Wars and Conflicts in American History

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War is defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as “1.a. as a state of usually open and declared hostile conflict between states or nations; a period of such armed conflict; 2.a. a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism; b. a struggle or competition between opposing forces.” War has been a part of this great nation since the beginning. The Seven Years’ War, The Revolutionary War, and The Civil War were some of the bloodiest battles ever fought over the years in the United States. Let’s take a walk through history and look at why these wars were fought, the courses they each took, and the impact they had on the United States today.

The Seven Years War, or the French and Indian War to the American colonists, was considered to be the first true World War. This war was one of the major conflicts in history since the fall of Rome. The war was fought around the world; in Europe, North America as well as India, the conflict mainly due to ongoing hostilities and struggles of absolute rule between Great Britain and France. The conflict beginning in 1754 was a dispute over land in the Ohio Valley being claimed by Virginians, the French and Native Americans that were already living there. By 1755, the frontier had turned into a mobilization of British and American troops against the French. The British hoped for a quick victory, but the French were prepared to fight and became allies with many of the tribes from Canada spreading clear into the Ohio Valley. The march west was the first of many disasters for the British; with Washington, the Virginia soldiers, and General Braddock leading 2,000 troops deep in to the back country where they were ambushed by French soldiers and many indian warriors from several tribes; thousa...

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...e Federal government.

The wars were caused by conflicting pressures, concepts, ideas, and prejudices, fueled by our differences and pride, and were set into motion by an unlikely set of political events, and all the wars had a part in transforming the country; economically, politically, and socially leading to the reconstruction of this great nation. The war caused an increase of prosperity of the north and the collapse of the south’s entire society.As we have looked back at why these wars were fought, the courses they each took, and the impact they had on the United States today, we have discovered that even through all the wars there has been one quality that has surpassed the hands of time, and have seen repeated throughout American history; it’s the American peoples’ willingness to fight for our freedom.

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