Chapter 2

“France and the Netherlands in North America”

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*By the early 1600s, England, France, and the Netherlands each staked claims to lands in North America.

New France

*Samuel de Champlain – made 11 voyages to explore and map lands along St. Lawrence River.

*1608 – Champlain established Quebec

*1609 – Champlain explored present-day Lake Champlain (border of Vermont and New York)

Life in New France

*Spain sought gold, silver, and precious minerals;

France profited from fish and furs.

*Spain forced Native Americans into harsh labor;

French traded with Native Americans for animal skins (valued in Europe; beaver skins made into hats).

*Champlain established colony’s first settlement – a trading post (animal pelts) – in present day Nova Scotia in 1604. Other trading posts: Quebec City and Montreal.

*Employees of fur companies often married Native American women and started families.

*Late 1600s – French colonists began to farm in large numbers:

1. demand for fur in Europe in decline

2. Native American wars disrupted fur trade

3. 3,000 French settlers (many single women) sent by King Louis XIV of France in 1660s – population began to expand

Exploring the Mississippi

*1670 – French missionary Jacques Marquette established two missions along Great Lakes (present-day Michigan)

*French traders explored Great Lakes (furs)

*1673 – Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, a French Canadian trader, explored shores of Lake Michigan (Green Bay, WI); reached Mississippi River and were convinced Mississippi River flowed into Gulf of Mexico (no NW Passage) – returned home.

*Marquette’s and Joliet’s explorations provided French with a water route into the heart of North America.

*1682 – Rene Robert Cavelier (better known as LaSalle) followed Mississippi River to Gulf of Mexico; claimed Mississippi Valley for France and named it Louisiana for King Louis XIV

New Netherland

*Dutch land claims in North America based on Hudson’s exploration of Hudson River

*1610 – Dutch traders in Hudson River Valley began profitable trade with Native Americans – established permanent colony of New Netherland

*1624 – 300 settlers arrive from Netherlands – most settled at FortOrange, a fur-trading post later renamed Albany (NY)

*1626 – Peter Minuit, colony’s governor, purchased island at mouth of Hudson River and named it New Amsterdam; town grew steadily

*New Netherland was a barrier to the English; kept English settlers from moving westward

*1664 – English forces seized New Netherland and named it New York after king’s brother (Duke of York)

The Impact on Native Americans

*Native Americans gave fur pelts to French and Dutch traders; Europeans gave Native Americans manufactured goods (cloth, iron pots and tools, and guns).

*French and Dutch each made alliances (agreements to benefit both sides) with Native Americans. Hurons – partners with French; Iroquois – partners with Dutch (Hurons and Iroquois were enemies before this). Iroquois (with Dutch guns) attacked Hurons

*Problems with Native American-European interaction:

1. Native Americans contracted diseases from Europeans

2. Overtrapping of animals weakened food chain of Native Americans

3. As fur-bearing animals disappeared, value of Native Americans to the colonists decreased (land of Native American more valuable than people)