The Seven Years' War is often described by historians as the 'true' First World War, as it involved every European great power and spanned five continents. In North America, the conflict was known as the French and Indian War, where the British and French battled for colonial supremacy with various indigenous alliances. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which saw France cede almost all its North American territories to Britain and Spain. While Britain emerged as the world's dominant colonial power, the war's staggering financial cost led the British government to impose new taxes on its American colonies. This shift in policy sparked the 'taxation without representation' grievances that ultimately led to the American Revolution just over a decade later.