Why was the French and Indian war important?

I would say that one of the reasons why the French and Indian War is important is because it established the basis for the American Revolution.

The colonists greatly assisted the British during the French and Indian War. This support came in the form of military and economic commitment to the British cause.  With the successful conclusion to the war, the colonists expected gratitude from the British.

There was a great deal of surprise when the British reaction was quite the opposite.  Once the French and Indian War ended, the British were in need of financial replenishment. They needed to find a source of income that could help pay for the war against the French and Native Americans.  The British began to tax the colonists much more in order to pay for the war.  British control over the colonists rose as a result of the French and Indian War.

This caused greater anger within the colonies. They perceived the British increase in taxation as ingratitude for the support the colonists offered.  It increased resentment and mistrust of the British.  As a whole, the colonists had difficulty accepting the British impositions on daily life.  The French and Indian War established the uneasiness that would eventually lead to the American Revolution.