b'trading. The British, however, also Land Disputes wanted to settle on the land, to make it Lead to Wartheir own. Long before the French and BritishThe British had a big advantage came to America, they were at war withover the French. The Iroquois tribes each other. In Europe, they had beenbecame allies with the British, but the enemies for hundreds of years. So it wasBritish needed to have the Ohio tribes no surprise when they competed forjoin the alliance. They sent three traders trade and land in the New World. Conrad Weiser, George Croghan, and As more forts were built near theAndrew Montourto meet with repre- Ohio Country, it was clear that warfaresentatives of the Miami, Shawnee, there between the French and BritishDelaware, Wyandot, and other tribes. was just around the corner. In 1753, as aThis meeting was held at Logstown, last effort to ask the French to leavePennsylvania, on the Ohio River in 1748. the area, George Washington, a well-After trading many gifts, the natives known surveyor, was sent from Virginiaagreed to trade with the British. to warn them to leave their forts atAnother large group of Native Americans once.was on the side of the British, and Washington took Christopher Gistagainst the French. with him as he set out on his assignmentto warn the French. Gist wrote about theentire trip. The French at Fort Le Boeuf,on the upper Ohio(Allegheny) River,received Washingtonand treated him well.The commander ofthe fort agreed tosend the message tothe French leaders inCanada, but toldWashington thatBritish traders wouldstill be taken pris-oner if they tradedin the Ohio Country.One thing wasclear: the OhioGraphic (II) Country was going topage 24'