- The French and Indian War breaks out.
- Great Britain captures French settlements in Acadia and Newfoundland.
- The British also capture Fort Duquesne in the Ohio Valley.
1755:
- The British capture Fort Beausejour in Acadia.
- The British deport approximately 10,000 Acadians from Nova Scotia.
1756:
- Great Britain declares war on France.
- The French declare war on Great Britain.
1758:
- The British capture Louisbourg, a major French fortress on Cape Breton Island.
- The British also capture Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario.
1759:
- The British capture Quebec City, the capital of French Canada.
1760:
- The British capture Montreal, completing their conquest of Canada.
- The French sign the Treaty of Paris, ending the French and Indian War.
1763:
- Great Britain gains control of French Louisiana, including the city of New Orleans.
- Great Britain establishes the Province of West Florida, which includes the present-day states of Alabama and Mississippi.
1768:
- The French sign the Treaty of Fontainebleau, ceding Louisiana to Spain.
1769:
- The Spanish take control of Louisiana.
1773:
- The Spanish establish the city of New Orleans as the capital of Louisiana.