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A wonderful map of the situation in North America at the beginning of the French & Indian War. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the French, who claimed the entire watersheds of the Mississippi and St. Lawrence Rivers--which included the Great Lakes and the Ohio River valley--became worried about British encroachments into this region and so they moved to set up a series of forts in the area, a move countered by the British with their own forts. In 1754 this conflict resulted in fighting in western Pennsylvania, and this escalated the following year, leading to a declaration of war in 1756. This wonderful map is dated right at the beginning of this conflict, though it was not issued in an atlas until 1769. It highlights the nature of the French & Indian War. The British colonies along the Atlantic coast are highlighter in green, while the French in the North and west of the Mississippi are shown in red. The region in between, the area of conflict, is shown is a slightly different green shade, graphically presenting the heart of the war. Details of rivers, settlements, and some orography are presented, including precise delineations of the forts of both the French and English in the disputed territories. This information is based on John Mitchell's great map of North America, issued the same year, which was by far the best picture of North American available at the time. As a contemporary, detailed and accurate snapshot of America at the beginning of this important war, this is a most desirable map. Its attractive presentation is a wonderful added bonus.