In the 1700s, Great Britain and France were two countries that competed for land, trade, and power. They continued to compete for land in North America. There, both countries claimed large areas of land. One area they both wanted to control was the Ohio River Valley. It was a wide region rich in resources and important for trade. The struggle over this land helped cause the French and Indian War.
By the 1750s, British colonists had built busy towns and farms along the East Coast. The population was growing quickly, so many people wanted to move west to find more land. However, the French already claimed this land and had built forts from Canada down to Louisiana to protect it. The British thought the French were standing in the way of their expansion. Tensions between the two sides increased.
Both Britain and France tried to gain the support of Indigenous groups in the region. Indigenous nations were powerful players with their own interests. They formed alliances based on what would best protect their land, people, and trade. Some Indigenous nations, like the Iroquois, allied with the British. Others chose the French. These alliances shaped the balance of power in the conflict. Indigenous nations brought deep knowledge of the land and strong military skills.
The conflict turned violent in 1754. The French began building more forts in the Ohio River Valley, including a strong one called Fort Duquesne. In response, the colony of Virginia sent a young officer named George Washington to tell the French to leave. The French refused. Soon after, Washington and his soldiers attacked a small French group. The French leader was killed, and war became unavoidable.
More battles followed. As both sides sent troops and built more forts, small fights turned into larger battles. Even though Britain and France had not officially declared war, the fighting in North America spread quickly. In 1756, the war became part of a larger global conflict called the Seven Years’ War.
The French and Indian War didn’t begin with one single event. It grew from a series of tensions and choices made on both sides. Once fighting broke out, it became clear that neither Britain nor France would back down. What started in a forest in western Pennsylvania would grow into a war that changed North America forever.