French and Indian War: American Involvement

The Colonies became involved when George Washington and a few of his men decided to expel the French from Ohio. They marched to Fort Duquesne -- the construction of which had actually been started by the British -- but realized that the fort was too strong for them to capture. So, they built Fort Necessity nearby as a way to challenge the French. It worked. The French not only attacked, but also captured Fort Necessity in 1754. The English did not declare war on France until 1756, but for the Colonists, the war began much sooner. Fort Duquesne was finally captured by the British in 1758.

Fort William Henry was featured in the film "The Last of the Mohicans."

Sources
Ohio History Central
Travel and History

French and Indian Wars

The French and Indian Wars were fought from 1689 to 1763, ending shortly before the American War for Independence. The series of wars consisted of four primary wars. The first was 1689-1697 King William's War, which consisted primarily of attacks on British frontier colonies in the Colonies, and ended with the Peace of Utrecht. The second, King George's War, was fought from 1739-1748, though the American Colonies did not become involved until 1744. King George's War ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. The French and Indian War lasted from 1754-1763 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, with the French loss of control over Canada to Great Britain.

Sources
Reference Center
Ohio History Central