The Elusive West and the Contest for Empire, 1713-1763 (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press)

A truly continental history in both its geographic and political scope, The Elusive West and the Contest for Empire, 1713-1763 investigates eighteenth-century diplomacy involving North America and links geographic ignorance about the American West to Europeans' grand geopolitical designs. Breaking from scholars' traditional focus on the Atlantic world, Paul W. Mapp demonstrates the centrality of hitherto understudied western regions to early American history and shows that a Pacific focus is crucial to understanding the causes, course, and consequences of the Seven Years' War. A Truly Continental History In Both Its Geographic And Political Scope, The Elusive West And The Contest For Empire Investigates Eighteenth-century Diplomacy Involving North America And Links Geographic Ignorance About The American West To Europeans' Grand Geopolitical Designs. Breaking From Scholars' Traditional Focus On The Atlantic World, Paul Mapp Demonstrates The Centrality Of Hitherto Understudied Western Regions To Early American History. In The First Two-thirds Of The Eighteenth Century, Imperial Officials In London, Paris, Or Madrid Knew Very Little About Western North America. Yet Europeans' Competition To Gain Access To The Pacific Ocean And Control Trade To The Far East Enhanced The Importance Of Western American Territories. Mapp Reconstructs French, Spanish, British, And Amerindian Ideas About These Unknown Regions, Especially The Elusive Northwest Passage, And Shows That A Pacific Focus Is Crucial To Understanding The Causes, Course, And Consequences Of The Seven Years' War. Mapp's Work Serves As A Model For Constructing A Comprehensive Colonial History Of The Continent. His Book Transcends Artificially Imposed Boundaries Of Scholarly Inquiry That Did Not Exist In The Diverse And Interconnected Early Modern World And Relates Remote Pacific Regions To The Atlantic Aspects Of The Global Seven Years' War.--publisher's Description. The Spanish Empire And The Elusive West. Peoples And Terrain, Difficulties And Disappointments -- Exploiting Indigenous Geographic Understanding -- South Sea Interlude. The Alluring Pacific Ocean -- The Pacific Ocean And The War Of The Spanish Succession -- France And The Elusive West After The Treaty Of Utrecht. Visions Of Western Louisiana -- Imperial Comparisons -- Communication And Interpretation -- Restricted Pathways -- British Pacific Adventures And The Early Years Of The Seven Years' War. British Designs On The Spanish Empire, 1713-1748 -- French Reactions To The British Search For A Northwest Passage From Hudson Bay And The Origins Of The Seven Years' War -- Spanish Reactions To British Pacific Encroachments, 1750-1757 -- French Borderlands Encroachments And Spanish Neutrality -- The Elusive West And The Outcome Of The Seven Years' War -- French Geographic Conceptions And The 1762 Western Louisiana Cession -- Spain's Acceptance Of Trans-mississippi Louisiana -- Old Visions And New Opportunities: Britain And The Spanish Empire At The End Of The Seven Years' War. Paul W. Mapp. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This is a truly continental history in both its geographic and political scope. The book investigates 18th-century diplomacy involving North America and links geographic ignorance about the American West to Europeans' grand geopolitical designs