The French and Indian War - A Short History

Beginning with a skirmish involving inexperienced British officer George Washington, the Iroquois chief, and the ill-fated French emissary in the backwoods of Pennsylvania, a chain of events culminated in what would effectively become the First World War. The French and Indian War, as it is known in North America, was part of a larger conflict called the "Seven Years' War," which involved nations on three continents. The French and Indian War was fought in the forests, plains, and forts of the North American frontier. Initially, the French army, supported by North American Indian tribes, was more successful than the British Army, who lacked experience in guerrilla fighting tactics. Massive British spending bolstered their forces in North America and ultimately won them a victory over the French. The conflict that occurred between 1755 and 1763, and that led to the downfall of the French Empire in North America, ultimately overturned the balance of power on two continents, eroded Indian nations' ability to gain independence from European rule, and lit the fuse of the American Revolution.