Theme 4. American Colonial Empires: France and England

By: Lindsay Nelson

French Colonies of North America

American Colonies 5- Canada and Iroquoia

France needed a steady and enduring share in the America trade.

Found profit in fish and fur along the mouth of the St. Lawrence river.

French traders were hostage to the Indian trade protocols because the Natives considered a cutoff trade an act of war and the French needed them as allies.

By 1580, the fisheries and whale and seal hunts employed 4 vessels and around 12,000 men

Mariners traded Indians fur for European manufactured goods.

Furs hot commodity in Europe

French established permanent but small posts around Tadoussac in Canada.

Did this to allow for fur trade all year long.

The French reclaimed the St. Lawrence Valley, now Canada.

Canada was perfect for 5 reasons:1. Valley was safely distant from Spanish power

2. Northern location meant especially thick and valuable furs

3. Resident Montagnais and Algonkin were especially skilled hunters

4. St. Lawrence river offered deepest access westward

5. At Quebec, the river narrowed which provided a good harbor and higher ground for posts

Firearms were introduced to Indian warfare when the French helped their ally natives to the north fight the Five Nation Iroquois.

Selling of firearms was previously prohibited, but it was such a profitable sale it was allowed.

The Iroquois were a formidable enemy with large, fortified hilltop villages.

Their cohesion was a direct result of practicing ceremonial torture and cannibalism of their captured enemies.

American Colonies 16- French Colonies

French Canadians stayed safe from invasion because of their small numbers and location. The small number of people kept the friction down with the Indians and their northern setting kept them safe from British Invasion.

Recruited Natives to help fight against British expansion

Founded Louisiana at the end of the 17th century

This new colony became the chief rival for British Carolina in American southeast. Like new France, Louisiana was thinly populated and relied

on Indian allies

Until 1663, Canada belonged to the fur-trading company of New France, not the French crown. Saw no need to have

colonists shipped from France to build a bigger colony because it would drive up cost, and they had the Indians to do the work.

Eventually they had to bring people over to help defend against the British. Most were male

emigrants from the northern and western seaports of France

Most people that went to Canada and stayed significantly improved their standard of living Plots of farm lands much bigger, more meat and

bread available, able to hunt and fish, which was denied to peasants in France

Had a more militaristic, paternalistic, and centralized form of authority compared to British.

Governed by 3 people: a military govenor-general, a civil administrator known as an intendant, and a Catholic bishop

Selective settlement divided Louisiana into 2 different landscapes: a small plantation core remade by settlers, and an immense hinterland led by Indians

New France and Louisiana cost the crown more to run than they profited.

As Indians became dependent on French trade, the French empire became captive to Indian demands.

Indian alliances were more for political well-being rather than financial profit