diseases they had contracted from the Europeans. During this time, the British colonists living in North America were becoming increasingly disenchanted with British rule. The costs of the Seven Years War had depleted the British treasury and, in an effort to raise more money, taxes were imposed on the American colonies. This was one factor that led to the American Revolution. During this war, American troops from Virginia and Kentucky known as the "Long Knives", led by Colonel George Rogers Clark, traveled to Illinois to take it from the British. They first set foot in the area in June 1778 at Massac Creek, near the abandoned Fort Massac.
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