The French established colonies in Canada and Louisiana in the 17th century. In Canada, the fur trade was the primary economic activity and the French formed alliances with some native tribes but alienated the Iroquois. Louisiana was founded to create a trade route between Canada and the Gulf of Mexico but struggled with disease, flooding and a lack of profitable exports. The French had varying relationships with native tribes in different areas, allying with some like the Choctaw while indifferently treating others or competing with enemies like the Chickasaw and English for influence over tribes in the backcountry.

1. Theme4
French Coloniesof North
America
Kristi Beria

2. American Colonies5
Canadaand Iroquoia-Canada
The first attempt by the French to
colonize the St. Lawrence Valley in
Canada ended in failure.
Mariners were able to establish a
successful and permanent settlement
near the mouth of the St. Lawrence
River.
While the St. Lawrence Valley was a
poor area for agriculture, it was perfect
for securing the fur trade.
Samuel de Champlain led a renewed
effort to found the colony New France.
1608 saw the building of a fortified
trading post.
The French formed alliances with the
Montagnis, Algonkin, and Huron.
This alienated the Five Nation Iroquois.
The Montagnis, Algonkin, and Huron
expected the French to fight in their
battles with the Iroquois.
The introduction of firearms allowed
victory at several battles.
The Iroquois saw the French as their
enemy and disrupted the trade
between the allies whenever possible.

3. American Colonies5
Canadaand Iroquoia-TheFur Trade
Temporary camps made by mariners along
the shores of Newfoundland brought
Europeans in contact with Indians wearing
furs.
By offering European items-such as beads,
kettles, and knives-the mariners were able
to buy furs from the natives.
Europeans realized that they could
purchase furs to sell without having to do
any of the hard work.
The natives believed that manitou-spirit
that all things possess-was accessible
through these trinkets.
The natives also traded for metal
arrowheads, axes, knives, hatchets, iron or
brass kettles, and metal hoes.
Indians started learning the business of
driving a hard bargain and to allow several
buyers to compete for their furs.
Because of the new tools, the old ways of
making stone tools began to be forgotten.
The demand for furs caused a strain
on the environment.
As local beaver began to be depleted,
Indians had to expand their hunting
area into rival territories causing
wars.
New weapons brought even more
violence.
What started out as novelties soon
became necessities that caused the
Indians to turn against each other.

4. American Colonies 5
Canada and Iroquoia-The Five Nation Iroquois
The Five Nation Iroquois consisted of
the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga,
Cayuga, and Seneca.
They had a mixed economy that
included hunting and gathering along
with horticulture.
They lived in many large permanent
villages.
The Iroquois were not great hunters
and initially didn’t have any interest in
trade.
They were fearsome warriors who
eventually acquired firearms from the
Dutch.
Unhappy that the French allied with
the Algonquin people, they violently
disrupted the northern trade alliance.
The Iroquois conducted
“mourning wars” to appease dead
relatives where they captured
enemies and either adopted them
or tortured them.
In the early 16th
century the Great
League of Peace was formed to
stop the bloodshed.
The refusal of many Iroquois
speaking nations to join the Great
League of Peace caused the
violence to escalate.
The constant wars and epidemics
took a heavy toll on the Iroquois
Nations.
By 1657, adopted captives
seemed to be the majority.

5. American Colonies5
Canadaand Iroquoia-TheJesuits
Along with the fur trade, the aim of
French Colonists was to convert
the Indians to Catholicism.
Priests from the Recollect Order
arrived in New France in 1615.
In ten years, they were only able to
baptize about 50 people.
In 1625-1626, eight Jesuit priests
arrived and decided to target the
Huron.
Here, they were able to establish a
central mission that included a
chapel, hospital, forge, mill and
stables, along with four satellite
missions.
The Jesuits learned the native
language and went into villages to
build churches.
Many natives were surprised by
their lack of interest in the fur
trade.
The Jesuits had a hard time
convincing the natives in the idea
of heaven and hell.
Native shaman became the enemy
of the priests.
The priests brought disease that
killed about half of the Huron.
When the natives found out that
whole lineages of families could
be converted, they started to come
around and get baptized.

6. American Colonies 16
French America-Emigrants
Until the year 1663, Canada was under
control by the Company of New France,
a fur trading company, rather than the
French Crown.
The Company of New France was
ordered to bring in more inhabitants.
Seigneurs, the title of nobility given to
men who recruited people, brought in the
colonies first farmers; also called
habitants.
The St. Lawrence Valley was fertile, but
had a short growing season.
The population grew slowly, from 700 in
1650 to 3,000 in 1663.
The French Crown was worried that they
were going to lose the race to colonize
with the English, who by 1660 had
58,000 colonists.
The Crown took control of the colony in
1663 and paid for the cost of passage.
Most emigrants were young single men;
only 250 families emigrated during the
17th
century.
These men were only required to spend
three years in service and then were
allowed to return to France, which
caused the colony to be a transient
society.
In 1673 the Crown took away the
funding and migration came to a stop.
The population grew naturally, with an
even higher birth rate than France.

7. American Colonies 16
French America-Opportunity
The majority of colonists who
stayed in Canada improved their
status and were able leave poverty
behind.
80% of the colonists lived as
habitants and were able to lease
approximately 100 acres; much
more than they had in France.
They were able to hunt and fish
which was prohibited in France.
Despite harsh winters, they were
able to stay warm because of the
large supply of firewood.
The taxes and tithes paid to the
Church were much lower in New
France compared to what peasants
paid in France.
Habitants paid lower rents and less
toll at the grain mill.
Women in New France had the
choice of marriage or joining the
convent, unlike the English
colonies.
There was less of a division of
classes in New France as most
people were equal in their wealth.

8. American Colonies 16
French America-Louisiana
In 1682 The Sieur de La Salle explored
southwestward down the Mississippi
Valley into the Gulf of Mexico, naming
the area Louisiana after King Louis the
XIV.
In 1699 Pierre La Moyne d’Iberville
founded a small fortified settlement on
the Gulf Coast.
The French made trade their number one
priority as opposed to religious
conversion.
They hoped to create a trade route that
linked Canada and Louisiana.
The French rallied the upper-country
Indians against the Iroquois and
arbitrated peace between feuding tribes.
New Orleans was established in 1718
became the largest town, principle
seaport, and government headquarters
Between 1717 and 1730, 5,400
European colonists and 6,000 African
slaves were transported to Louisiana,
many of which were convicted criminals.
Farming was difficult because of
flooding, hurricanes, and drought.
Many died due to famine and disease,
but by the 1740’s many of the colonists
had developed some immunities.
Louisiana did not produce a profitable
export item and was therefore
subsidized by the French Crown.
The government was corrupt and
embezzled crown funds and invested in
pirate ships.
Louisiana was the least profitable of the
French colonies.

9. American Colonies 16
French America-Rebels and Allies
Louisiana was divided into two
different areas: a plantation core
made by settlers and a large
backcountry filled with Indians.
The French had to deal with the
natives differently in each area.
In the backcountry, with few
colonies, the French played on their
weakness and made important allies.
In the more populated inland area, the
French treated the Indians
indifferently.
The colonists were masters at setting
surrounding tribes against each other
in order to make things more
profitable for them.
A rebellion in Natchez in 1729 pitted
Indians and slaves against the French
soldiers and colonists, resulting in a
devastating loss to the colony.
This scared the French and they rallied
the Choctaw to attack the Natchez
rebels in order to protect Louisiana.
In the backcountry, the French and
English competed for influence over
the vast number of Indians.
The English had better and more
affordable items for trade than the
French, but they also treated the
natives with contempt.
It was expensive to keep the Indian
allies, so the French had to pick and
choose who to ally with.
They picked the Choctaw over the
Chickasaw because of proximity and
numbers.
Several times the Chickasaw defeated
armies of French soldiers, warriors,
and armed slaves.
After several lengthy battles the
balance of French-Choctaw power was
restored in 1750.

10. American Colonies 16
French America-Rebels and Allies
Louisiana was divided into two
different areas: a plantation core
made by settlers and a large
backcountry filled with Indians.
The French had to deal with the
natives differently in each area.
In the backcountry, with few
colonies, the French played on their
weakness and made important allies.
In the more populated inland area, the
French treated the Indians
indifferently.
The colonists were masters at setting
surrounding tribes against each other
in order to make things more
profitable for them.
A rebellion in Natchez in 1729 pitted
Indians and slaves against the French
soldiers and colonists, resulting in a
devastating loss to the colony.
This scared the French and they rallied
the Choctaw to attack the Natchez
rebels in order to protect Louisiana.
In the backcountry, the French and
English competed for influence over
the vast number of Indians.
The English had better and more
affordable items for trade than the
French, but they also treated the
natives with contempt.
It was expensive to keep the Indian
allies, so the French had to pick and
choose who to ally with.
They picked the Choctaw over the
Chickasaw because of proximity and
numbers.
Several times the Chickasaw defeated
armies of French soldiers, warriors,
and armed slaves.
After several lengthy battles the
balance of French-Choctaw power was
restored in 1750.