Why was America important to both sides in the conflict between England and France, and what role did the Americans hope to play in the struggle?"

The Americas were important to both England and France throughout the 17th, 18th and into the 19th centuries. The two countries fought one another in two major conflicts at this time including the Seven Years' War (called the French and Indian War) as well as the American Revolution. During the French and Indian War there were territorial disputes between England and France who vied for control of important fur trading lands outside of the original 13 colonies and the prestige and power that came from having territorial control in the Americas at that time. Also during the American Revolution the French fought on the side of the colonists to weaken Britain both in there territorial claims of land in the Americas as well as their power in the European continent.