Overview of 18th Century Europe
The 18th century marked a time of significant change in the Western World. The population of Europe expanded rapidly, growing from 120 million in 1700 to 190 million in 1790. This rise was due to a falling death rate, courtesy of better sanitation and better food. The 18th century marked the true beginnings of global trading. Spain received gold and silver from the New World, for which they used to purchase goods from England and Holland; they then would use the proceeds to buy tea and spices from the Far East. Different trade patterns included:
The global trading and the European powers' global empires soon transformed European wars into global wars. The first such War was the War of Austrian Succession. This War was fought in Silesia, the Far East, and North America, where the English seized the French fortress at the mouth of the St Lawrence River. The War resulted in a loss of Silesia by the Austrians, who would not accept their defeat. Maria Theresa, the ruler of Austria, brought about a diplomatic revolution when she severed the longtime alliance between Prussia and France. Instead, with France engaged in a growing dispute with England over territory in North America, it aligned itself with Austria against Prussia. Russia, who saw the ever-increasing Prussian power as dangerous, joined the alliance. Britain then joined the coalition on the Prussian side. The War in Europe was indecisive, with little land changing hands after Russia withdrew its forces from Prussia. In the course of the War, France lost much of its overseas colonies; it lost both India and Canada to Great Britain.
The War also had a profound effect on the American colonies. The British spent a great deal of money defending the territories from the French and Indians. They, therefore, felt they were justified in obtaining some funds from the colonies to offset the cost of protecting them. The attempt to tax the colonies began a spiral of events that ended with the Declaration of Independence by the American Colonies and the Revolutionary War, which ensured American Independence. The American victory was insured when France and Spain actively began to support the Americans.