The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a conflict between the British colonies in North America and New France, which included Canada. It lasted from 1754 to 1763 and is also known as the Seven Years' War. This war was fought on two fronts: in Europe between Britain and France, and in North America between the British and the French with their Native American allies.
The cause of this war can be traced back to when both countries were competing for land west of the Appalachian Mountains. Both sides wanted control over what would become the modern-day Ohio Valley, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This area was contested by both nations due to its valuable fur trade resources that could help them economically. As tensions grew between these powers, they began arming themselves, leading to an armed confrontation at Fort Necessity in 1754 where George Washington led colonial forces into battle against a larger force under Louis Coulon de Villiers (a commander of Canadian troops).
This event sparked off several years of fighting throughout North America as well as Europe until finally, after much bloodshed on both sides, peace negotiations began, leading to the Treaty of Paris, which ended hostilities among all parties involved. Great Britain had emerged victorious, gaining most if not all of the territory disputed during this period, including India & Canada, thus establishing itself as one of the world's premier empires and ushering in an era often referred to today as "Pax Britannica".