Final answer:
Before the French and Indian War, France, Britain, and Spain were the three main countries claiming territories in North America, competing for control over various regions including Canada, the eastern seaboard, and parts of the Midwest and Southwest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before the French and Indian War, the three countries that wanted to claim over North America were France, Britain, and Spain. The geopolitical landscape of North America prior to the war was a mix of imperial ambitions with these European powers establishing colonies and occasionally engaging in conflicts to assert their claims. Spain, having been one of the earliest European powers to explore and colonize parts of the Americas, including Florida and the Southwest, was one of the contenders. France had established colonies in Canada, Louisiana, and parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes region, known as New France. Britain's presence was predominantly along the eastern seaboard with the 13 colonies and in parts of what is now Canada. The Dutch also had a foothold in the region known as New Netherland, which included parts of modern-day New York and New Jersey, though this region was eventually seized by the English. The rivalry for control intensified in the mid-1750s, leading to the outbreak of the French and Indian War, which ultimately decided the fate of the French colonies in North America.