Seven Years' War Books

About Seven Years' War

The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that spanned Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia, making it one of the first truly world wars. In Europe, the war involved major powers such as Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. It was primarily sparked by the rivalry between Britain and France over colonial dominance and between Austria and Prussia over territorial disputes. In North America, it is known as the French and Indian War, where British colonists and troops clashed with French forces and their Native American allies over control of the Ohio Valley. On the European front, Prussia, under Frederick the Great, faced a coalition of Austria, Russia, and France, managing to survive against overwhelming odds due to his military brilliance and shifting alliances. Key battles included Plassey in India, Quebec in Canada, and Rossbach in Europe. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 marked the end of the war and radically redrew the global map: France ceded Canada and much of its Indian territories to Britain, while Spain, which had joined the war on France’s side, gave Florida to Britain in exchange for Havana. The war established Britain as the world's preeminent colonial and naval power. However, the enormous cost of the war contributed to political and financial instability in France, sowing seeds for the French Revolution. For the American colonies, the war’s end marked a turning point, as British efforts to recoup war costs through taxation would later spark the American Revolution.