Apart from "The Last of the Mohicans," most Americans know little of the French and Indian War-also known as the Seven Years' War-and yet it remains one of the most fascinating periods in our history. In "The War That Made America," Anderson provides a vivid look at arguably the most pivotal war in early American history. He deftly shows how the expansion of the British colonies into French territory in the 1750s and the ongoing Native American struggle for survival would erupt into seven years of bloodshed and unrest spreading from the backwoods of Pennsylvania to the high courts of Europe, eventually overturning the balance of power on two continents and laying the groundwork for the American Revolution. This is the story of how America as we know it today emerged from a series of fractured colonies and warring tribes into a nation ripe for independence.

Tie-in with the PBS DVD documentary television miniseries and the book by Fred Anderson with the same title. This audiobook is encoded in MP3 format and will only play on CD players that are MP3 compatible.

Prologue: New York, July 1776 / Part 1. The end of a long peace. A delicate balance -- The half king's dilemma -- Confrontation on the Ohio -- "Thou art not yet dead, my father" / Part 2. La guerre sauvage. Intervention -- Braddock's march -- A lake defended, a province purged -- La guerre sauvage -- The European War begins -- The making of a "massacre" / Part 3. Turning point. The ascent of William Pitt -- The red cross of Carillon -- Louisbourg -- Colonel Bradstreet's coup -- Makers of war, makers of peace -- General Forbes's last campaign -- Reckonings / Part 4. Conquests and consequences. A shift in the balance -- Incident at La Belle Famille -- General Amherst hesitates -- The plains of Abraham -- "A mighty empire" -- The Spanish gambit -- Peace -- Insurrection -- Crisis and resolution -- A patriot's progress / Epilogue : legacies.