Conversation so far:
who did the colonists fight for in the french and indian war
France and its colonists and Indian allies fought against Britain, its colonists and Indian allies.
where were the british colonies during the french and indian war
England established many colonies along the east coast of North America during the 17th and 18th century.
where were the french colonies during the french and indian war
France established a number of colonies in North America, mostly in Canada and west of the Appalachian mountain chain and also in the Mississippi region and the West Indies.

Question: how long did the fighting last
Self-contained rewrite: how long did the fighting last during the french and indian war