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Other European nations participated in exploration as well.  King Henry VII of England sent John Cabot, a resident of London born in Genoa (like Columbus), to explore across the Northern Atlantic Ocean.  Cabot discovered Newfoundland and the New England coast in 1497 and 1498, respectively, and the land became the property of England.  From France, Jacques Cartier discovered Canada and the Mississippi Basin, including Louisiana in 1534 and 1541.  These colonies were initially less significant than those in South America, and there was a lack of initial interest in North America because it did not have the gold and silver of South America.  Whereas intermarriage and cultural blending occurred heavily among the Spanish and the Indians in South America, it barely existed between the English or French and the Indians in North America.   

Other European nations participated in exploration as well.  King Henry VII of England sent John Cabot, a resident of London born in Genoa (like Columbus), to explore across the Northern Atlantic Ocean.  Cabot discovered Newfoundland and the New England coast in 1497 and 1498, respectively, and the land became the property of England.  From France, Jacques Cartier discovered Canada and the Mississippi Basin, including Louisiana in 1534 and 1541.  These colonies were initially less significant than those in South America, and there was a lack of initial interest in North America because it did not have the gold and silver of South America.  Whereas intermarriage and cultural blending occurred heavily among the Spanish and the Indians in South America, it barely existed between the English or French and the Indians in North America.   

Of course, eventually the interest and development in North America increased and surpassed that of South America.  Commercial competition between European nations in North America culminated in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) — a conflict brought to America in the form of the French and Indian War.  This War marked the end of French (and Spanish) influence in North America, and signaled the rise of Britain as the primary world superpower for the next 150 years.

Of course, eventually the interest and development in North America increased and surpassed that of South America.  Commercial competition between European nations culminated in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) — a conflict brought to America in the form of the French and Indian War.  This War marked the end of French (and Spanish) influence in North America, and signaled the rise of Britain as the primary world superpower for the next 150 years.

The Seven Years War in Europe, of which the French and Indian War was a small part in North America, consisted of 20 major battles and ended up taking the lives of perhaps a million people.  Britain and France fought in both Europe and North America; Spain and Portugal fought in South America. The war reached every inhabited continent except Australia, which had been discovered in only the 1600s and was not yet well-settled by Europeans.  France, Russia, Sweden, Poland and Austria were allied against Britain and Prussia in the struggle for control of Silesia, a region of Eastern Europe that is mostly part of Poland today, though also extending into present-day Germany and the Czech Republic.

The Seven Years War in Europe, of which the French and Indian War was a small part in North America, consisted of 20 major battles and ended up taking the lives of perhaps a million people.  Britain and France fought in both Europe and North America; Spain and Portugal fought in South America. The war reached every inhabited continent except Australia, which had been discovered in only the 1600s and was not yet well-settled by Europeans.  France, Russia, Sweden, Poland and Austria were allied against Britain and Prussia in the struggle for control of Silesia, a region of Eastern Europe that is mostly part of Poland today.

Britain won the war, partly due to the genius of William Pitt, after whom Pittsburgh is named.  Britain gained both Canada and India as a result of the Seven Years War, but lost the American colonies two decades later in the Revolutionary War.  Pitt himself had left power before the war concluded (though he returned to power later); he opposed the peace treaty on the grounds that it did not give enough to Britain.  France was humiliated by this war, which may have contributed to the French Revolution a few decades later.

Britain won the war, partly due to the genius of William Pitt, after whom Pittsburgh is named.  Britain gained both Canada and India as a result of the Seven Years War, but lost the American colonies two decades later in the Revolutionary War.  Pitt himself had left power before the war concluded (though he returned to power later); he opposed the peace treaty on the grounds that it did not give enough to Britain.  France was humiliated by this war, which may have contributed to the French Revolution a few decades later.