The year 1763 witnessed the end of the Seven Years’ War, known in America as the French and Indian War.Beginning in 1756, it was the first global conflict. With almost one million casualties, the fighting took place in India, Europe, the New World, and Africa.It witnessed the triumph of the British, as they took territory throughout the world, solidified their control over India and became the world’s greatest power. However, the victory was at a high cost to the British. The national debt doubled, leaving the country almost bankrupt, and creating a rising tension between the inhabitants of the 13 colonies, the future United States, in British North America and the imperial British government in London. Prussia and Russia also emerged as a European powers at the expense of the French, who lost most of their North American territory and weakened the monarchy. At the same time, the British were becoming more isolated from the European alliance system.

These two hundred years were about continuity and change. The food people ate quickly changed. Most perspectives remained local and people lived in small villages but the world became increasingly global with new trade routes, an integrated Atlantic economy (but expanding to Asia) and the mass movement of people, often forced, worked to transform the world.