Pontiac's War | an uprising of Native American tribes against English rule in America

Pontiac's War (also known as Pontiac's Conspiracy or Pontiac's Rebellion) was an uprising of Native American tribes against English rule in America. A few tribes, mainly from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country started it in 1763. The cause of the war was that these tribes were dissatisfied with British poltics in the region. Warriors from other tribes joined the uprising, to help drive the English soldiers and settlers out of the region. The war is named after the Odawa leader Pontiac, the most prominent of many native leaders in the conflict.

The British were among the winners of the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 to 1763. As a result, large territories in the region that were controlled by the French came under English rule. French and English politics were very different.

The war began in May 1763 when Native Americans attacked a number of British forts and settlements. They attacked, because they had been offended by the policies of British General Jeffrey Amherst. Eight forts were destroyed, and hundreds of colonists were killed or captured. Many people fled from the region. Hostilities came to an end after British Army expeditions in 1764 led to peace negotiations over the next two years. Native Americans were unable to drive away the British, but the uprising prompted the British government to change the policies that had provoked the conflict.

Warfare on the North American frontier was brutal: Prisoners were often killed. Civilians were often targeted. Other atrocities were widespread. The population of Native Americans and British settlers had very little in common. In this conflict, this fact showed as ruthlessness and treachery. Contrary to popular belief, the British government did not issue the Royal Proclamation of 1763 in reaction to Pontiac's War. Because of the conflict, the Proclamation's Indian clauses were applied more often, though. This proved unpopular with British colonists, and may have been one of the early contributing factors to the American Revolution.