The Seven Years War, a global
conflict known in America as
the French and Indian War, officially begins when England
declares war on France .
However, fighting and skirmishes between England
and France had been going on
in North America for years.
In the early 1750s, French
expansion into the Ohio
River valley repeatedly brought France
into armed conflict with the British colonies. In 1756--the first official year
of fighting in the Seven Years War--the British suffered a series of defeats
against the French and their broad network of Native
American alliances. However, in 1757, British Prime Minister William
Pitt recognized the potential of imperial expansion that would come out of
victory against the French and borrowed heavily to fund an expanded war effort.
Pitt financed Prussia 's
struggle against France and her allies in Europe and reimbursed the colonies
for the raising of armies in North America .
By 1760, the French had been
expelled from Canada , and by
1763 all of France 's allies
in Europe had either made a separate peace with Prussia or had been defeated. In
addition, Spanish attempts to aid France
in the Americas had failed,
and France also suffered
defeats against British forces in India .
The Seven Years War ended with
the signing of the treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris in February 1763. In the
Treaty of Paris, France lost all claims to Canada
and gave Louisiana
to Spain , while Britain received Spanish Florida, Upper Canada , and various French holdings
overseas. The treaty ensured the colonial and maritime supremacy of Britain and
strengthened the 13 American colonies by removing their European rivals to the
north and the south. Fifteen years later, French bitterness over the loss of
most of their colonial empire contributed to their intervention in the American
Revolution on the side of the Patriots.
What were the
effects of The Seven Years War ?
The effects of
the war helped propel the country of Britain into one of the world's
leading colonial powers. In the time following the war, Britain took power over parts of Africa, India , America ,
Canada , the Middle East and many other significant territories in the
world. If not for their victory in the Seven Years War, Britain would
have never had the power to invade so many other countries. Our world has been
remarkably shaped by Britain 's
conquests, and they are largely due to the impacts of the war.
The effects of the Seven Years'
War can also be seen in India .
The 1800's could have been a remarkably prosperous time for the country. Britain
took over India soon after
the war ended and began a quite lengthy stretch of military rule that prevented
India
from progressing into the 20th century. The Seven Years' War was, in every way,
a detriment to India 's
advances in government, politics and culture. If not for the war, India would be
much better off today.
The history of the United States
has also been grossly affected by the war, too. In the late 1700's, Britain took control over many parts of America that
were once owned by the French. Because of their takeover, countless events have
ocurred that never would have happened if not for the British. One example is
the Revolutionary War, one of the most influential wars ever. If not for the
Seven Years' War, and Britain 's
victory, America
would be distinctly altered from what it is today.