(Which may have lasted longer than seven years..) Seven Years’ War (1754-1763) (Which may have lasted longer than seven years..)

What was the Seven Years War? In the mid 1700s, France and England were two Superpowers in conflict with one another. Superpower: A country that is more powerful than almost all other countries. EX: The United States of America, China They were in conflict because they both wanted the same thing: More land and more resources.

What was the Seven Years War? France and Britain had been rival Superpowers in Europe for many years. Between 1690 and 1763, the two countries were almost always at war with each other.

CAUSES OF THE 7 YEARS WAR

Seven Years’ War: Causes After the explorations of the 1400, 1500s, and 1600s, the European Imperial powers (Britain, France, etc) protected their newly claimed colonies by building a series of fortified trading posts along the coast of their colonies.

Fort Louisburg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia Fort Louisburg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. One of the most desirable forts during the Seven Years war because of it’s location and nearly impenetrable walls.

Seven Years’ War: Causes Boundaries between the colonies were constantly being disputed (fought over) France owned an area of land known as Ohio Valley which prevented the British Thirteen Colonies from being able to expand west.

Ohio Valley 13 Colonies

Seven Years’ War: Causes Competition for the land, and its resources, ultimately generated violence. This violence grew into what is now known as the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)

THE 7 YEARS WAR: A GLOBAL WAR

A Global War The 7 Years War is considered a Global War, meaning battles were taking place all over the world.

A Global War: Europe France and Britain were battling each other in Europe…

A Global War In India…

A Global War In Africa…

A Global War The Caribbean…

A Global War And of course, North America

A Global War In all these places, both Britain and France had colonies. France and Britain were determined not only to protect their own colonies, but to take each others as well.

THE 7 YEARS WAR IN NORTH AMERICA

Seven Years’ War: North America The British and French both had colonies they wanted to protect in North America. They both also wanted continued access to the abundant resources of North America (furs, wood, fish, farmland, etc) This competition led to war breaking out in North America in 1754

Seven Years’ War: North America Britain and France are now fighting a huge war to control most of the world. What could be some consequences for the different peoples living in North America as a result of this war?

THE FRENCH PERSPECTIVE

The French Perspective By 1750, the French were very well established in North America. They had claimed a huge area of land, including New France, Acadia, and French Louisiana The heart of New France was the settlements of Montreal and Quebec along the St. Lawrence river where about 50,000 colonists now lived.

The French Perspective Many of these colonists had been born in New France and did not see themselves as Europeans, but saw themselves instead as something new: Canadiens

The French Perspective The Canadiens felt safe in their colony. They believed that they were well protected by their home country of France, which sent them soldiers. They also believed that the British armies would never be able to get past the mighty fortress at Quebec and Louisbourg.

THE ENGLISH PERSPECTIVE

The English Perspective There population of the 13 Colonies was much bigger than the population of New France The English colonists wanted to move west across North America as they needed more farmland for their growing population, They also wanted to begin trading with First Nations tribes who lived in the interior of N.A

The English Perspective The English also wanted to gain control of the major gateway to the continent: The St. Lawrence River. Because of the location of the French in the Ohio Valley, the English felt trapped.

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