The French and Indian War was fought primarily between Great Britain and France, along with their respective Native American allies. The British colonies wanted to expand westward into the Ohio River Valley, which was controlled and claimed by the French. Native American tribes sided with both sides based on their interests, with many primarily allied with the French. Notably, the British were supported by the Iroquois Confederacy, while many Algonquin-speaking tribes such as the Wabanaki Confederacy, Mi'kmaq, Abenakis, Ojibwa, Lenape, Ottawa, and Shawnee largely supported the French. Key figures in the conflict included young George Washington for the British, as well as British generals like Edward Braddock and James Wolfe. The war ended with the British victorious, gaining control over Canada and large territories east of the Mississippi River, reshaping the future of North America. The conflict was part of a broader global conflict known as the Seven Years' War from 1754 to 1763.