Fort Necessity, a former earthworks fort in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Pittsburgh. It was built in 1754 by Virginia militia under Lieutenant Colonel George Washington. (Washington had been sent to garrison a fort at what is now Pittsburgh, but the site had been seized by the French, who had built a fort of their own, Fort Duquesne.) On July 3 Washington's party was attacked by a superior French force and surrendered on condition that they be allowed to return to Virginia. This incident—the Battle of Great Meadows—was the first major engagement of the French and Indian War. The French destroyed the original fort; a reconstruction, built in 1932, is the main feature of Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
- Home >
- Culture >
- History >
- North America >
- American History >
- Colonial Life
Fort Necessity
Cite This!
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:
"Fort Necessity" 27 February 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/fort-necessity.htm> 11 February 2012.
Cite
You Might Also Like
How the Boston Tea Party Worked
In the dark of night on Dec. 16, 1773, residents of Boston poured more than 90,000 pounds of tea into the harbor. But they weren't trying to set a world record for the most cups of tea made at one time. They were protesting the British government.
10 Historically Inaccurate Movies
These films look like blooper reels when you compare them to history books. From anachronisms to flat-out lies, creative license reigns in this list.
