The Seven Years The Seven Years WarWar

The War of Austrian Succession ended in 1748 with the Peace The War of Austrian Succession ended in 1748 with the Peace of Aix-La-Chapelleof Aix-La-Chapelle..

An uneasy peace held for almost eight years.An uneasy peace held for almost eight years.

Maria Theresa was determined Maria Theresa was determined to gain her province back.to gain her province back.

Frederick the Great Frederick the Great wanted to hold onto wanted to hold onto Silesia.Silesia.

The Seven Years War began in The Seven Years War began in America--America--

BritishBritish troops tried to troops tried to take take FrenchFrench Fort Fort Duquesne in Duquesne in the Ohio the Ohio Valley and Valley and were were repulsed.repulsed.

I could hear the I could hear the bullets whizzing bullets whizzing close by. . .and close by. . .and

believe me believe me when I tell you when I tell you

that there is that there is something something

sweet in that sweet in that sound.sound.

----George George WashingtonWashington

When hostilities broke out in North America, When hostilities broke out in North America, Great BritainGreat Britain sought to protect their interests on the Continent. sought to protect their interests on the Continent. PrussiaPrussia was was

persuaded to guarantee the neutrality of persuaded to guarantee the neutrality of HanoverHanover, an area , an area vulnerable to the vulnerable to the FrenchFrench..

This treaty This treaty prompted prompted Austria Austria andand FranceFrance to form to form an alliance—an alliance—engineered by engineered by Count KaunitzCount Kaunitz, , the Austrian the Austrian foreign minister.foreign minister.

Louis, Grandson of King Louis XV

Marie Antoinette, Daughter of Empress Maria Theresa

In France, King Louis XV and his mistress, In France, King Louis XV and his mistress, Madame de Pompadour, also agreed to the Madame de Pompadour, also agreed to the

alliance.alliance.

This is called the This is called the diplomatic revolutiondiplomatic revolution, ,

or the or the reversal of the alliances.reversal of the alliances.

Aligned with AustriaAustrian EmpireFranceHoly Roman Empire RussiaSaxony SpainSweden

The Diplomatic RevolutionThe Diplomatic Revolution

Aligned with Prussia

Hanover Great Britain Portugal

RussiaRussia allied itself with allied itself with AustriaAustria, to , to prevent prevent PrussiaPrussia from expanding to the from expanding to the

easteast..

Frederick the Great’s only useful ally was Frederick the Great’s only useful ally was BritainBritain—already quite busy in its territories in —already quite busy in its territories in

the New World.the New World.

The war began in Europe with Frederick’s The war began in Europe with Frederick’s invasion of Bohemia—when he was pushed back, invasion of Bohemia—when he was pushed back,

he attacked Saxony.he attacked Saxony.

At first, Frederick was stunningly At first, Frederick was stunningly successful. successful.

Battle of Leuthen

Battle of Rossbach

In the new world, the In the new world, the French French were successful in were successful in seeking the alliance of the Indian leaders—seeking the alliance of the Indian leaders—

hence, this war is called the hence, this war is called the French and Indian French and Indian WarWar in North America. in North America.

In 1758, In 1758, LouisburgLouisburg, the great fort that had been , the great fort that had been captured and returned by the British during the captured and returned by the British during the War of Austrian Succession, was captured once War of Austrian Succession, was captured once

again.again.

And in 1759, French Canada fell to the And in 1759, French Canada fell to the British in the British in the Battle of QuebecBattle of Quebec on the on the

Plains of AbrahamPlains of Abraham..

Both British Both British General WolfeGeneral Wolfe and French and French General MontcalmGeneral Montcalm were killed in the Battle of were killed in the Battle of

Quebec.Quebec.

BritainBritain also captured the Caribbean islands of also captured the Caribbean islands of GuadeloupeGuadeloupe and and Martinique Martinique and the French and the French

slave forts in Africa.slave forts in Africa.

Both these islands were highly prized because of their sugar Both these islands were highly prized because of their sugar

cane plantations.cane plantations.

Meanwhile, on the continent…Meanwhile, on the continent…

Frederick the Great’s fortunes begin to Frederick the Great’s fortunes begin to change.change.

In November of 1759, an entire Prussian Army In November of 1759, an entire Prussian Army was captured by the Austrians, with Russian was captured by the Austrians, with Russian

help. 13,000 men surrendered. help. 13,000 men surrendered.

In October, 1760, the In October, 1760, the Russians Russians took took Berlin.Berlin.

Frederick’s Frederick’s situation became situation became

critical when critical when British Foreign British Foreign

Minister Minister William William PittPitt was was replaced. replaced. Britain’s Britain’s

Parliament would Parliament would no longer send no longer send

money to help the money to help the Prussian cause.Prussian cause.

Frederick was Frederick was rescued when the rescued when the Russian Russian Tsarina Tsarina ElizabethElizabeth died. died. Her heir, Her heir, PeterPeter, , was a fanatical was a fanatical

admirer of admirer of Frederick and the Frederick and the Prussian military.Prussian military.

Peter immediately stopped fighting, made a separate Peter immediately stopped fighting, made a separate peace with Frederick, and formed an alliance with peace with Frederick, and formed an alliance with

Prussia.Prussia.

With With RussiaRussia now allied with Prussia--it was left to now allied with Prussia--it was left to Austria Austria andand France France to fight on. to fight on.

Meanwhile, in India…Meanwhile, in India…

The coastal towns had been easy pickings for the The coastal towns had been easy pickings for the Portuguese, French, and British.Portuguese, French, and British.

Forts were built to protect trading interests. Local Forts were built to protect trading interests. Local soldiers called soldiers called sepoys sepoys were often used to provide were often used to provide

manpower.manpower.

Robert CliveRobert Clive, working for the , working for the British East India British East India CompanyCompany, moved on the French forts in the Bengal , moved on the French forts in the Bengal area of India.area of India.

The French were The French were favored by the favored by the Muslim leader Muslim leader

Suraja Dowla, who Suraja Dowla, who shut 145 British shut 145 British

citizens in a small citizens in a small room overnight room overnight

without windows. without windows. This was the This was the

infamous infamous Black Black Hole of CalcuttaHole of Calcutta..

Clive defeated the French and their Indian allies at the Clive defeated the French and their Indian allies at the

Battle of PlasseyBattle of Plassey..

The British won a decisive victory in The British won a decisive victory in

America.America.

The Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris The The BritishBritish were the big winners. They were the big winners. They

received:received:• Canada Canada • the the Ohio ValleyOhio Valley • Eastern half of the Eastern half of the Mississippi ValleyMississippi Valley..

The Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of ParisThe The FrenchFrench were were

the big losers. the big losers. Their Their American American

colonial empirecolonial empire was lost except was lost except for a few small for a few small Caribbean Caribbean islands. islands.

Valuable trade Valuable trade connections in connections in India were lost.India were lost.

As a nation, they As a nation, they fell deeply into fell deeply into debtdebt..

The Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris The The PrussiansPrussians

permanently permanently wrested wrested SilesiaSilesia away from Austria.away from Austria.

The The AustriansAustrians became more became more dependent upon its dependent upon its Hungarian Hungarian domains.domains.

The The Holy Roman Holy Roman EmpireEmpire was was turned into an turned into an irrelevant, empty irrelevant, empty shell.shell.

Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa went Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa went back home and ruled their countries for the next back home and ruled their countries for the next

two decades.two decades.

French defeat and failure to reform its political French defeat and failure to reform its political and economic system will lead to Revolution in and economic system will lead to Revolution in

1789.1789.

Rivalry between Rivalry between Austria Austria andand Prussia Prussia for for leadership within the German States will leadership within the German States will continue into the 19continue into the 19thth century. century.