french colonies in america

The French in North The French in North AmericaAmerica

Nadya DooleyNadya Dooley

12/9/1012/9/10

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American Colonies 5- Canada American Colonies 5- Canada and Iroquoiaand Iroquoia

In the 16th Century, In the 16th Century, English, French and English, French and Dutch mariners crossed Dutch mariners crossed the Atlantic to plunder the the Atlantic to plunder the Spanish colonial townsSpanish colonial towns

The French discovered The French discovered fish and furs: two fish and furs: two commodities that made commodities that made northern colonization northern colonization possiblepossible

The Indian became The Indian became dependant on European dependant on European metals, cloth and alcohol. metals, cloth and alcohol. This meant that the This meant that the Europeans had to Europeans had to continue trading with continue trading with them because stopping them because stopping would cause warwould cause war

In the late 16th Century, the French took an early lead In the late 16th Century, the French took an early lead in the fur tradein the fur trade

By 1580, the fisheries and the whale and seal hunts By 1580, the fisheries and the whale and seal hunts employed at least 400 vessels and around 12,000 menemployed at least 400 vessels and around 12,000 men

Furs, like gold and silver, could pay easily for its Furs, like gold and silver, could pay easily for its transatlantic transportationtransatlantic transportation

As the Indians believed that all objects posses a As the Indians believed that all objects posses a spiritual power (spiritual power (ManitouManitou), especially bright and shiny ), especially bright and shiny objects, they cherished copper ornamentsobjects, they cherished copper ornaments

Some mariners kidnapped Indians to use them as Some mariners kidnapped Indians to use them as navigators. However, the Indians rarely survived to do navigators. However, the Indians rarely survived to do the task, falling ill from European diseasesthe task, falling ill from European diseases

As the Indians depleted their supply of beaver to hunt As the Indians depleted their supply of beaver to hunt and trade, they moved into neighboring territory to look and trade, they moved into neighboring territory to look for more. This caused life for the Indians to turn into a for more. This caused life for the Indians to turn into a more violent, warfare kind of living, always quarreling more violent, warfare kind of living, always quarreling with the otherswith the others

The fur trade




At the beginning of the 17th At the beginning of the 17th Century, French fur traders Century, French fur traders focused on reclaiming St. focused on reclaiming St. Lawrence ValleyLawrence Valley

It was a poor place for farming, but It was a poor place for farming, but ideal for fur tradeideal for fur trade

The Huron’s population was so The Huron’s population was so large that they overhunted the large that they overhunted the nearby animals. This meant they nearby animals. This meant they couldn’t contribute to the fur tradecouldn’t contribute to the fur trade

In making Indian friends, the In making Indian friends, the Europeans made Indian enemies Europeans made Indian enemies tootoo

The introduction of firearms The introduction of firearms revolutionized Indian warefare. revolutionized Indian warefare. Champlain and his men helped Champlain and his men helped their Indian friends win several their Indian friends win several bloody battles: completely bloody battles: completely surprising the opposing forcesurprising the opposing force

Canada The Five Nations To appease grief from lost battles, restore To appease grief from lost battles, restore

power, and build their status, Iroquois warriors power, and build their status, Iroquois warriors had “mourning wars” in which they captured had “mourning wars” in which they captured prisoners from their enemiesprisoners from their enemies

When someone was taken captive, they would When someone was taken captive, they would be slowly tortured to death. It was a contest be slowly tortured to death. It was a contest between the skill of the tortures and the between the skill of the tortures and the endurance of the victim who would try to endurance of the victim who would try to remain stoic and insult his capturesremain stoic and insult his captures

When killed, he would be chopped up and fed When killed, he would be chopped up and fed to the village. Some would be “adopted” to the village. Some would be “adopted” instead of killed, tortured only a little and then instead of killed, tortured only a little and then cared for and given an Iroquois namecared for and given an Iroquois name

The great league was a ceremonial and The great league was a ceremonial and religious forum for promoting calmness and religious forum for promoting calmness and peacepeace

The Iroquois thought of themselves as The Iroquois thought of themselves as devoted to peace, but others knew them as devoted to peace, but others knew them as very fearsome in warvery fearsome in war




Unfortunately for Unfortunately for the French, the the French, the Dutch could supply Dutch could supply better quality metal better quality metal goods at a lower goods at a lower costcost

The Iroquois The Iroquois continuously continuously attacked the attacked the French, weakening French, weakening them considerablythem considerably

Ironically, the Ironically, the French depended French depended on their hostility as on their hostility as a barrier that kept a barrier that kept the northern the northern Indians from going Indians from going south to trade with south to trade with the Dutchthe Dutch

The Dutch Trade French leaders hoped that by converting the Indians to French leaders hoped that by converting the Indians to

Catholicism, they would make the Indians more dependant Catholicism, they would make the Indians more dependant and dependable as alliesand dependable as allies

17th century Europeans percieved people in terms of social 17th century Europeans percieved people in terms of social rank not skin colorrank not skin color

The French priests were having trouble converting the Indians The French priests were having trouble converting the Indians to Christianity, so they called in 8 Jesuits. The Indians were to Christianity, so they called in 8 Jesuits. The Indians were impressed by their lack of interest in the land, furs, and impressed by their lack of interest in the land, furs, and women that other Europeans covetedwomen that other Europeans coveted

The Natives didn’t believe in Heaven and Hell but that they The Natives didn’t believe in Heaven and Hell but that they would pass on to a dream world when they diedwould pass on to a dream world when they died

The Hurons were attracted to the apparent magical prowess The Hurons were attracted to the apparent magical prowess fo the Jesuits rather then to their abstract Christian messagefo the Jesuits rather then to their abstract Christian message

As the Jesuits gathered a following, they demanded more As the Jesuits gathered a following, they demanded more cultural concessions from their Huron converts. They cultural concessions from their Huron converts. They denounced torture and ritual cannibalism, and the traditional denounced torture and ritual cannibalism, and the traditional games, feasts and dancesgames, feasts and dances

Jesuits


In the 1640’s and 1650’s, the Indians In the 1640’s and 1650’s, the Indians attacked and killed each other with ferocity attacked and killed each other with ferocity like never beforelike never before

The Iroquois slaughtered hundreds of The Iroquois slaughtered hundreds of Hurons and took hundreds more captiveHurons and took hundreds more captive

During the assaults, Jesuits would baptize During the assaults, Jesuits would baptize as many Hurons as they could before they as many Hurons as they could before they were burned or hacked to pieceswere burned or hacked to pieces

Trade, alliance and war entangled Trade, alliance and war entangled colonizers and natives in ways that they colonizers and natives in ways that they could not have predicted, could rarely could not have predicted, could rarely control, and might not have chosen had control, and might not have chosen had they had that luxurythey had that luxury

Destruction





American Colonies 16- American Colonies 16- French AmericaFrench America

Near the end of the 17th century, the French founded a new colony Near the end of the 17th century, the French founded a new colony called Louisianacalled Louisiana

Emigrants The French realized they needed more colonists to The French realized they needed more colonists to

defend Quebec from their English rivalsdefend Quebec from their English rivals The seigneurs brought the first farm families to CanadaThe seigneurs brought the first farm families to Canada In 1660 the English had 58,000 colonists in New In 1660 the English had 58,000 colonists in New

England and the ChesapeakeEngland and the Chesapeake In the 17th century, less the 250 families emigrated and In the 17th century, less the 250 families emigrated and

only %12 were femaleonly %12 were female Most male emigrants arrived in servitudeMost male emigrants arrived in servitude Louis XIV expanded his army from 20,000 men in 1661 Louis XIV expanded his army from 20,000 men in 1661

to 300,000 in 1710to 300,000 in 1710 Canada suffered a reputation of an immoral, cold and Canada suffered a reputation of an immoral, cold and

unprofitable land. Because of their short growing unprofitable land. Because of their short growing seasons, Canadians could not produce the warm-seasons, Canadians could not produce the warm-climate staplesclimate staples

Opportunity Most of the French who Most of the French who

did emigrate to Canada did emigrate to Canada significantly improved significantly improved their status and their status and standard of livingstandard of living

There was no direct tax There was no direct tax on people or land in on people or land in CanadaCanada

Fewer then four percent Fewer then four percent of Canadian women of Canadian women entered a convent. This entered a convent. This was because of the was because of the entry cost and the entry cost and the demanding life of a nundemanding life of a nun



American Colonies 16- French American Colonies 16- French AmericaAmerica

To govern New France the To govern New France the crown appointed three rival crown appointed three rival officials: A military governor-officials: A military governor-general, a civil administrator general, a civil administrator and a Catholic bishopand a Catholic bishop

Like in New Spain, but in Like in New Spain, but in contrast to the British contrast to the British colonies, the French colonies, the French established no elective established no elective assembly to represent the assembly to represent the colonistscolonists

Rather then acquired Rather then acquired wealth, noble birth and wealth, noble birth and aristocratic honor were the aristocratic honor were the primary criteria of status and primary criteria of status and authority in New Franceauthority in New France

Authority The Upper Country In the early 18th Century, New France consisted of In the early 18th Century, New France consisted of

two vastly different sectors: the narrow, cultivated two vastly different sectors: the narrow, cultivated St. Lawrence Valley and the vast upper countrySt. Lawrence Valley and the vast upper country

Even where outnumbered and converted to Even where outnumbered and converted to Catholicism, the Canadian Indians remained Catholicism, the Canadian Indians remained sovereign peoples rather than French subjectssovereign peoples rather than French subjects

The Indians and the French created “The middle The Indians and the French created “The middle ground” which was shared territory that neither the ground” which was shared territory that neither the French nor the Indians could dominateFrench nor the Indians could dominate

The French traders married native Indian womenThe French traders married native Indian women In the native world there was no agreement without In the native world there was no agreement without

giftsgifts In 1712 war became unavoidableIn 1712 war became unavoidable The middle ground required many presents from the The middle ground required many presents from the

French to keep it stableFrench to keep it stable




Louisiana was named after King Louis Louisiana was named after King Louis XIV to flatter himXIV to flatter him

The French hoped to dominate the The French hoped to dominate the interior of North America by linking interior of North America by linking Canada to LouisianaCanada to Louisiana

In Louisiana, the French peppered the In Louisiana, the French peppered the Indians with trade goods. They tried to Indians with trade goods. They tried to reconcile the Choctaw and the Chikasawreconcile the Choctaw and the Chikasaw

Lousiana failed to develp a profitable Lousiana failed to develp a profitable export staple. Louisiana also suffered export staple. Louisiana also suffered from abitrary government.from abitrary government.

The Louisiana officials were notoriously The Louisiana officials were notoriously corruptcorrupt

The settlers and soldiers of Louisiana The settlers and soldiers of Louisiana found that a white skin brought them far found that a white skin brought them far less privilege then it did the common less privilege then it did the common people of Carolinapeople of Carolina

Louisiana Rebels and Allies Louisiana was divided into two Louisiana was divided into two

landscapes: a small plantation core landscapes: a small plantation core remade by settlers and an immense remade by settlers and an immense hinterland dominated by Indianshinterland dominated by Indians

The Petites Nations welcomed the The Petites Nations welcomed the French but as soon as the French French but as soon as the French grew in numbers, they abandoned grew in numbers, they abandoned gratitudegratitude

Rendered a weak minority in their Rendered a weak minority in their former homelands, the survivors former homelands, the survivors accepted French domination, accepted French domination, surrendering most of their land to the surrendering most of their land to the colonistscolonists

Louisiana suffered from tension Louisiana suffered from tension between the Europeans, Indians and between the Europeans, Indians and slavesslaves

In the end, the colony cost the French In the end, the colony cost the French more then it gave in revenuemore then it gave in revenue


From the perspective of Paris, French From the perspective of Paris, French America was an economic failureAmerica was an economic failure

The Indians relied on European The Indians relied on European metalware, firearms and gunpowder, metalware, firearms and gunpowder, and if denied it, they would face hunger and if denied it, they would face hunger and destitutionand destitution

The French need native allies to hold The French need native allies to hold he interior and contain the British he interior and contain the British colonies on the Atlantic seaboardcolonies on the Atlantic seaboard

At much expense and with great At much expense and with great frustrations, the French became frustrations, the French became entangle in complex relationships with entangle in complex relationships with the Indian peoplesthe Indian peoples

Dependence



french colonies in america

Education

french america

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dutch trade french leaders

french fur traders

northern indians

french discovered fish

century europeans

american colonies