SEVEN YEARS' WAR

SEVEN YEARS' GLOBAL WAR (1754-63):----was a global conflict that spanned five continentsThe Seven Year Global War was fought from 1754 to 1763, actually a period of nine years, between France and Britain. Other European powers like Spain, Prussia and Austria also got engaged in the war. It is called the Global War since it was fought on different battlegrounds including North America, Caribbean, India, West Coast of Africa and in Europe. 

REASON BEHIND THE 7  YEARS' WAR:---
The main reason behind the war was the quest for hegemony over colonies between Britain and France. In North America, the British had 13 colonies on the Eastern coast along the Atlantic Ocean. They wanted to expand westwards for want of more raw materials and an increased export market in North America. But the west was under the domination of France. The French were anxious to hold on to Western North America to prevent British hegemony in the world political and economic affairs.
Britain was undergoing the Industrial revolution (1750 onwards) at that time, which was making the British goods much more competitive in the world markets. Also, Britain was emerging as a dominant sea power and its maritime trade profits were soaring. Thus, France feared that a stronger Britain in North America would soon threaten the French colonies in the Caribbean. They were right and in Caribbean the British fought against Spain and France who controlled the profiteering sugar plantations in their Caribbean colonies. The West African Senegal had large natural resources, especially of Gum, and the French trading ports here, came under the British attack.

In India the Battle of Plassey in 1757 was fought between the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daula and the East India Company. The East India Company benefited from the war by getting exclusive trading rights in Bengal and the total trade control by the British reduced the influence of the French in India. Further, in 1760-61 the Battle of Wandiwash between the French and the British established the British supremacy in South Asia while the French were restricted to Pondicherry.

RESULT OF SEVEN YEARS' WAR:--- Treaty of Paris of 1763 The Treaty of Paris of 1763 signed after the 7 Year War had the following clauses:

1. Britain got Canada from France and Florida from Spain.
2. France was allowed to retain its Caribbean sugar islands.
3. Spain’s control over Cuba and Philippines was recognized.

The effect of the Seven YEARS' War on world politics was that it reduced the domination of France, while Britain consolidated its colonial power. Also, it laid the ground for American Revolution (1765-83) and French Revolution (1789).

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