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How was the French and Indian War connected to the Seven Years’ War?

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Painting of Edward Braddock and British troops in uniform advancing through dense forest, facing Native American and French fighters during the French and Indian War near Fort Duquesne. — French and Indian War British commander Edward Braddock and his troops preparing to march on the French-held Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) during the French and Indian War.

The French and Indian War was the North American phase of the Seven Years’ War, a broader global conflict fought between 1756 and 1763. While the French and Indian War began in 1754 over territorial disputes in the Ohio River valley, it became inextricably linked to the larger European struggle between Great Britain and France.123

The two conflicts are connected as follows:

Global Scope: The Seven Years’ War involved the great powers of Europe, but it also encompassed overseas colonial struggles, specifically the fight for control of North America and India.23
Shared Combatants: The same primary rivals, France and Great Britain, were the central belligerents in both the North American theater and the European theater.12
Unified Timeline: Although the North American fighting started earlier, the two conflicts concluded simultaneously with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which reshaped colonial holdings globally.143

Essentially, the French and Indian War served as the American front of a worldwide nine-year contest for imperial supremacy.12