Overview
Queen Anne’s War was the Second Intercolonial War (or French and Indian War) between England and France in North America and took place while the War of Spanish Succession was being fought in Europe. English and French colonial forces, along with their Native Allies, continued to conduct raids on settlements on the northern frontier of the American colonies. In 1704, the French and Indians carried out a brutal attack on Deerfield, Massachusetts. The fighting spread to the south, where English forces from Carolina attacked Spanish forces in northwest Florida. While the war continued, England and Scotland agreed to the Act of Union, which created the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The conflict concluded with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, which secured British control over new territories. However, it failed to resolve the border between New France and New England, which led to King George’s War.
Essential Facts
- Queen Anne’s War was the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession.
- It was the second French and Indian War, following King William’s War and preceding King George’s War.
- It was the third Indian War, following King Philip’s War and King William’s War.
- Queen Anne’s War lasted from 1702 to 1713.
- It involved English colonial forces fighting against French and Spanish colonial forces, often with Native American Indian allies.
- Prominent English military leaders included James Moore, Francis Nicholson, and Benjamin Church.
- The British captured Port Royal in 1710, renaming it Annapolis Royal.
- A 1711 British invasion of Canada ended in disaster with the loss of over 900 men.
- The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
- The Treaty of Utrecht granted Britain control of Acadia (renamed Nova Scotia), Newfoundland, and Hudson’s Bay, but failed to establish a border between New France and New England.
- The French also agreed to recognize the British relationship with the Iroquois Confederacy.
- As part of the agreement with Spain, Britain was granted limited trading rights in Spanish America, including the “Asiento” — a license to conduct the slave trade in New Spain. This was important to the Spanish Colonial System and Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Historical Context
Queen Anne’s War started in 1702 roughly five years after King William’s War ended in 1697. King William III died in March 1702 and the English Crown was transferred to Queen Anne, the daughter of King James II. Five years after the war started, in 1707, Scotland and England agreed to the Acts of Union and became the Kingdom of Great Britain.
Significance to American History
Queen Anne’s War is important to American History because it was the second French and Indian War fought between Britain and France for dominance in North America. The war’s outcome shifted the balance of power by granting Britain control over important territories like Acadia and Newfoundland.
Queen Anne’s War History
European Origins
Queen Anne’s War was part of the European War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714). The conflict was caused by the succession crisis that followed the death of Charles II, the childless King of Spain, who was a member of the House of Habsburg. French diplomats, urged by King Louis XIV, secured the inheritance for his grandson, Philippe d’Anjou. Charles II left his European and overseas possessions to Philippe with the condition that they remain undivided.
European nations feared the unification of France and Spain under one crown — and one religion. France and Spain were Catholic nations, which raised fears of them fighting to spread their version of Christianity throughout Europe and the world.
Louis XIV rejected diplomatic solutions, leading to the outbreak of a long and costly war.
Formation of the Grand Alliance
The War of the Spanish Succession is sometimes called the first world war due to its global reach, as battles took place in Europe, India, and North America.
Nations aligned with each other over their religious preferences.
- France, Spain, and Bavaria — Catholic nations, formed one coalition.
- Protestant nations organized a coalition known as the League of Augsburg — or the Grand Alliance. England played a key role in the Grand Alliance, allying with Austria, the Netherlands, Prussia, and most German states.
Fighting started in Europe in March 1701. In May 1702, England officially declared war, and John Churchill, Earl of Marlborough, was sent to Holland as Captain General of English and Dutch forces.
Queen Anne’s War Begins in North America
In North America, Queen Anne’s War was the second of the four French and Indian Wars that England and France fought for control of the continent.
English colonists referred to it as “Queen Anne’s War,” after their monarch, Queen Anne, who succeeded King William III in 1702, after his death. Anne ruled from 1702–1714.
English colonists saw the war as a chance to challenge the French and Spanish settlements stretching from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
Early Operations in the Caribbean
Fighting in North America started in 1702 when the English targeted French and Spanish territories in the Caribbean. English forces from the Leeward Island sailed to the French portion of Saint Kitts and occupied it. The English followed in 1703 by laying siege to French Guadalupe, however, the expedition failed.
Siege of St. Augustine — November–December, 1703
The Province of Carolina raised colonial militia forces and allied with Native American Indian tribes. In 1702, Governor James Moore Jr. led these forces south and carried out raids in Spanish Florida.
Moore’s forces destroyed several outposts along the St. Johns River and attacked St. Augustine. The Spanish were forced to abandon St. Augustine and withdrew to the Castillo de San Marcos.
Moore had his men burn St. Augustine but was forced to withdraw after 2 months when the Spanish returned in warships.
French-Abenaki Raids on the New England Frontier — June 1703
In June 1703, New France allied with the Abenaki Confederacy and the French encouraged the Abenaki to carry out raids against New England settlements on the northern frontier. The goal of the raids was to stop English colonists from settling in the frontier, near New France.
Nearly 500 warriors, with French support and leadership, attacked English settlements in Maine, which was part of Massachusetts. Towns like Wells and Saco were destroyed and many settlers were either killed or taken captive during these raids.
During these attacks, the New England Colonies were left to defend themselves. England was unable to provide much assistance because it was heavily involved in fighting the war in Europe
The Province of New York also refused to help after it signed a separate peace treaty with the Indians. This increased tension between New York and New England, as did rumors that New York merchants were trading with the Indians.
Apalachee Massacre — January 1704
In 1704, James Moore Jr. led another expedition against Spanish missions in Western Florida. The inhabitants of these missions were largely the Apalachee People.
Moore’s expedition was successful. Nearly all the missions were captured, and many of the Apalachees were taken as captives and enslaved.
These raids significantly reduced the population of Spanish Florida, although Saint Augustine and Pensacola survived.
The Deerfield Massacre — February 29, 1704
On the night of February 29, 1704, a force of 48 Frenchmen and Canadians, along with 200–250 Indian warriors, attacked Deerfield, Massachusetts.
The attackers achieved complete surprise and the raid resulted in the deaths of 50 English settlers while more than 110 others were taken as prisoners. The prisoners were taken to Montreal. 21 more settlers died during the 300-mile journey.
The remaining survivors were eventually ransomed to the Massachusetts government and returned to Deerfield.
Massachusetts Retaliates — Spring 1704
In response to French and Indian raids against New England settlements, Massachusetts raised troops and planned a counterattack in the spring of 1704.
In June, Colonel Benjamin Church led a force of 500 New Englanders north to target Abenaki supplies and Acadian fisheries. Church was an experienced Indian fighter, having led Massachusetts forces during King Philip’s War (1675–1678) and King William’s War (1688–1697).
On May 11, Church’s expedition set sail from Boston. In July, the expedition destroyed Abenaki villages at Minas and Beaubassin. It also laid siege to the French fortress of Port Royal in Acadia but was unable to capture it. Church returned to Massachusetts after failing to take Port Royal.
The French responded by organizing an expedition at present-day Placentia. It attacked the English settlement at Bonavista in Newfoundland from August 18–29, 1704.
French Capture of St. Johns — December 1704
The French captured St. Johns on December 21, 1704, gaining control of the entire eastern shore of Newfoundland.
Prisoner Exchange and Failed Peace Talks
In 1705, fighting in North America slowed and the French proposed a prisoner exchange. Negotiations found limited success. Only a small number of prisoners were exchanged. The French also discussed a peace treaty with Massachusetts, but the talks failed.
Vetch Sails to England
French and Indian raids continued to threaten frontier settlements. In 1706, Massachusetts Governor Joseph Dudley sent Samuel Vetch to London to request military assistance from the Board of Trade.
Lefebvre’s Charles Town Expedition — September 1706
That same year, a combined force of Spanish troops and French privateers sailed from Havana, Cuba, and St. Augustine, Florida, to raid Charleston, Carolina The Carolinians successfully defeated the landing force. Carolina Colonel William Rhett assembled a squadron of ships and successfully repelled the Franco-Spanish attack, capturing a ship and taking hundreds of prisoners.
Assault on Port Royal — May 1707
New England made another attempt to attack Port Royal in the spring and summer of 1707. Colonel John March led an expedition of about 1,500 men, which was organized and funded by Governor Joseph Dudley and the Massachusetts government.
The colonial force landed and initially pushed the French back into their defensive positions. However, poor discipline and weak military leadership allowed the French time to reinforce the garrison.
March carried out a siege, however, by August, the attempt to capture Port Royal had failed, and the troops returned to Massachusetts.
First Siege of Pensacola — August 1707
Carolina recruited the Creek Indians to carry out attacks on Pensacola in Spanish Florida. They successfully burned the settlement, forcing most of the inhabitants to flee. However, Spanish defenders took refuge in Fort San Carlos de Austria and held out for more than a week, when the Indians finally withdrew.
Second Siege of Pensacola — November 1707
Carolina carried out a second siege against Pensacola. This time, about 30 Carolina traders led 300 Creek warriors to Pensacola, where they demanded the surrender of the settlement. The Spanish rejected the request, even though the garrison was suffering from disease.
The Carolinians and Creeks laid siege to the fort for two days. The Creeks withdrew when one of their chiefs was killed.
This ended the attempts to capture Pensacola during Queen Anne’s War.
Raid on Haverhill — 1708
In the summer of 1708, the French launched a new series of raids along the New England frontier. A large force of 400 French Canadians and Indians was organized, however, many of the Indians abandoned the expedition as it progressed.
On August 29, 1708, the remaining force tried to attack the English settlement at Haverhill, Massachusetts. The English held their ground and received reinforcements, forcing the French and Indians to withdraw.
The Abandoned Campaign of 1709
From 1706 to 1709, Samuel Vetch sought military assistance from the Board of Trade. During this time, England and Scotland agreed to the Acts of Union and became Great Britain.
In 1709, Vetch returned with news that Queen Anne approved the deployment of five regiments and naval support to New England. The British force was intended to coordinate with a colonial military force led by Colonel Francis Nicholson, who raised three regiments of troops.
Colonial troops assembled in Albany, New York, to prepare for an advance on Montreal. They were prepared to support the British attacks on Quebec and Port Royal.
In October, the British canceled the expedition, due to military needs in Europe, and redirected Rear Admiral John Baker and his fleet to Portugal.
New England leaders considered attacking Canada with the British ships already in American ports, but the captains of these ships refused to cooperate. The entire colonial operation was also canceled.
Afterward, colonial leaders sent Nicholson to Britain to appeal to the Board of Trade for support. Nicholson was accompanied by “Four Mohawk Kings” from the Iroquois Confederacy, including King Hendrick (Theyoninhokawaran) a sachem (chief) of the Wolf Clan.
Siege of Port Royal and the Conquest of Acadia — 1710
Colonel Francis Nicholson successfully petitioned Queen Anne for a new British military operation against the French in 1710.
However, the New England Colonies organized an expedition to capture Port Royal as soon as possible. In September 1710, a colonial force of 3,500 men, led by Colonel Nicholson, sailed from Boston to Port Royal. The expedition used scouts from the Iroquois Confederacy.
The British supported the expedition with a naval force of 36 ships, including a bomb ketch, under the command of Captain George Martin. The British also provided a regiment of Royal Marines.
The siege of Port Royal started on October 5 and lasted just over a week. The outnumbered French forces surrendered the citadel on October 13. Port Royal was renamed Annapolis Royal after the British took control.
Failed Invasion of New France — 1711
In 1711, the British government approved plans to invade New France and sent a military expedition to New England to support the effort. Admiral Hovenden Walker and General John Hill led the British forces. Colonial leaders agreed to raise militia troops to assist in the invasion.
The British expedition, consisting of over 60 ships and 5,000 men, arrived in Boston in June 1711 and sailed for Canada on July 30. In August 1711, the fleet finally sailed for the St. Lawrence River.
At the mouth of the St. Lawrence, some of the British ships sailed into rocks, and 8 transports were lost. More than 700 soldiers and 200 sailors were lost in the incident.
Walker and Hill abandoned the operation and returned to England with the remaining ships. With the loss of British military support, Colonel Francis Nicholson, who had been waiting near Lake Champlain with his troops, disbanded his troops and they returned to their colonies.
The Treaty of Utrecht Ends of Queen Anne’s War
A new government in London started peace negotiations with France in December 1711, however, it took two years to negotiate peace. The Treaty of Utrecht was agreed to in April 1713.
- Philippe, Duc d’Anjou, became King Philip V of Spain, with the condition that the French and Spanish Crowns could never be united under one ruler.
- Spain ceded territory in Europe to the Austrian Habsburgs.
- In North America, the English received recognition of their claim to Hudson’s Bay and gained control of Acadia and Newfoundland.
- The French retained Cape Breton Island and the islands of the St. Lawrence.
Afterward, the French focused on building stronger fortifications on Cape Breton Island — later known as Louisbourg.
Many New Englanders were upset with the Treaty of Utrecht and it failed to define the borders between New France and New England. However, it provided a boost to the New England economy by supporting the fishing industry, the Fur Trade, and other commercial interests in Colonial North America. It also opened new territories in Acadia and Newfoundland to English settlements.
The uneasy peace between New France and the British Colonies lasted until 1744 when the third French and Indian War started — King George’s War.
Queen Anne’s War APUSH
Queen Anne’s War is part of the following units and chapters in the AP US History curriculum.
