(Unit 7)

Mid-Eighteenth Century Wars

Statesmen of the timeWarfare could further national interests

Wars of 18th century fought by professional armiesConflicts rarely affected civilians

Periods of peaceSeen as time to recoup strength

Main areas of conflictOverseas empiresCentral and eastern Europe

Intro

Mid-18th century West IndiesHotbed for smuggling and trade rivalry

Spanish tired to maintain trading monopolySpanish patrols boarded English vessels

Search for contraband During a boarding in 1731

Robert Jenkins (English captain) had ear cut off1738

Jenkins went before parliament, showed severed ear preserved in brandy jar

The War of Jenkins's Ear

British merchants and West Indian plantersLobbied parliament to

prevent Spanish intervention in trade

Late 1739Britain to war with Spain

Opening to a series of European wars across the world until 1815

The War of Jenkins's Ear (cont’d)

December 1740Frederick II seized Austrian province of Silesia

(Habsburg territory)Seizing of territory weakened new Habsburg

monarch, Maria Theresa

The War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)

Maria attempted to preserve Habsburg EmpireWon support of the

nobility by giving them new privileges

Promised Hungarian nobility local autonomy

Preservation weakened central authority

Never regained Silesia

The War of Austrian Succession (cont’d) (1740-1748)

France Canceled plans to attack British trade with

French NavyDecided to support Prussia, against Austria

Drew Britain inWanted Low Countries to remain under

Austria, not France1744

British-French conflict carried into Colonies

France Draws Great Britain into the War

French military and economic resources badly dividedFailed to bring strength to colonial struggleLost colonial struggle to Britain

War ends in stalemate1748Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle

France Draws Great Britain into the War (Cont’d)

Dramatic shift in alliancesJanuary 1756

Britain and Prussia sign “Convention of Westminster”Defensive allianceBritain now at odds with Austria

May 1756France and Austria sign defensive alliance

The “Diplomatic Revolution” of 1756

(1765-1763)

The Seven Years War

August 1756Fredrick II wages war on German state of Saxony Spring of 1757 France/ Austria set out to destroy

PrussiaSweden, Russia and other small German states

joined them But Prussia remained undefeated because

1)”Britain furnished considerable financial aid” pg. 293. 2) In 1762 Empress Elizabeth of Russia died, her successor was Tsar Peter III, who made peace with Fredrick

Fredrick the Great Opens Hostiles:

The Treaty of Hubertusburg: in 1763 ended the continental conflict

Fredrick became known as Fredrick the Great

Prussia, now stood among the ranks of the great powers

Fredrick the Great Opens Hostiles:

William Pitt “the Elder”: (1708-1778) was known for his ego and his administrative genius

When he became secretary of state, and in charge of the war of 1757 he “pumped huge sums into the coffers of Fredrick the Great” pg. 293.

He saw the German conflict as a way to divert French resources and attention from the colonial struggle.

He later boasted of having won America on the Plains of Germany

William Pitt’s Strategy for Winning North “Amurca”:

Pitt wanted all of North America east of Mississippi for Great Britain's possession, and he nearly succeeded

He sent ~40,000 English/colonial troops against the French in Canada

French government was unwilling/unable to fight back with the English, because their system was corrupt

In September of 1759, the British Army, under James Wolfe defeated the French under Louis Joseph de Montcalm.

The French Empire in Canada was coming to an end

William Pitt’s Strategy for Winning North “Amurca”:

Major islands of the French West Indies fell to British fleets

Sugar sales helped finance the British war effortBritish slave interests secured the bulk of French

slave trade for themselves. But btwn 1755-1760, the values of French colonial trade fell by more than 80%

In India, the British forces defeated France’s Indian allies in 1757.

Never had Great Britain of any other European power, experienced this kind of military victory

William Pitt’s Strategy for Winning North “Amurca”:

Then there came a new king: George III, but he fought with Pitt over policy, and so George resigned

Then came the Earl of Bute (1713-1792), who was responsible for the peace settlement

Britain received all of Canada, the Ohio River Valley, the eastern half of the Mississippi River valley

To Pitts dismay, Britain returned some land back to India, along with sugar islands back to the French

But due to all of this, Great Britain became a well known world power

The Treaty of Paris of 1763:

Through the span of the Seven Years War tens of thousands of soldiers/sailors had been killed or wounded

Prussia was constantly wresting with Silesia from Austria and hand undermined the integrity of the HRE.

Habsburg power now relied heavily on the dynasty’s own domains--especially Hungary; along with France finding its colonial dominion and influence reduced

The war caused domestic crises among the European powers

The Treaty of Paris of 1763:

Due to much defeat, France saw the need for political and administrative reforms

All those who participated in the war had to put high taxes on their good to compensate for their economic loses

Thus came about the American Revolution

The Treaty of Paris of 1763: