Seven Years' War

Examples of Seven Years' War in the following topics:

• A Global War

  • Although the question of whether the Seven Years' War was the first world war remains ambiguous, the war marked a shift in the European balance of power that shaped the world far beyond Europe.
  • The Seven Years' War was a world war fought between 1754 and 1763, the main conflict occurring in the seven-year period from 1756 to 1763.
  • Because of its span and global impact, some historians have argued that the Seven Years' War was the first world war (it took place almost 160 years before World War I).
  • The Seven Years' War influenced many major events later around the globe.
  • Assess the claim that the Seven Years' War was the first world war

• The Diplomatic Revolution

  • The diplomatic revolution of 1756 was the reversal of longstanding alliances in Europe between the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, when Austria went from an ally of Britain to an ally of France, and Prussia became an ally of Britain.
  • This change in European alliances was a prelude to the Seven Years' War.
  • Austria's actions alerted Frederick, who decided to strike first by invading Saxony, commencing the Seven Years' War (1756–1763).
  • This map shows Europe in the years after the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle 1748 and the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).
  • The fragile peace eventually resulted in the diplomatic revolution and collapsed when the Seven Years' War began only eight years after the treaty was signed.

• Events of the War

  • The Seven Years' War was a world war fought between 1756 and 1763 that involved every European great power of the time except the Ottoman Empire, spanned five continents, and affected Europe, the Americas, West Africa, India, and the Philippines.
  • The Seven Years' War was a world war fought between 1754 and 1763, the main conflict occurring in the seven-year period from 1756 to 1763.
  • In French-speaking Canada, it is known as the War of the Conquest, while it is called the Seven Years' War in English-speaking Canada (North America, 1754–1763), Pomeranian War (with Sweden and Prussia, 1757–1762), Third Carnatic War (on the Indian subcontinent, 1757–1763), and Third Silesian War (with Prussia and Austria, 1756–1763).
  • All the participants of the Seven Years' War: [blue] Great Britain, Prussia, Portugal, with allies; [green] France, Spain, Austria, Russia, Sweden with allies.
  • The Seven Years' War is sometimes considered the first true world war.

• The Treaty of Paris (1763)

  • The Treaty of Paris of 1763 between Great Britain, France, and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, formally ended the Seven Years' War and marked the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe.
  • The Treaty of Paris, also known as the Treaty of 1763, was signed on February 10, 1763 by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France, and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, after Great Britain's victory over France and Spain during the Seven Years' War.
  • The signing of the treaty formally ended the Seven Years' War, known as the French and Indian War in the North American theater, and marked the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe.
  • Together with the Treaty of Paris, it marked the end of the Seven Years' War.
  • Through the Treaty of Paris, Great Britain emerged as the world’s chief colonial empire, which was its primary goal in the war, and France lost most of its overseas possessions.

• Territorial Losses

  • Louis XV's controversial decision following the War of the Austrian Succession and his loss in the Seven Years' War weakened the international position of France that lost most of its colonial holdings.
  • The war would last seven years and Fleury did not live to see its end.
  • In 1756, Frederick the Great invaded Saxony without a declaration of war, initiating the Seven Years' War, and Britain declared war on France.
  • The French military successes of the War of the Austrian Succession were not repeated in the Seven Years' War, except for a few temporary victories.
  • In the aftermath of the lost Seven Years' War, France lost most of its colonial holdings in North America and some, although not all, of its colonies in the Caribbean.

• The Seven Kings

  • For its first 200 years, Rome was ruled by seven kings, each of whom is credited either with establishing a key Roman tradition or constructing an important building.
  • The first 200 years of Roman history occurred under a monarchy.
  • Tullus waged war against Alba Longa, Fidenae and Veii, and the Sabines.
  • Like his father-in-law before him, Servius fought successful wars against the Etruscans.
  • Explain the significance of the Seven Kings of Rome to Roman culture

• The Eastern Zhou Period

  • In the Warring States period, strong states fought each other in large-scale war.
  • The first part of the Eastern Zhou period is known as the Spring and Autumn period, named after the Spring and Autumn Annals, a text that narrated events on a year-by-year basis, and marked the beginning of China's deliberately recorded history.
  • By the end of 5th century BCE, the feudal system was consolidated into seven prominent and powerful states—Han, Wei, Zhao, Yue, Chu, Qi, and Qin—and China entered the Warring States period, when each state vied for complete control.
  • The partition of the Jin state created seven major warring states.
  • This map shows the Warring States late in the period.

• The Peace of Westphalia and Sovereignty

  • The treaties ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the independence of the Dutch Republic.
  • Two destructive wars were the major triggers behind signing the eventual Peace of Westphalia: the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic.
  • The Thirty Years' War was a series of wars in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648.
  • They were eventually able to oust the Habsburg armies, and in 1581 they established the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands.
  • After a 12-year truce, hostilities broke out again around 1619, which coincided with the Thirty Years' War.

• The Warring States Period

  • Over the course of the Spring and Autumn period, regional feudal lords consolidated and absorbed smaller powers; by 476 BCE, seven prominent states were left, all led by individual kings.
  • The king by now was powerless, and the rulers of the seven independent states began to refer to themselves as kings as well.
  • This led to nearly 250 years of inconclusive warfare that became larger and larger in scale.
  • The Rise of the Qin State and Resolution of the Warring States Period
  • Demonstrate understanding of the main characteristics of the Warring States period

• Republican Wars and Conquest

  • The first Roman Republican wars were wars of both expansion and defense, aimed at protecting Rome from neighboring cities and nations, as well as establishing its territory in the region.
  • The First Samnite War, of 343 BCE-341 BCE, was a relatively short affair.
  • Seven years after their defeat, with Roman dominance of the area seemingly assured, the Samnites rose again and defeated a Roman army in 298 BCE, to open the Third Samnite War.
  • While Beneventum's outcome was indecisive, it led to Pyrrhus's complete withdrawal from Italy, due to the decimation of his army following years of foreign campaigns, and the diminishing likelihood of further material gains.
  • Before the First Punic War, there was essentially no Roman navy.