The first recorded contact between First Nation People and Europeans was in 1640. The Ojibwe and French started to trade mainly guns and furs, which allowed the Ojibwe to dominate their enemies easily. By the late 18th century, the Ojibwe controlled the territory surrounding the western half of the Great Lakes. However, new expansion of territory lead the Europeans to propose Peace and Friendship Treaties to establish the groundwork of resource sharing and cooperation between the two parties. This treaty is where the first true land disputes begin. The Europeans viewed land as a commodity that could be bought, sold and traded. However, the Ojibwe did not understand the treaties in that same way because of cultural and spiritual differences.