The Seven Years’ War

David Ziegler

Social 20-1

• For centuries, France and England had been at war trying to establish themselves as the worlds leading nation, the Seven Years’ War was the final conflict in this bloody competition, fought in Europe, North America, and other colonies throughout Africa and Asia, this was the first global war.

• The British were allied with Prussia and Hanover, while the French were allied with Austria, Sweden, Saxony, Russia, and eventually Spain

• The European stage of war began with Fredrick the Great of Prussia’s invasion of Saxony. The fighting in North America had began two years earlier when George Washington ambushed a small French detachment.

The war had now began on all fronts

European Theatre

• The British’s aim was to destroy the French Navy and acquire the French Colonies, thus eliminating France as a commercial rival. With Fredrick the Greats army fighting the French and it allies in Europe, the British were free to dispatch a majority of its troops to North America. The French however had its resources stuck in Europe defending Austria.

North American Theatre

• The British planned a four pronged attack against the French against Fort Beausejour, their forts along Lake Champlain, and Niagara, and Fort Duquesne. The only British successes were at Fort Beausejour and Acadia.

Plains of Abraham

• Major James Wolfe of the British, and his troops, scaled a cliff to meet General Montcalm and his French militia. The French attack was broke by British infantry fire, the French retreated in disorder. This battle is viewed as one of the most pivotal for the British’s eventual control over New France.

The Treaty of Paris

• After all the wars, and the fall of Quebec, the Treaty of Paris was signed by the English, French, and Spanish. With the Treaty, the British acquired Ile Royale, Quebec, the east bank of the Mississippi, and Florida. France retained fishing rights in Newfoundland, and the Gulf of St Lawrence, as well as Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Nationalism

• Once the British took control of Quebec, the people felt that their way of life was threatened, they held onto their customs and beliefs, refusing to be assimilated into English culture. They were ruled by an English king, but they were completely French and they didn’t plan on forgetting that.

Bibliography

• http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=a1ARTA0007300

• Google Images

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Indian_War