Elizabeth Masso Wars and Diplomacy I. The development of large standing armies ensured that political disputes would periodically be resolved by armed conflict rather than diplomacy.
A. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) 1. Pragmatic Sanction a. Different European powers agreed to recognize Charles VI’s daughter as his legal heir (Spielvogel 529). b. The Pragmatic Sanction declared that the Habsburg inheritance is indivisible. c. After his death the Pragmatic Sanction was pushed aside by Frederick II who succeeded to the throne of Prussia (Spielvogel 529). 2. Maria Theresa a. Her vulnerability encouraged France to enter to enter the war against its traditional enemy Austria (Spielvogel 529). b. Made an alliance with Great Britain who feared French hegemony over continental affairs (Spielvogel 529). 3. Places the war was fought a. Europe- Prussia sized Silesia (Spielvogel 529). b. France- occupied Austrian Netherlands (Spielvogel 529). c. East- France took Madras in India from the British (Spielvogel 529). d. North America- British captured the French fortress of Louisburg (Spielvogel 529). 4. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle a. Promised the return of all occupied territories except Silesia to their original owners (Spielvogel 529). B. The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) 1. Diplomatic Revolution a. Britain and France over colonial empires (Spielvogel 530). b. Austria and Prussia over Silesia (Spielvogel 530). c. France abandoned Prussia and allied with Austria and Russia soon followed (Spielvogel 530). d. Great Britain allied with Prussia (Spielvogel 530). 2. Europe a. Britain and Prussians against the Austrians, Russians, and French (Spielvogel 530). b. After the death of Tsarina her nephew Peter III came to power (Spielvogel 530). c. Peter III withdrew the Russian troops from the Prussian lands. This withdrawal led to a desire for peace (Spielvogel 530). d. Ended by the Peace of Hubertusburg- all occupied territories were returned, and Austria officially recognized Prussia’s permanent control of Silesia (Spielvogel 530). 3. Great War for Empire a. Fought in India and North America. b. The British under Robert Clive ultimately won because they were more persistent. c. Treaty of Paris- French withdrew and left India to the British (Spielvogel 530). 4. North America a. Two areas of contention- one was the waterways of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain that protected French Quebec and French traders. The other was the unsettled Ohio River valley (Spielvogel 530). b. The French found allies among the Indians (Spielvogel 531). c. William Pitt the Elder was convinced that the destruction of the French colonial empire was necessary for the creation of Britain’s own colonial empire (Spielvogel 531). d. The defeat of French fleets in naval battles gave the British the advantage (Spielvogel 531). e. September 13, 1759- British forces led by General James Wolfe defeated the French under General Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham (Spielvogel 531). f. British- seized Montreal, the Great Lakes area, and the Ohio valley (Spielvogel 531). g. French- forced to make peace (Spielvogel 531). h. Treaty of Paris- ceded Canada and the lands east of the Mississippi to Britain (Spielvogel 531). C. European Armies and Warfare 1. Standing Army a. Officers were primarily from the landed aristocracy (Spielvogel 532). 2. Prussia a. Made military service compulsory for its nobles and forced the teenage sons of aristocrats to attend a military academy in Berlin for training as officers (Spielvogel 532). 3. Britain a. Had no regular standing army and relied on mercenaries evident on its use of German troops in America (Spielvogel 532). 4. System of Formalities a. Accepted by all sides allowed defeated opponents to withdraw without being captured or destroyed (Spielvogel 532).
Wars and Diplomacy
I. The development of large standing armies ensured that political disputes would periodically be resolved by armed conflict rather than diplomacy.
A. The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
1. Pragmatic Sanction
a. Different European powers agreed to recognize Charles VI’s daughter as his legal heir (Spielvogel 529).
b. The Pragmatic Sanction declared that the Habsburg inheritance is indivisible.
c. After his death the Pragmatic Sanction was pushed aside by Frederick II who succeeded to the throne of Prussia (Spielvogel 529).
2. Maria Theresa
a. Her vulnerability encouraged France to enter to enter the war against its traditional enemy Austria (Spielvogel 529).
b. Made an alliance with Great Britain who feared French hegemony over continental affairs (Spielvogel 529).
3. Places the war was fought
a. Europe- Prussia sized Silesia (Spielvogel 529).
b. France- occupied Austrian Netherlands (Spielvogel 529).
c. East- France took Madras in India from the British (Spielvogel 529).
d. North America- British captured the French fortress of Louisburg (Spielvogel 529).
4. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
a. Promised the return of all occupied territories except Silesia to their original owners (Spielvogel 529).
B. The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)
1. Diplomatic Revolution
a. Britain and France over colonial empires (Spielvogel 530).
b. Austria and Prussia over Silesia (Spielvogel 530).
c. France abandoned Prussia and allied with Austria and Russia soon followed (Spielvogel 530).
d. Great Britain allied with Prussia (Spielvogel 530).
2. Europe
a. Britain and Prussians against the Austrians, Russians, and French (Spielvogel 530).
b. After the death of Tsarina her nephew Peter III came to power (Spielvogel 530).
c. Peter III withdrew the Russian troops from the Prussian lands. This withdrawal led to a desire for peace (Spielvogel 530).
d. Ended by the Peace of Hubertusburg- all occupied territories were returned, and Austria officially recognized Prussia’s permanent control of Silesia (Spielvogel 530).
3. Great War for Empire
a. Fought in India and North America.
b. The British under Robert Clive ultimately won because they were more persistent.
c. Treaty of Paris- French withdrew and left India to the British (Spielvogel 530).
4. North America
a. Two areas of contention- one was the waterways of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain that protected French Quebec and French traders. The other was the unsettled Ohio River valley (Spielvogel 530).
b. The French found allies among the Indians (Spielvogel 531).
c. William Pitt the Elder was convinced that the destruction of the French colonial empire was necessary for the creation of Britain’s own colonial empire (Spielvogel 531).
d. The defeat of French fleets in naval battles gave the British the advantage (Spielvogel 531).
e. September 13, 1759- British forces led by General James Wolfe defeated the French under General Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham (Spielvogel 531).
f. British- seized Montreal, the Great Lakes area, and the Ohio valley (Spielvogel 531).
g. French- forced to make peace (Spielvogel 531).
h. Treaty of Paris- ceded Canada and the lands east of the Mississippi to Britain (Spielvogel 531).
C. European Armies and Warfare
1. Standing Army
a. Officers were primarily from the landed aristocracy (Spielvogel 532).
2. Prussia
a. Made military service compulsory for its nobles and forced the teenage sons of aristocrats to attend a military academy in Berlin for training as officers (Spielvogel 532).
3. Britain
a. Had no regular standing army and relied on mercenaries evident on its use of German troops in America (Spielvogel 532).
4. System of Formalities
a. Accepted by all sides allowed defeated opponents to withdraw without being captured or destroyed (Spielvogel 532).
Works Cited
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac75