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Michelle
The French and Indian War, fought due to territorial conflicts throughout the new world, and pre-existing tensions in Europe, was the major cause of the American Revolutionary War, as well as the beginning of American westward expansion. The statement: "The French and Indian War was the most significant war fought on North American Soil" is accurate because this conflict, and its consequences were ultimately what propelled Americans to fight for their independance and win it.
The French and Indian War, known as the 7 Years War in Europe, drained Britain's resources and caused them to spiral into a terrible depression, putting them into a 73 million pound debt. Meanwhile, America benefited from all wartime expenditures because of England's dependance on their resources. This contrast in the two economies caused George Grenville, England's newly elected Prime Minister, to look to the thriving western colonies for a solution to the recession; He decided to impose excessive taxation laws such as the Sugar, Currency, and Stamp Acts on the colonies without their consent.
The Stamp act, specifically, caused the colonists to feel oppressed by their mother country, and brought about the phrase "No Taxation Without Representation" meaning that if the colonies were to be taxed, their interests should be at least represented in some way in Parliament, which at the time were not being addressed. Furthermore, this phrase became a common exclamation during the revolution which occurred less than a decade later. This made the French and Indian War an indirect, yet major cause of the American Revolution and therefore a reason for which America became its own country shortly after.
In addition, the French and Indian War prepared the American militia for Revolutionary War by giving the small Colonial Army direct experience in combat. Unlike many...