1759

Description:

History would have been different if not for the events of 1759. It was the fourth year of the Seven Years', or the French-and-Indian, War, and crucial victories against the French in the first truly global conflict laid the foundations of British supremacy throughout the world for the next hundred years. The defeat of the French not only paved the way for the global hegemony of the English language but also made the emergence of the United States possible. Guiding us through England's often extremely narrow victories in India, North America, and the Caribbean, McLynn controversially suggests that the birth of the British Empire was more a result of luck than of rigorous planning. McLynn includes anecdotes of the intellectual and cultural leaders of the day--Swedenborg, Hume, Voltaire--and sources ranging from the Vatican archives to oral histories of Native Americans.--From publisher description.

subjects: Military History,  Seven Years' War, 1756-1763,  Colonies,  Foreign relations,  History,  France, foreign relations, great britain,  France, history, 18th century,  Great britain, colonies, history,  Great britain, foreign relations, france,  Great britain, history, 1714-1837,  Great britain, history, military,  Causes,  Influence,  Siebenjähriger Krieg,  Au enpolitik,  Seven years' war, 1756-1763,  France, history, military,  British colonies,  French colonies

Places: Great Britain,  France,  Gro britannien,  Frankreich

Times: 18th century,  1727-1760,  Louis XV, 1715-1774,  George II, 1727-1760