You've heard his name come up a few times on this podcast - now learn the story of one of colonial America's toughest frontiersmen, who played a key role in the opening stages of the French and Indian War.

In this episode, we examine the aftermath of the Battle of Fort Necessity. We take a look at how the British and French reacted, how the colonial conflict was being viewed in Europe,  and what daring plans Britain formed next. This episode sets the stage for several large-scale battles that we will cover in upcoming battles, so you won't want to miss it!

Join us as we go over the first true battle of the French and Indian War! George Washington makes his stand against a French expedition out for revenge after the death of Jumonville. Can his ramshackle fort hold up? How do the British and the French with their native allies approach the battle differently? Why was July 4th a bitter date to remember for Washington for a decade before the British colonies declared independence on that same day? Learn all about it in this episode of Tales from the French and Indian War!

British and French forces in the Ohio Country finally come to a violent encounter. What happened on May 28th, 1754? How did French diplomat and officer Jumonville die? Did Washington himself fire the first shots of a world war? Tune in as we cross the point of no return and what is considered the beginning of the French and Indian War.

Dive into the tense prelude to the French and Indian War in this episode, as we explore France’s bold push into the Ohio River Valley and the young George Washington’s perilous first mission to confront them. In the early 1750s, the Ohio Valley became a battleground of imperial ambitions, with French forts like Presque Isle and Le Boeuf threatening British claims and the interests of Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie, a shareholder in the Ohio Company. We unpack France’s strategy to link Canada and Louisiana, the rising Anglo-French rivalry, and Dinwiddie’s personal stake in the region. Follow 21-year-old Washington’s 500-mile trek through snowy wilderness in 1753, from Williamsburg to Logstown, where he secured Native alliances with Seneca chief Tanacharison, to Fort Le Boeuf, where he faced French commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre’s defiant refusal to withdraw. Hear tales of icy rivers, near-drownings, and diplomatic gambits that set the stage for a global conflict. This episode reveals how a young surveyor’s journey sparked a war that reshaped North America.

In this episode, we explore the international context of the 1740s, as well as events and conflicts in North America that led to growing tensions in the region.

This episode is an overview of the podcast, an introduction to us, and a summary of what is to come.