Chapter 16: The Transatlantic Economy,
Trade Wars, and Colonial Rebellion
Section 5: Mid-Eighteenth-Century Wars
By Dallin F. Hardy

18th-century Wars

Great Power Rivalry


Overseas Empires
Central & Eastern Europe

King George I


Reigned 1714-1727
Britain

Sir Robert Walpole

First British Prime Minister
The War of Jenkins’s Ear

Robert Jenkins



1731
British sea captain
Spanish


Boarded his ship
Cut off his ear

War of Jenkins’s Ear



1739-1748
Britain vs. Spain
Fought to stop

Spanish incursion on


British trade
Robert Walpole

British Prime Minister
The War of Austrian Succession
(1740-1748)

Invasion of Silesia


1740
By Frederick II


King of Prussia
Results

Destroyed


Pragmatic Sanction
Upset

Continental balance of
power

War of Austrian Succession


1740-1748
Prussia vs. Holy Roman Empire

Preserving the Hapsburg Empire

Maria Theresa

Empress of

Holy Roman Empire

France Draws Great
Britain into War

France

United



War of Austrian
Succession
War of Jenkins’s Ear
Supported Prussia

Against Austria
 Enemy of France

Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle


1748
Officially ended


War of Austrian Succession
Prussia retained

Silesia
The “Diplomatic Revolution” of
1756

French and Indian War


1754-1763
North America

7 Years’ War


1756-1763
European Continent

King George II

Reigned 1727-1760

Convention of Westminster


1756
Alliance

Britain & Prussia

“Diplomatic Revolution”

1756


France
Holy Roman Empire




Austria
Russia
Sweden
Vs.



Britain
Prussia
Hanover
Stately Quadrille

War of Austrian Succession

1740-1748








7 Years’ War

France
Sweden
Prussia
Spain
Vs.


Austria
Britain
Netherland
Russia
1756-1763





France
Sweden
Austria
Russia
Vs.



Prussia
Britain
Hanover

Invasion of Saxony



1756
By Frederick the Great
Started

Seven Years War

Seven Years War



1756-1763
European continent
Austria

Allied with

France

Empress Elizabeth of Russia

Reigned 1741-1762

Tsar Peter III


Reigned 1762
Made peace with

Prussia

Treaty of Hubertusburg


1763
Officially ended

Seven Years’ War

French and Indian War




1754-1763
Over the Ohio River Valley
France vs. Britain
North America

Battle of Jumonville Glen


1754
Washington

Led an attack on a French
camp

Fort Necessity

French


Attacked the fort
Washington
Surrendered

“The volley fired by a
young Virginian in the
backwoods of America
set the world on fire.”

Horace Walpole

William Pitt



1757
Prime Minister
Architect of

British victories

William Pitt’s Strategy

Win North America

On the plains of


Germany
Sent

40,000 troops to

North America

Battle of Quebec


1759
British

Led by

James Wolfe

British soldiers
preparing for battle

“Now, God be praised, I will die in peace” James Wolfe

Results


British victory
James Wolfe


Killed
Last major battle

French and Indian War

Treaty of Paris of


1763
Ended

French and Indian War

King George III

1760-1820

Earl of Bute

Became


Prime Minister
Replaced

William Pitt

British Territorial Acquisition



Canada
Ohio River Valley
Eastern half of

Mississippi River Valley

Major Results of the


French & Indian War
Seven Years War

Prussia


Holy Roman Empire


Became a dominant
power
Impotent
France

Lost all of its North
American territory

British Empire

Emerged as a world
power until

WWII