Transcript Week 6
Is colonialism more dangerous as a physical or mental act FRENCH AND DUTCH AMERICA 1534 Jacques Cartier 2 ships & 61 men Looking for northwest passage Discovers inlet of St Lawrence river mouth of channel through the continent? Postpones exploration until next summer Claims whole region for his king New France. 1535 Cartier returns up St Lawrence as far as island occupied by Huron Indians Welcome him to the highest point on the island Names it Mont Réal, or Mount Royal Returns for a third visit in 1541-2 Attempt to found colony comes to nothing Discoveries prompt fur traders in these regions 1611 Samuel de Champlain establishes settlement on same island Montreal 3 years earlier Champlain formed settlement at Quebec. Cartier's search unwittingly began French empire in the west. France – Empire? Did France have an American empire? Demographically In the North Whites replace Native Americans In the South Blacks replace Native Americans Tropics to Tundra All locations French Government interested in territorial expansion Colonies were state directed But does definition of boundaries create a colony In most cases Colonies built by a combination of local people and environment Canada Founder of Quebec (1608) Samuel de Champlain Explores region to build fur trade with the help of the Huron Progress slow 1635, the settlers in Quebec number fewer than 100 1660 New France has only about 2300 Boston has a larger population French fur traders find it hard to get their wares to the St Lawrence 1660 settlers appeal to Louis XIV for help New France into a royal province ruled by a governor, with military, religous and educational support supplied by France 1660s more than 3000 colonists are sent out including women of marriageable age Decade proves a turning point for New France Explorers begin the process of pressing west and south from the Great Lakes 1668 a Jesuit mission is established at the junction of the three western Great Lakes Sault Sainte Marie selected in 1671 as an appropriate place from which to claim the entire interior of the American continent for the king of France NO CLASS ON THURSDAY DUTCH AMERICA 1609 the Dutch East India Company hire English sailor Henry Hudson to find a northeast passage to India Unsuccessfully searched above Norway Turned his ship west "northwest passage” Cape Cod sailed into the mouth of a large river Hudson River Made way as far as present-day Albany Claimed the entire Hudson River Valley for his Dutch employers Numerous unsuccessful efforts at colonization Dutch Parliament chartered the West India Company joint stock company 1624 30 families arrive establishing a settlement on present- day Manhattan Focus fur trade – purely business venture 1626, Director General Peter Minuit arrived in Manhattan "purchased" Manhattan Island from Native American Indians for the now legendary price of 60 guilders Formally established New Amsterdam Strengthened fort up Hudson River, named Fort Orange. 1630s new Director General Wouter van Twiller claimed lands by the Connecticut River Already claimed by English settlers Twiller forced to back down Dutch lost any claims to the Connecticut Valley Dutch and Native Americans Around Fort Orange needs of the profitable fur trade required a careful policy of appeasement with the Iroquois Confederacy Lower Hudson Valley Colonists setting up small farms Native Americans viewed as obstacles 1630s and early 1640s, the Dutch Director Generals carried on a brutal series of campaigns against the area's Native Americans 1640 marked a turning point West India Company gave up monopoly Businessmen invest in New Netherland Profits flowed to Amsterdam, encouraging new economic activity in the production of food, timber, tobacco, and eventually, slaves Director General's preoccupation with Native Americans and border conflicts with the English greatly weakened other portions of colonial society 1647 Director General Peter Stuyvesant arrived New Netherland in disarray