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Seven Years War
The seven years war can be considered a sort of the world war because of the number of countries involved. Although it initially pitied the British against the France, other countries were involved because of the alliances they had made. Thus, the wars contribution in history can be seen as the first world war of its century. Most of the countries involved were from Europe. Other people who participated in the war included the Russians, the natives, and the American colonists. The war secured another victory for Britain and it enabled the country to expand its presence in North America by gaining more colonies.
The war gave George Washington a chance to lead, as he was the commander in chief of the military forces in North America. He did this as the colonies looked for ways of chasing the British out of America. Another contribution that the war made to history is that it contributed greatly to American Revolution because of the administrative problems encountered. The British government and the colonists differed on the issue of taxes. Britain had incurred great expenses because of the war and it was looking for a way to get the money. This influenced its decision to impose taxes on the colonists. In addition, it wanted to cement its authority in the colonist territory and this did not augur well with them. Such dissensions influenced the desire among the colonists to seek independence.
It contributed to history because it ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The treaty denied France any control in Canada as the British received Quebec and Ohio valley. The British colonies were hence assured that the threat from France was long gone. The war contributes to history because it enables the readers to see the exchange of colonies that took place between the powerful countries of Spain and Britain. It led to further acquisitions of territories by Britain. It leads to an understanding of how Spain became involved in the war to the extent of taking over the territories that France had managed to acquire on the west side of Mississippi and how Britain gained control of the territories that were on the east of Mississippi. One exchange involved Spain taking control of Cuba while giving up Florida to Britain.
Like all other wars, the seven years war is a reflection of the devastating consequences associated with the war. It demonstrates that the issue of alliances and their contributions towards expanding war territory did not begin in the Second World War it also reflects man’s greed and desire for more power and control. France, Spain, and Great Britain were involved in a struggle to acquire and control territories around the world. They were only interested in the gains they incurred and they did not care much about what the consequences of their actions to the indigenous populations. It further shows the repercussions of war in terms of wastage of resources such as money.
Since the colonists did not have to depend on Britain’s protection from the French after the war, they gained more freedom in determining their next course of action regarding their quest to become independent. This is an important contribution to history because it shows how the American colonists ended up using the French to get their independence from the British. The colonists had fought against France in the seven-year war. However, the tides turned after the war. It is important for people to understand the changing nature of alliances. Nations form alliances with other nations so that they can protect their interests. They are not bound to one alliance and they can decide to change alliance so long as it suits their interest.