Treaty of Utrecht (1713) Treaty of Paris (1763)

The Seven Years War (1756-1763) engaged all of the major European powers of the day and overflowed into their colonies abroad. The war was really a succession of several wars that had occurred since the 1730s regarding the control of colonies, of trade, and of the sea.¹

The conflict that led to the Seven Years War began at Fort Duquesne in the Ohio Valley where a small French detachment was attacked by colonists and British troops who wished to control the Allegheny Mountains in order to establish a land exploitation company. The French units retaliated, defeating and humiliating the British, of whom one of the colonial officers was George Washington. When the British heard of this in their own country, they sent two regiments to attack the various colonies of New France, and two additional regiments were raised from the American colonies.

The escalation led to all out war which broke out across Europe; the British being allied with the Prussians, whom they financed. The British concentrated on the war in the colonies and on sea, and in North America gained control of Fort Duquesne, Louisbourg, and Quebec (in 1759).

The Peace treaty was signed in 1763, and the French relinquished all rights to North America east of the Mississippi River. Following the conquest of New France, the fur trade was disrupted for a few years.