European imperialist economies created incredible competition for resources - leading to tremendous violence between these powers, and oppression of indigenous people around the world. In North America, Great Britain had settled much of the east coast north of Spain’s Florida colony and south of colonial New France. Given the close proximity of so many rivals with overlapping territorial ambitions, as well as the Native Americans caught up in this strife, lethal weapons were commonplace and violent conflict was inevitable. Control of the Forks of the Ohio was critical to both the British and French empires. A young George Washington led British forces at the Battle of Jumonville Glen, on May 28, 1754 - launching the two colonies into the French and Indian War.
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