William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who achieved his greatest fame as Secretary of State during the Seven Years' War, as known in Great Britain and Canada and who was later Prime Minister of Great Britain. He is often known as William Pitt, the Elder to distinguish him from his son, William Pitt the Younger. He was also known as The Great Commoner. In addition to the major American city of Pittsburgh being named after him, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and Chatham County, North Carolina, and the communities of Pittsburg, New Hampshire and Chatham, New Jersey, as well as Chatham University in Pennsylvania are all named in his honour.