The French Come to America

1. The French Come to America NEW FRANCE

2. Why did the French come to America? • King Louis of France wanted to find a shortcut to Asia • In 1534 the king sent Jacques Cartier to America • Cartier wanted to find a river in America that he could follow west all the way to Asia • Cartier sailed to Canada, but didn’t find a river that went to Asia • Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River and said that all the land around the St. Lawrence River belonged to France. He called it New France.

3. Rene Robert Sieur de la Salle • In 1682 La Salle traveled from the St. Lawrence River to the Mississippi River, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico • He called all the land around the Mississippi River “Louisiana.” • The French started two cities on the Mississippi River, St. Louis and New Orleans

4. How did Native Americans help the French? Some French people moved to America to get furs Native Americans hunted animals for their furs The French traded with Native Americans for these furs In France they sold these furs for a lot of money

5. The French and Native Americans • Some Native Americans taught the French how to use canoes and snowshoes • Some Native Americans taught the French how to trap animals for furs

6. The French in North America • The French came to America to teach Native Americans how to be Catholic • The French did not allow freedom of religion • Only Catholics could live in New France, so the colony grew very slowly • The French owned much more land in America than the English owned • There were many more English settlers than French settlers • The French did not take Native American land

7. The French and Indian War • England did not want France to own land in America • Many English people wanted to move west to Louisiana • England and France had been enemies in Europe for many years • By 1754, England and France were fighting a war in America • Some Native Americans fought for the French, and some fought for the English • George Washington led the Virginians against the French

8. The French and Indian War The French and English also fought in Europe England won the war in Europe England won the French and Indian War in 1763 in America After the war, England owned all the land that was east of the Mississippi River. Spain owned the land west of the Mississippi river France lost most of its land in America