War That Made America, The - A Short History of The French and Indian War

In this companion book to the PBS series of the same name, Fred Anderson presents a fascinating and accessible history of the French and Indian War, fought between Britain and France on North American soil between 1754 and 1763. This somewhat little-known war is important on several levels. First, it was a set-up to the Revolution, as it ended the presence of the French in the region and thus removed a reason for the presence of British troops; in addition, France's defeat was instrumental in its decision to contribute aid to the American rebels. Secondly, colonists who fought alongside the British clearly felt their second-class status, increasing hostility. And finally, British relations with the Indians who had aligned with the French were permanently damaged. For this enlightening work, Anderson adapts material from his more scholarly book on the same topic, THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR.