The British won the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1754 to 1763. The war was fought between Great Britain and France, along with their respective Native American allies, primarily over control of territory in North America. Despite early French victories, the tide turned in favor of the British after 1757, especially with increased military resources and leadership under British Secretary of State William Pitt. Key British victories included the capture of Quebec in 1759 and Montreal in 1760, effectively ending major French resistance in North America. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, where France ceded most of its North American territories east of the Mississippi River to Britain, including Canada, while retaining only a few small islands. Spain, allied with France late in the war, ceded Florida to Britain but gained Louisiana west of the Mississippi from France as compensation. This outcome established Britain as the dominant colonial power in North America