The Seven Years’ War was a global conflict between 1756 and 1763. It involved almost every major power and affected five continents. Therefore, sometimes it is referred as the first “World War”.
In the US, the Seven Years’ War is commonly known as the French and Indian War, as the beginnings of the war can be traced to 1754 in America, with conflicts between British, French and Indigenous people. In this war, the colonies of New France, for the most part in alliance with Native tribes, fought against those of British North America.
The main consequence of this war for Great Britain was the gain of French territory, along with enormous financial loses. These loses meant that the Crown needed more avenues for revenue, as Britain’s national debt was almost doubled. More taxes were imposed on colonial subjects in the American colonies, which caused ample discontent. These acts contributed to an increased tension in American-British relations and ultimately to the start of the American Revolutionary War.
