Overview
This lecture examines the economic, political, and social causes and effects of the Seven Years War, and how these contributed to the American Revolution.
The Seven Years War: Background and Causes
- The Seven Years War (1754–1763) involved Britain, France, and their colonies; in America, it's known as the French and Indian War.
- Mercantilism, the dominant economic theory, held that colonial expansion increased national power through regulated trade and acquisition of resources.
- Slavery was central to colonial economies, especially in producing tobacco and sugar, and was integral to the triangular trade.
Conflict and Outcomes of the Seven Years War
- The war began when British colonists, led by George Washington, clashed with the French in the Ohio River Valley over land claims.
- Initial British attacks failed, but later victories (e.g., capture of Forts Duquesne and Ticonderoga) shifted the balance.
- The Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the war: Britain gained Canada and Florida; France kept profitable Caribbean sugar islands; Spain received Cuba and the Philippines.
- Native Americans lost territory and power as European control shifted.
Effects on Native Americans and Colonists
- Native Americans, left with the British after France's defeat, faced harsher policies and westward colonial expansion.
- Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763) was an armed Native American resistance to British policies, resulting in violence and further restrictions.
- The Proclamation Line of 1763 forbade colonial settlement west of the Appalachians, but colonists ignored it.
Political and Social Changes in the Colonies
- The war’s aftermath planted seeds of the American Revolution: colonists increasingly resisted British authority.
- Republicanism promoted government without a king and prioritized the public good over personal interest.
- Liberalism (from John Locke) emphasized natural rights (life, liberty, property) and a social contract with government.
- The Great Awakening, a religious revival, encouraged questioning of tradition and authority, including government.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Mercantilism — Economic policy aiming to strengthen national power by maximizing exports and controlling colonial trade.
- Triangular Trade — Trade system connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, central to the slave trade.
- Treaty of Paris (1763) — Agreement ending the Seven Years War, redrawing colonial territories.
- Proclamation Line of 1763 — British decree forbidding settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
- Republicanism — Political philosophy advocating government without monarchy and promoting public virtue.
- Liberalism — Philosophy emphasizing individual rights and the social contract.
- Great Awakening — Early 18th-century religious revival emphasizing emotional experience and criticism of traditional authority.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review concepts of mercantilism, republicanism, and liberalism for next class.
- Read about the Proclamation Line of 1763 and its impact on colonial attitudes toward Britain.