French Colonization of the New World

1. French Colonization of the New World La Salle Cadillac Champlain

2. Samuel de Champlainestablished the first permanent French settlement at Quebec (1608) and established a friendly relationship with the Huron Indians.

3. Champlain’s Explorations

4. The Society of Jesus of the Roman Catholic Church (the Jesuits) sent missionaries to North America in the early 1600s.

5. The Jesuits converted over 10,000 Native Americans to Christianity.

6. The Jesuits kept excellent records, describing and categorizing all they saw. They were vital to the exploration and mapping of the New World.

7. The fur trappers, scoped out North America in search of pelts. They lived among the Indians, enlisted Indians in the fur trade and were also vital to the mapping of the New World and named many places.

8. Unfortunately, many of the activities fur trappers caused much harm. They brought disease(including STDs) to the natives, and corrupted the Indians with “firewater” (alcohol) They hunted many animals to the brink of extinction.

9. Robert La Salle travelled to America in 1667. Hoping to find a route to China, he led his first expedition in 1669. He established a viable fur trading fort FortFrontenac), explored the Great Lakes (1679) and explored the Mississippi River (1682), claiming all of the territory for France.

10. By 1713, “New France” was well established in the New World with forts and trading posts from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Control of the Ohio River Valley allowed France to link its Canadian and Gulf properties.

11. By the late 1600s, the English colonies were locked in place by the French to the north and west, and the Spanish to the South. Westward expansion into French claimed lands was not likely. The English were not happy.

12. This led to a series of wars: • King William’s War (1689-1697)- British colonials fought the fur trappers and their Indian allies for control of the fur trade. • Queen Anne’s War (1702 – 1713) – The British gained land in Acadia. • War of Jenkin’s Ear (1739 – 1743) – The English and Spanish fought over Caribbean trading rights.

13. King George’s War (1744 – 1748) - France and England fought over control of North American territory • The French and Indian War (1754 – 1763)

14. In the 1740s a group of English Virginians were granted land in the Ohio River Valley. The French were not happy.

15. In 1753, young George Washington (age 21) and a small group of soldiers were sent to protect the interest of the Virginians. In 1754, Washington and his men surprised a group of French and Indians. A battle ensued (the first of the French and Indian War), lasting about 2 months. Washington lost.

16. British authorities, fearing revolt in Acadia (modern day Quebec and Maine), deported 4,000 persons South. These people eventually became known as “cajuns.”

17. The British government called a conference in 1754 to discuss the coming war. Seven colonies sent delegates to Albany. The Albany Plan of Union proposed working together to fight the French and their Indian allies.

18. Benjamin Franklin enthusiastically supported the Albany Plan as shown by his political cartoon.

19. Goals of the Albany Congress: • appeal to the Iroquois • achieve colonial unity • bolster common defense The colonists wanted “home rule,” England could not agree. The Albany Congress failed.

20. The French were ultimately defeated at the Battle of Quebec. The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the French and Indian War and established the terms for peace, including that: 1. the French government exited North America, and 2. Spain gained control of the lands west of the Mississippi

21. Results of the French and Indian War: 3. England gained the land east of the Mississippi River and emerged as the dominant political power in North America. 4. The Indians lost powerful allies. (Ottawa chief Pontiac attempted to drive the British out of the Ohio River Valley, but was defeated by smallpox infected blankets.)

22. Results of the French and Indian War: 5. The colonists gained confidence in their own military abilities and saw proof of vulnerability in the British. 6. The colonists grew to dislike the “English.”

23. The colonists were anxious to move west, but the British government wanted to negotiate with the Indians, first. England issued the Proclamation of 1763, temporarily prohibiting settlement west of the Appalachian mountains. The colonists were angered by this order, and disobeyed it.

24. North America at the conclusion of the French and Indian War