The globe’s first true world war comes vividly to life in this rich, cautionary tale” (The New York Times Book Review) The French and Indian War —the North American phase of a far larger conflagration, the Seven Years’ War—remains one of the most important, and yet misunderstood, episodes in American history. Fred Anderson takes readers on a remarkable journey through the vast conflict that, between 1755 and 1763, destroyed the French Empire in North America, overturned the balance of power on two continents, undermined the ability of Indian nations to determine their destinies, and lit the long fuse” of the American Revolution. Beautifully illustrated and recounted by an expert storyteller, The War That Made Americais required reading for anyone interested in the ways in which war has shaped the history of America and its peoples.

Fred Anderson is professor of history at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is the author of several books, including Crucible of War, which won the Francis Parkman and Mark Lynton prizes.