Native-French Relations in New France

Hochelaga

• Lucky that Iroquois had retreated from St. Lawrence Valley by 1608– Huron, Mikmaqs, Montagnais

• Company of New France 1608-1663 – Focus on Beaver Fur Trade

• The farther North, the better fur• Natives trap, process, and transport

– High Profits

New France:

1608-1760: 27,000

Importance of the 1660s, “Diplomatic Immunity,”

métis

British Colonies:

1607-1760: 1,000,000

Immigration

Dutch map of the New Netherland area (circa 1650)

Competition and the Environment

Beaver Wars (1633-1701): Iroquois attempt to dominate the fur trade

• 1633-1645: Conflict a Draw as Iroquois fight for Huron hunting grounds

• 1645-1647: Short Peace of 2 years– Iroquois still cut out of trade

• 1647-1653: Iroquois Begin another conflict and Prevail– Huron outgunned and annihilated– Iroquois win trading rights at Montreal

• 1653-1658: Peace lasts 5 short years– Iroquois still cut out of fur trade by Ottawa and

attack French in 1658

• 1658-1667: French Prevail– Smallpox, French troops, and Ottawa &

Canadian militia victories lead to French success

Beaver Wars

• 1667-1680: Long period of Peace– French Fur Trade Expands

further West and South– Jesuits sent amongst the

Mohawk and win important allies

– New Netherland becomes New York

• 1680-1701: French Prevail– Iroquois attack an over-

extended France in 1680• Guerilla tactics

• 1701: The Grand Settlement

Canadian militia

How does Religion fit into these relations?

• Jesuits the primary missionaries– Order created during

Counter Reformation

• Highly Educated

• Linguists

• Zealous & Disciplined

– Jesuit Relations keep missions alive with $

– Jesuits barely tolerated even amongst the Huron

Jesuit Map showing detail of a priests martyrdom (lower right)

Success with Huron?

• Initially, attempt to eradicate Native religious beliefs

• Overall failure amongst the Montagnais and Huron in 1630s & 1640s– Some Huron convert

and move to Lorette (mission town) outside Quebec

The Jesuit Mission at Sault Saint-Marie in Huronia before it was

destroyed by the Iroquois in the 1650s

Jesuit Adaptation

• Jesuits come to accept fusion more after the 1650s

• New strategy binds some Iroquois (Mohawk) to French– Jesuits enter Mohawk villages

during peace from 1667-1680

• Story of Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680) and Gandaouagué– Fracture of Mohawk society– Migration to Kahnawake, near

Montreal

The Mohawk Saint: Kateri Tekakwitha

(1656-1680)

Native Motivations

• Primary reasons for conversion?• What did Jesuits demand of Mohawk converts?

– Alcohol– Mid-Winter festival (Onnonhouarori) that featured

dream guessing feasts– Pagan beliefs

• What aspects of Native religion were retained?• What aspects of Catholicism were similar to

Mohawk religion– Collective Prayer– Asceticism

Overall Role & Significance of Religion in New France

• Government Frenchification fails in 17th century– Idea for separate mission towns prevails

• By 1710, Population of Mission Indians in New France is 1,750 (600 warriors)– Catholicism, European clothes and homes adopted– Retain own culture, language, and sovereignty– Warrior ethic = valuable allies

• Catholicism plays a part in reconciling Catholic Natives to New France, but two distinct societies, Catholic-Native and Catholic-Canadian, develop side-by-side

The Oka Crisis near Montreal in 1990

Final Question

• Together, fur trade and religion play a role in sustaining a tenuous French presence in New France in the Seventeenth Century– Which plays a bigger role?