APUSH - Topic 3.2 The Seven Years' War

Explain the causes and effects of the Seven Years' War.

What conflicts occurred prior to the Seven Years’ War?

• war involving GB, France, and Spain

  • conflict in their colonies all around the world

• 3 main wars in North America

  • English vs French and Spanish

  • generally for trading rights and economic gain

How did the French and Indian War begin?

• colonies recognized for value of natural resources

• French built forts along Ohio River Valley to prevent westward spread of British

• British were initially losing

  • French had Native American allies helping them

What was the Albany Plan of Union?

• developed by Benjamin Franklin

• common system between colonies to recruit troops and collect taxes

• was not put into place → colonies wanted to maintain their own powers

• good example of a revolutionary congress

Who won the French and Indian War?

• GB won

• GB gained French Canada and Spanish Florida

• France ceded Louisiana to Spain

• French power on North America basically ended

What were the immediate effects of the Seven Years’ War?

• GB got unchallenged supremacy in Europe

• GB had dominant naval power

• colonists didn’t have constant threat of attack from French, Spanish, NA allies

• autonomy of NAs challenged

How did the British view colonists after the war?

• saw them as disorganized and poorly trained

• colonists as unwilling/unable to defend new British frontiers

  • some colonies didn’t contribute money/troops to wars

How did the colonists view the British after the war?

• thought their methods of warfare weren’t fit with American terrain (looked down on leadership/troops)

• proud of their own defense

What were the economic effects of the Seven Years’ War?

• Britain began to end salutary neglect

  • needed to pay for wars

  • wanted a large military along American frontiers

  • demands to lower taxes within Britain → higher taxes in colonies

What was Pontiac’s Rebellion?

• Chief Pontiac and group of united NAs attacked settlers

  • angered by encroachment on their land

• British sent their own troops to put down uprising instead of relying on colonial troops

How did the British attempt to stabilize the western frontier?

• Proclamation of 1763

  • colonists could not settle west of Appalachian Mountains

  • less interaction would lower conflict with NAs

  • colonists very angry → felt victory in war meant they would have more land

  • defied proclamation and continued moving west