Seven Years War (1756-1763)

BACKGROUND - EUROPE

Diplomatic Revolution - shifting alliances in Europe

See Diplomatic Revolution post

• France and Britain continue to be rivals

• Prussia and Austria continue to be rivals

• But France shifts alliance from Prussia to Austria

• And Britain shifts alliance from Austria to Prussia

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WARS

(Seven Years War was 1st global war)

EUROPEAN - SEVEN YEARS WAR

• Continuation of the War of Austrian Succession

• Conflict began when Frederick II (Prussia) overran Saxony 1756

• Frederick's action activated the coalition (France, Austria, Russia, Sweden)

• Coalition closed in on Frederick

• Elizabeth (Russia) died 1762

• Succeeded by weak Peter III (who liked Frederick)

• Russia pulled out of war.

• The rest of the powers distrusted each other and were tired of war

• The coalition fell apart and war ended.

• Peace in 1763

• Prussia returned Saxony to Austria

• Austrians recognized Prussian control over Silesia (taken in War of Austrian Succession)

NORTH AMERICA - FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR

• While fighting taking place in Europe, France and Britain fighting in North America

• France and Britain competing over the Ohio Valley.

• French strengthened their position

• By building forts along the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and Mississippi

• But France concentrated efforts in Europe

• While British left fighting in Europe to Prussians

• War began 1755

• When British attacked French stronghold near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

WAR IN INDIA

• French East India Company and British East India Company

• Competing for trade in India

• Both trying to take advantage of declining power of the Mughals (India's Muslim rulers)

• By making alliances with competing princes

• By 1715, India had split into bickering independent kingdoms.

• At stake: colonial dominance and millions of sterling in trade.

• After 1756

• Battle between Fr. and Br. in India coalesced with Seven Years War in Europe

• Again France concentrated on battle in Europe.

• End

• British crushed French

• Subdued resisting Indian states and strengthened its power

• In 1858, British crown ruled India directly

• No longer ruled through British East India Company

• Called the British Raj

CARIBBEAN

• British naval power overwhelmed the French and their Spanish allies in the Caribbean

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END OF WAR

• War ends with Peace of Paris 1763

• France's navy was crippled by the war

• Prussia: Frederick the Great's reputation went up

• But Prussia weakened because of battles

• Territorial shifts

• Europe

• Austria not able to take Silesia

• But stopped Prussia from taking Saxony

• Territory back to status quo ante bellum (status before the war)

• North America

• France gave up territories in mainland North America

• British got Quebec

• Louisiana divided at Mississippi River: west to Spain, east to British

• Spanish Florida to British

• India

• Britain returned French trading ports but French fortifications were destroyed

• Caribbean

• Spain gets Cuba and gives up Florida

• France keeps West Indian colonies of Martinique and Guadeloupe