After the French & Indian War Role Card: Backcountry Farmer in Virginia
Your Role: You are Henry Hillbilly living in the Virginia backcountry. As a former indentured servant,
you were too poor to buy land in the fertile regions near the Chesapeake Bay. Instead, you
took whatever land was free and available in the backcountry (the are on the edge of the
Appalachian Mountains). Here, you struggle to make a living as a subsistence farmer
where you grow barely enough food to feed your family and very little tobacco to sell in
for profit. This region is under constant attack from local Indians and your family is
vulnerable to these attacks. During the French and Indian War, your heard stories about
how poorly the British soldiers fought against the guerilla attacks of the Indians. You lack
confidence in the army's ability to defend your home. As a small-scale farmer, your
experiences have led you to believe that the most important way to make it in America is
to gain good farmland away from the rocky, mountainous area where you currently live.
Nothing scares you more than to continue this life of poverty and uncertainty.
Activity: There have been a lot of changes in North America now that the French & Indian War is
over. The teacher will present 3 of these post-war changes. From the perspective on your role card, answer the
following questions.