Why did the 7 Year War Begin?
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British and French colonists did a little bit of conflict over who controlled Ohio (conveniently located in Pennsylvania). Britain attacked the fort and failed, then attacked Acadia and won. The Natives did unspeakable war crimes to a lot of settlers, prompting a stronger British response.
It is very hard to describe the complex diplomatic relationships between the 10 or so major empires and around hundred smaller kingdoms, territories and countries. But the basic concept is that it had been around ten years since the last major conflict between these empires. And they had been building up their military, building new equipment, training new soldiers, stockpiling food and ammunition, etc. in order to prevent the other side from attacking. It would have been a big shame to spend all that money on a big army and then have nothing to show for it.
There were still lots of disputed areas around the world. “We really own this piece of land and you illegally took it from us.” “Those people who moved to that area are my countrymen and I want them to be protected under my seal.” “The Duke in that area is illegally on the throne because his father was born outside of wedlock and the rightful here to the Duchy is my brother in law.” “We think we might have ended up colonizing this bit of the world before you, and even though we abandoned the colony before you came we want our colony back now.” “That peace treaty we signed a few decades back was signed under duress and is unfair and illegal so we consider it null and void.” etc.
So when some Indians in America lead by the French officer Joseph Coulon de Jumonville and the British officer George Washington (yes, really the same) ended up in a skirmish out in some disputed forest in the Americas. Both the British and the French found this a great use of their army where it may actually gain more taxable land for the empire. And why sail all the way to America to fight when it makes so much more logistical sense to fight back home in Europe, from the hundred years wars about half of France was still claimed to be subject to the British crown and some of the part of mainland France was still under British control at this time which France figured was theirs by right. And if you are already fighting in Europe then why not call in your friends, and your enemies enemy.
And while all this back and forth about who wants to attack whom and which sides everyone should pick to get the best value for their army, Prussia decided to just attack Saxony and overran them completely. This caused the Holy Roman Empire to trigger their alliance (similar to NATO) against Prussia who were now allied to Britain. Most joined on the HRE side but some members chose to join Prussia. Then suddenly Sweden seeing an opportunity to regain some territory lost to Prussia joined the war as well. Spain was bound by treaty to join on the French side and then decided that the best way to fight a war in continental Europe was to go ahead and march their army west into Portugal. In short it was just a mess, and somehow Russia also became involved at some point but then could not decide which side they wanted in on.
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