When one learns about the great Colonial Wars they often learn about the epic battles between the French and the British over the vast lands of American soil. They acquire information about the how it changed the land holdings, greatly in England’s favor. One often does not learn about the fight for political geography or the feelings of the Native Americans who were greatly affected by these long and strenuous wars. They also often do not learn about how these Colonial Wars lead to the uniting of the colonies and the American Revolution that forever changed the world. Textbooks may not teach these imperative parts of the time, but Howard H. Peckham writes all about it in his book, The Colonial Wars 1689-1762. Howard H. Peckham is a historian…show more content… Peckham goes into detail explaining how the “primitive Indians” were used as “auxiliary forces” for all three major parties, France, England and Spain, fighting in the Colonial Wars. Peckham acknowledges that the Indians, “in warfare they were astoundingly capable and tireless scouts, fierce fighters in surprise attacks, and barbaric in their treatment of prisoners” (pg. 16). The Indians fought alongside the French, greatly helping them to win battles against Spain and England in these Wars. Having Indians as allies greatly helped the French because they new the land very well. Peckham shows how the Spaniards viewed Indians as “labor supply” and used them to work and help further the Spanish empire in North America. While the Spaniards were much more harsh towards the Native Americans, the British and French were slightly more hospitable, and even the English had help from the Indians as well with tasks such as getting food or building shelter. Peckham shows that all three major parties that were fighting in the Colonial Wars had some form of help from the Indians in order to get ahead and succeed. Some may have had more help than others, like the French, due to the way the treated the Indians. That meant and England had to fight against both the Indians and France. This further proves Peckham’s thesis that new military tactics had to be created in order to fight of both France and their
