The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a war between Great Britain and France, fought in America with different Native American tribes taking both sides. There were several small battle and skirmishes before war actually began, and tensions were rising long before that. The chief cause of the war was valuable land wanted by both the British and the French. The war focused on skirmishes, forts, and Native American tribes. Though the two sides were nearly evenly matched in the beginning, the British eventually won by making peace with several tribes, sending more forces, and taking key forts.
The war was a struggle for dominance in eastern North America. Both sides had created colonies in the new world, and there were regions both wished to posses. Eventually, they fought for who was to be the ruler of America. Britain emerged as the victor, it's empire growing larger and more prosperous. But large debt incurred by the war resulted in the taxing of the Americans, and set the stage for the American Revolution. The Native American tribes played a key part in determining the outcome of the war, and many British victories came only after making peace with many of the natives. The above picture shows natives armed with muskets.
I think this was a key event in history. There were massive territorial changes (see Treaty of Paris 1763) creating a world chiefly dominated by the British. The debt saddled English government then began taxing the colonists, setting the stage for the American Revolution.
This is a video about one battle in the French and Indian War
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/08/books/review/08winik.html?scp=8&sq=French%20and%20Indian%20War&st=cse
This is a link to an interesting news article reviewing a book about the French and Indian War
This is a link to an interesting news article reviewing a book about the French and Indian War