Seven Years War

The Seven Years War*

1754-1763

The “Seven Years War,” the “French and Indian War”, and the “Great War for Empire.” Variously named and defined, each of these terms refers to the same watershed event in early American History.

European superpowers France and Great Britain engaged in a century-long struggle for world domination that lasted from 1689 to 1815. Against an overall climate of hostility, a series of distinct wars were fought in Europe itself and in (and over) their worldwide colonial empires.

The New York theater of the last of these North American adjuncts began with the French and Indian raid and burning of Hoosick in August 1754. North American forces fought with each other over the next two years although war was not declared officially until 1756. Although for the most part, fighting ended in North America following the fall of Quebec in 1759, this conflict was not concluded officially until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

via Seven Years War.

 

King’s Highway

The King’s Highway

“The Kings Highway” is a legendary term that has been used to describe any of the country roads out of colonial Albany that may have been built by the British army during the French and Indian War. Albany to the VerberghHowever, it most often refers to the main route through the “Pine Bush” from Albany to Schenectady.

This overland thoroughfare connecting the Hudson and the Mohawk was in existence from the earliest days of the community and was first used by Native American hunters bringing their furs to Beverwyck and then Albany.

Until the mid-18th century, the Kings Highway was little more than a path through the woods. the Kings Highway But it was improved dramatically by British and provincial soldiers during the last of the colonial wars. After the war, many new settlers were travelling west from Albany over this road. By that time, the western parts of it were maintained under contract with the Albany city government.

On the Albany end, the Kings Highway began at the Schenectady gate of the stockade and continued uphill and into the pine barrens along the route of today’s Washington Avenue.

via King’s Highway.