What river valley was a major point of conflict in the war?

The Ohio River Valley was a major point of conflict in the French and Indian War. Both France and Great Britain claimed the region, which connected the Great Lakes, the Mississippi basin, and the Appalachian frontier.

The valley was valuable for trade, transportation, and settlement. French forts and trading networks linked the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, while British colonies and the Ohio Company wanted to expand westward across the Appalachians. Native nations, including the Haudenosaunee and various Ohio Valley peoples, also pursued their own diplomatic and territorial interests.

The struggle intensified in 1753 and 1754, when George Washington was sent to warn the French away. Fighting at Jumonville Glen and Fort Necessity helped ignite the wider war. The British victory eventually transferred most French territory east of the Mississippi to Britain under the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

The Ohio River Valley is sometimes confused with the broader Ohio Country. The valley refers especially to lands around the Ohio River, while Ohio Country can describe a larger surrounding region.