The Seven Years' War is considered the First World War because it took place on five different continents. The war is so important to American history because the participants were among the greatest powers of its time and it had very damaging consequences. The Seven Years' War is known for its change in battle tactics, the British triumph after many unsuccessful battles, and its extreme financial expenditure. The outcome of the Seven Years' War had permanent ramifications for Americans, as it would be a catalyst for the American Revolution. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Spanish Empire populated the southwestern territories. They controlled what is known as the Florida, Texas and New Mexico region. French merchants, just north of them, were heading south to areas like Louisiana. After the 1760s, Spain violently pushed Native American groups such as the Comanches and Apaches to gain land closer to the Rio Grande River. The Spanish tried to figure out what to do with the Indians surrounding their territory. They had difficulty deciding whether the Indians should be held captive as slaves or whether they should be integrated into their communities. The Spanish realized that they were outnumbered by nearby Indians and slaves, and military commanders decided to bribe the Indians with gifts and trade. This helped Spain conquer more of the northern empire, but it did not completely fool the Indians. The French empire remained mainly in Central and North America. French traders took over Canada and headed south to New Orleans and spread out in all directions. The French became Britain's rivals as their population skyrocketed to fifty-five thousand settlers. As the French empire grew, the British were ever more numerous with around 1.5 million colonists. French forts began to move closer to the British, causing strong commercial competition. As the French, British, and Indians struggled to maintain power, a "common ground" was created as a boundary between the European colonies and the Indians. . The Indians used this area as a neutral zone between empires. The Indians recognized the power struggle between France and Britain and used it to their advantage. They continued to maintain relations with neither side in the struggle until it was absolutely necessary for them to choose a side. The Seven Years' War, or French Indian War, began in 1754 when George Washington attempted to persuade French forts to abandon the region. near the Ohio Valley. After the men refused, George and other Virginians returned with soldiers and attempted to build their own fort. The French and Indians intervened, destroyed the fort and killed a third of the soldiers. Washington had to surrender and leave. Later, a general named Edward Braddock traveled to Pittsburgh and was ambushed. This event resulted in the loss of nearly two thousand soldiers. The French and Indians captured forts, fought soldiers, and killed settlers for two years. The British fought back and captured five thousand French settlers, took their land, removed them, and sold their land to other New England settlers. Both sides fought.