As the 18th century dawned on the North American continent, four powers - the French, the Spanish, the British and the Native Americans were competing to see who would control this remarkable land. However after half a century of almost continuous wars, a new entity emerged: The Americans. It would be the Americans, and not the other four powers, who would control what would become the United States. By the end of the 18th century the Americans had created the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever seen.
