Land, Fur, & God

*New France

*Map of New France

*Why Did France Explore?

*Starting in 1534, French Explorers – Jacques Cartier & Samuel de Champlain – wanted to find gold & a Northern Passage.

• Although Cartier and Champlain never found the Northern Passage or very much gold, they did create colonies for the French to live.

• These earliest French relied upon Native Americans for survival.

*New France

Quebec City

*New France’s population grew slowly:

*Farming was unsuccessful due to harsh winters – didn’t attract settlers

*French began to make profits from the fur trade and fishing

*Even after the King of France began sending soldiers and citizens to New France, its population was still smaller than the English and Spanish.

*French Missions

*French Priests & Nuns traveled to New France to convert Native Americans & establish schools for French boys and girls.

*Fur Hats were very popular in Europe.

*Fur Traders hunted furry animals in New France or traded with Native Americans (weapons, metal supplies).

*Many fur traders married Native American women.

*Fur Traders

Pre-French

*Native American Nations: Montagnais, Algonquin, Huron, & Iroquois.

*At different times, the tribes went to war against each other.

Post-French

*Native American tribes would persuade the French to help them fight their enemies.

*At times, Native Americans would attack French towns & cities.*French – Indian

Relations (War)

*French - Indian Relations

(Marriage)

*Earliest explorers & traders were men.

*Due to lack of women, French males would marry Native American females.

*Their children would be known as “metis.”

Consequences

*French brought diseases to Native Americans.

*Native Americans became dependent upon French goods – knives, guns, clothes, iron pots, blankets.

*The French, in turn, relied on Native Americans for the fur trade.

*Conclusions

*How is French exploration similar and different from Spanish exploration? (Answer in 2 paragraphs!)