Seven Years' War Multiple Choice Quiz | War History

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The British-French war in North America is called "The French and Indian War" in the U.S. It was part of the Seven Years War. It was a struggle between 400,000 British settlers and thinly settled but well fortified French colonial territories. The British troups made a major breakthrough with the seizure of this city/fort in 1760.

Answer: Montreal

Fort Duqesne (Pittsburg) and Fort Louisburg were taken in 1758, Quebec in 1759.

2. There was also a 'front' in the West Indies where the British won major victories. Britain seized this island from France in 1759.

Answer: Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe was seized 1759, Martinique 1762. Both were restored to France in 1763.

3. In 1761 Spain entered the war. They soon lost this island in the West Indies to the British.

Answer: Cuba

Cuba was restored to Spain in 1763 as the British gained Florida in return.

4. By 1760 all French bases in this African country (most importantly St.Louis) were occupied by the British. What country?

Answer: Senegal

The country was restored to France in 1815.

5. France also lost most of its possessions in Southern India. The British victory at _______ in 1757 ended all French plans for a conquest of India.

Answer: Plassey

The struggle in India began with the Franch capture of Madras 1746. As in America, British seapower proved decisive. After the capture of Bengal 1757 (Battle of Plassey) the British controlled the Carnatic Coast. The British capture of Pondicherry in 1761 destroyed French power.The victory at Buxar (Bengal) 1764 was another important win for the British.

6. At the Peace of Paris in 1763, Great Britain obtained the following territories from France.

Answer: Canada, Louisiana, Cape Breton, Senegal

Cape Breton is an island in Canada and belongs to Nova Scotia.
Louisiana region East of Mississippi river was ceded by France to Great Britain in 1763 (with a special arrangement in favour of France in the Mississippi Delta and the area round New Orleans). However, France transferred West Louisana including New Orleans to Spain in 1763 in lieu of promised subsidies. In 1803 France respossessed the area and promptly sold it to the U.S. Britain gained Florida in return for Cuba. (For Florida, see notes to next question). In 1783 Britain ceded its territory up to the border with Spanish Louisana to the U.S.
France regained control of Senegal in 1814.
As far as Canada is concerned: Acadia, Newfoundland and Hudson Bay region had been relinquished to England already in 1713. The rest of Canada remained British after 1763.

7. At the same Peace of Paris in 1763 Great Britain obtained this territory from Spain.

Answer: Florida

Great Britain gave Cuba (which they had conquered 1762) in return for Florida. The British divided the area into two provinces, East and West Florida (known as the Floridas). The Floridas were retroceded to Spain in 1783. West Florida was claimed by U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and occupied in 1813. Florida was purchased from Spain by U.S. in 1819.
As for the consequences of the Seven Years' War: The victory over France and Spain in this war was the most brilliant British victory of modern history; North America became Anglo-Saxon.

8. The Europen branch of the Seven Years' War was mainly a struggle over one specific European area. Which?

Answer: Silesia

Control of Silesia was the key issue in this war. Silesia was seized by Prussia from Austria after the First Silesian War 1740-1742. Austria gave up Silesia at the Separate Peace of Breslau 1742. Maria Theresas�attempt to recover brought about Second Silesian War 1744-45.

The wars 1740-48 are also called The War over Austrian Succession. Austria confirmed cession of Silesia at Peace of Dresden 1745 and finally at the Peace of Aix-la Chapelle 1748. However, this peace treaty didn�t relieve the international tensions.

The impetus to bring about a military resolution came from the colonial powers (France and Great Britain) and Austria.

9. After 1753 Austria decided to make a political compromise with _______ and with this ally form a coalition against ________?

Answer: An alliance with France against Prussia

Austria made a coalition with France to conquer Prussia.

10. In 1756 Prussia decided to ally with ______ for the protection of Hanover.

Answer: Great Britain

Prussia�s Frederich II (the Great) felt isolated after the compromise between Austria and France and needed allies to protect Silesia. The British who supported Prussia (mainly economically) had their own agenda, mainly to conquer the French colonial regime in America, India and West Africa.

As Great Britain had obtained her objectives overseas (1761) subsidies to Prussia were discontinued.

11. In May 1756, by the Treaty of Versailles, the offensive alliance increased from two to several members. Name at least one of the new members.

Answer: Russia

The Franco-Austrian offensive alliance was joined by Russia, Saxony, Sweden and The German Empire (minus Hanover, Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick). After the death of Russian Tsarina Elizabeth 1762 Russia quit the coalition. A lack of resources forced France and Sweden to do the same 1762, and Austria had to initiate negotioations.

12. As an act of "preventive war" Prussia invaded _______in 1756 to make it a base for Prussian operations.

Answer: Saxony

After learning of the allies' attack which was to come, Frederick II of Prussia made this "offensive-defensive" action.

13. In the war Prussia fought an enemy which numerically was ____times larger than their own.

Answer: 20

In a series of desperate struggles Prussia fought for its very existence.

14. The British joined Prussia in the war under the motto: "Canada will be won in Silesia". Three of the states in the German Empire were allied with Prussia and Great Britain. Which three states?

Answer: Hanover, Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick

The House of Hanover was a German royal dynasty that ruled Great Britain and Ireland from 1714 to 1901. On the death of Queen Victoria the crown passed to Edward VII of the house of Saxe-Coburg. Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick, or Brunswick-L�neburg, are former German duchies.

The rulers of Brunswick-L�neburg were given Electorate of Hanover(Kur-Braunschweig) in 1692 establishing English royal house of Hanover 1714-1901.

15. At the 1763 Peace of Hubertusburg there were made no territorial changes in Europe. But the Europen balance-of-power system was complicated as a fifth major power rose from the ruins of the war. Which?

Answer: Prussia

Down to 1700, Brandenburg-Prussia was outstripped in wealth and population by Bavaria, and until the middle of the 18th century by Saxony. But in the 18th century Prussia rose to be a powerful militaristic state. Its territorial expansions include territories on the Rhine, East Pomerania (1720), Silesia (1742-63) and parts of Western Poland 1772-95. Prussia also received Rhine Province and parts of the Province of Saxony 1815 (corresponding roughly to the southern part of modern Sachsen-Anahlt).

Source: Author author

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Seven Years' War Trivia Quiz

The Seven Years' War (1756-63) was actually (at least) two separate wars. One was a European war, the other a French-British colonial war (which lasted from 1754/55-63). I will ask you about both in this quiz.

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