Seven Wonders of the World

a term applied by the Greeks in the time of Alexander to the pyramids of Egypt, the hanging gardens of Babylon, the temple of Diana at Ephesus, the statue of Jupiter at Athens, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Pharos of Alexandria. See separate articles.

Seven Years' War. In European history, a general struggle lasting from 1756 to 1763. Maria Theresa, desiring to recover Silesia from Frederick the Great of Prussia, formed an alliance of Austria, Russia, France, and most of the German states. Frederick was supported by England and four of his small German neighbors. Elizabeth, empress of Russia, died. Her successor, Peter III, was an admirer of Frederick. He withdrew from the alliance of the Austrian empress and joined Prussia. Frederick not only retained his holdings, but enlarged his territory. The war extended to the New World, where it was known as the French and Indian War. In America it was a struggle between the French and English for colonial supremacy. The war was decided on the Plains of Abraham. France lost Canada. The American colonies spent $20,000,000 in the conquest. The British government refunded $5,500,000, and voted another million dollars, but a part was withheld on account of American misconduct, the same that ripened into the War of the American Revolution. See Maria Theresa; Frederick Ii; Wolfe; Quebec, etc.