France and England in North America, Part VII, Vol 1: A Half-Century of Conflict

"France and England in North America, Part VII, Vol 1: A Half-Century of Conflict" by Francis Parkman is a historical account written in the late 19th century. This work examines the complex relationships and conflicts between the French and British empires in North America during the 17th and early 18th centuries, focusing particularly on military struggles, colonization efforts, and the impact of these dynamics on Indigenous peoples. Parkman’s narrative is rooted in original documents, aiming to provide an accurate portrayal of the tensions that shaped the continent. The beginning of this volume sets the stage for the War of the Spanish Succession, highlighting the political ambitions of Louis XIV of France and the unprepared state of the British colonies. It discusses the contrasting military strategies proposed by French officials, including plans to invade New England, and the contrasting call for peace from others in Acadia. The narrative touches on the tribal dynamics involving the Five Nations Iroquois and the French aim to secure their alliances. Through vivid descriptions, Parkman outlines the early military and political landscape that would lead to a resurgence of hostilities as the conflict between France and England unfolded in North America. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Francis Parkman Jr. was an American historian, best known as author of The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky-Mountain Life and his monumental seven-volume France and England in North America. These works are still valued as historical sources and as literature. He was also a leading horticulturist, briefly a professor of horticulture at Harvard University and author of several books on the topic. Parkman wrote essays opposed to legal voting for women that continued to circulate long after his death. Parkman was a trustee of the Boston Athenæum from 1858 until his death in 1893.