What sequence describes Pontiac's alliances during the Ohio Valley conflict?

• A. He aligned with the British, then with the French.
• B. He opposed both French and British and remained neutral.
• C. He supported British trade policies without military action.
• D. He formed alliances with neighboring First Nations to fight against the British and recapture forts.

Answer: (D)

Pontiac’s War grew out of Native American resistance to British expansion after the French left the region. The defining move was to build a broad alliance with neighboring First Nations to coordinate action against the British and to attempt to recapture forts they held in the Ohio Valley. Pontiac, an Ottawa leader, brought together groups such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, Delaware, Shawnee, and others, creating a coordinated effort to challenge British power and push back on encroachment and trade policies. This is why the description of forming alliances with neighboring First Nations to fight the British and recapture forts best fits the sequence of events.

The other options don’t fit because Pontiac did not align with the British, and he undertook active resistance rather than staying neutral. He also did not simply pursue peaceful trade without military action; the effort included sieges and attacks on forts, which is a core part of why alliances with other tribes mattered.