French & English French & English Empires of North Empires of North

AmericaAmericaImperial Policies, Strengths Imperial Policies, Strengths

& Weaknesses& Weaknesses

Two contrasting visions of Two contrasting visions of New France:New France:

A fur-trading A fur-trading colony requiring colony requiring constant constant expansion - large expansion - large but sparsely but sparsely settled?(Early settled?(Early French French Governors)Governors)

A "compact A "compact colony" along the colony" along the St. Lawrence - St. Lawrence - diversified diversified economy, economy, concentrated concentrated settlement?settlement?(Louis’s vision)(Louis’s vision)

Official French Imperial Official French Imperial policy:policy:

Louis XIV wanted Louis XIV wanted to build a to build a compact colony compact colony limited to the St. limited to the St. Lawrence River Lawrence River valleyvalley

Despite this Despite this imperial plan, fur imperial plan, fur traders and the traders and the colony's early colony's early governors (esp. governors (esp. Frontenac) Frontenac) encouraged encouraged expansion into expansion into the interiorthe interior

A Failed Imperial PlanA Failed Imperial Plan

Distance made it Distance made it difficult for difficult for France to enforce France to enforce its policies in its policies in North AmericaNorth America

By 1700, New By 1700, New France stretched France stretched from the Gulf of from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to St. Lawrence to the Gulf of the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, occupying a vast occupying a vast area of North area of North AmericaAmerica

French Imperial Policy, French Imperial Policy, 1700 - 1763:1700 - 1763:

French colonies in French colonies in North America were North America were considered considered "sacrificial pawns""sacrificial pawns"

If necessary, they If necessary, they would be given would be given away to protect away to protect other more valuable other more valuable holdings in Europe holdings in Europe and the Caribbeanand the Caribbean

French philosopher French philosopher Voltaire described Voltaire described New France as "a New France as "a few acres of snow"few acres of snow"

Treaty of Utrecht (1713): Treaty of Utrecht (1713): A Turning Point for New A Turning Point for New FranceFrance

French on losing side French on losing side of War of Spanish of War of Spanish SuccessionSuccession

Newfoundland and Newfoundland and parts of Acadia given parts of Acadia given to Britainto Britain

Captured Hudson Bay Captured Hudson Bay trading posts trading posts returned to Britainreturned to Britain

New France New France "squeezed" on two "squeezed" on two sides by British sides by British territoryterritory

New France forced to New France forced to develop a plan of develop a plan of defencedefence

French Plan of DefenceFrench Plan of Defence

After 1713, France builds a series of forts to defend its After 1713, France builds a series of forts to defend its remaining North American territoryremaining North American territory

Key fortification: Louisbourg (1720) defends entrance to Key fortification: Louisbourg (1720) defends entrance to Gulf of St. LawrenceGulf of St. Lawrence

Forts stretch through Acadia to Lake Champlain Forts stretch through Acadia to Lake Champlain southward to the Gulf of Mexicosouthward to the Gulf of Mexico

Goal: restrict English colonies to strip of land along Goal: restrict English colonies to strip of land along eastern coasteastern coast

English Response (1713-English Response (1713-1749):1749):

English build a English build a series of forts to series of forts to counter French counter French forts forts

Ex.: Halifax Ex.: Halifax (1749) built to (1749) built to challenge challenge LouisbourgLouisbourg

North America North America becomes armed becomes armed camp as both camp as both sides prepare for sides prepare for warwar

What are the What are the strengths and strengths and weaknesses of weaknesses of each side as they each side as they prepare for the prepare for the "final conflict" for "final conflict" for North America?North America?

Strengths of the French Strengths of the French Empire in North AmericaEmpire in North America

Alliance with native Alliance with native peoples: knowledge of peoples: knowledge of the wilderness, fighting the wilderness, fighting methodsmethods

Skilled at "guerrilla" Skilled at "guerrilla" fighting methods fighting methods suitable to North suitable to North American environment American environment (small "hit and run" (small "hit and run" raids)raids)

Central command Central command structure: Only one structure: Only one military commander for military commander for all forcesall forces

Weaknesses of French Weaknesses of French Empire:Empire:

Population of 60 Population of 60 000 - too small to 000 - too small to defend vast defend vast French colonyFrench colony

Large area to Large area to defenddefend

No surplus No surplus manpower in manpower in time of war - time of war - either defense or either defense or economy (fur economy (fur trade, trade, agriculture) agriculture) sufferedsuffered

Weaknesses of French Weaknesses of French Empire:Empire:

Lacked Lacked diversified diversified economy - economy - dependent on dependent on France for food & France for food & suppliessupplies

Dependent on Dependent on France for much France for much of its defenseof its defense

Received little Received little support from support from France (Voltaire: France (Voltaire: "a few acres of "a few acres of snow")snow")

Strengths of the English Strengths of the English Empire in North AmericaEmpire in North America

Diversified Diversified economies - economies - plantation plantation agriculture, trade, agriculture, trade, small scale small scale manufacturing manufacturing made colonies self-made colonies self-sufficient and sufficient and prosperousprosperous

Population of 1.5 Population of 1.5 million - surplus of million - surplus of manpower available manpower available in wartimein wartime

Strengths of the English Strengths of the English Empire in North AmericaEmpire in North America

Received Received active support active support of Mother of Mother Country in time Country in time of war (greater of war (greater commitment to commitment to colony's colony's defense)defense)

Supported by Supported by powerful powerful British NavyBritish Navy

Weaknesses of English Weaknesses of English Empire:Empire:

Colonial Colonial disunity - disunity - often acted often acted as 13 as 13 colonies, colonies, not as 1not as 1

Lacked Lacked support of support of native native peoplespeoples

North America on the Eve of North America on the Eve of the Seven Years' Warthe Seven Years' War