The imrpoved agricultural techniques, such as the three field system, the climate change, and the horse plows. These effected Western Europe during the middle ages because the three field system produced better crops, the climate opened more land to farming, and the horse plows allowed faster harvesting. This made life a lot easier for farmers.
Thomas Jefferson. Now I just have to make this "at least 20 characters to explain it well". I'm not entirely sure how to explain Thomas Jefferson more though.
The French and Indian War began in 1754 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over subsequent frontier policy and paying the wars expenses led to colonial discontent, and ultimately to the American Revolution.