The Second Hundred Years War

The Second Hundred years war is actually a struggle that gave rise to the united states and shaped the history of the United state and shaped the history of the united states all the way through the early 19th century.  First of all, technically it’s the 126 years war.  It was a struggle between Britain and france for domination not only in Europe and North America, but in other areas of the world.  It consists of not one war but 7 sets of wars, broken up by periods of peace with varying degrees of tension as far as each side being prepared to fight the next war.  Each set of wars contained one war in Europe and one war in North America.  

First Three Sets of Wars

The first 3 sets of wars began in 1689 and ran through 1748 and in North America include, King William’s War, King Anne’s War, and King George’s war.  These were Wars that were fought primarily from the St Lawrence river valley in what is today Canada through to new England and into the eastern part of New York.  these were just wars for Territory and did not involve any strategic implications that that.  These Wars Resulted in Territorial gain either by Britain or France at the end of each war.  

The Fourth Set of Wars

The fourth set of wars, which included the French and Indian war, Changed the Map of North America and is one of the most significant wars in the early history of North America and even the United States.  It resulted in Britain taking control of all of the French Colonies and splitting them with Spain.  

The Fifth Set of Wars : The American Revolution

This lead to the American Revolutionary War, which was the fifth set of wars.  This is a struggle between not only Britain and the 13 Colonies but also involving other nations of Europe including France.  France used this war as an opportunity to get back at Britain.  The United States did secure its independence through the Revolutionary war, the fifth set in this series of wars between Britain and France, but France did not gain what it sought to regain from Britain after losing their two colonies in the french and Indian War.  

The Sixth and Seventh Set of Wars

In the 6th and 7th set of wars the United states played a peripheral role.  The 6th set was actually a set of wars revolving around the french revolution, and they ultimately lead to the rise of Napoleon, which was the 7th and concluding set of wars, the Napoleonic wars.

The War of 1812 and the United State’s Destiny of Expansion

The U.S. Counterpart to that was the War of 1812, which was a struggle between

Britain and the United states for territory, for sovereignty, and even for U.S. respect.  This war was a draw from the perspective of the united states, but it paved the way for the united states to be able to advance westward and realize it’s destiny of reaching the pacific ocean by the middle of the 19th century.  Also, since the Napoleonic wars  left Europe free of any general wars till 1914 the united states could concentrate on its own destiny without having to worry about what went on in Europe during that period of time.  These wars represent the crucible of the United State and shaped the united states to the nation that it would become.  A vast continental power spread across North America.           

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