* Global in scale: The Seven Years War was a global conflict, involving European powers and their colonies in North America, South America, Africa, and India. It was the first truly world war.
* British naval supremacy: The war established Britain as the dominant naval power in the world, a position it would maintain for over a century.
* French decline in North America: The war led to the French loss of most of its North American empire, including Canada.
* Prussia's rise in Europe: The war established Prussia as a major European power, and laid the foundation for its eventual unification of Germany.
* Increased European debt: The war greatly increased the debt of the major European powers, leading to economic problems and contributing to the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789.
* Shift in global power dynamics: The Seven Years War marked a turning point in global power dynamics, with Britain emerging as the preeminent power and France and Spain declining.
* New military tactics and technologies: The war saw the development of new military tactics and technologies, including the use of artillery, cavalry, and infantry in combined arms operations.
* Peace of Paris: The war ended with the signing of the Peace of Paris in 1763, which returned Cuba and the Philippines to Spain and gave Florida to Britain. France ceded Canada and all its lands east of the Mississippi River to Britain, and gave Louisiana to Spain.