Samuel Mongeau Eel Lecture Summary

When the French settled into Canada 400 years ago independently of the British, the first stages of French/Francophone identity was formed. Over time this unique identity began to emerge and become something different from the rest of Canada. Language, history, and the geography of their land continues to evolve and separate the Francophones from Canada as their land and way of life is special to our nation. The dual nature of the French/English faultline in Canada manifested early on in history when New France was threatened by British occupation, ultimately leading to Confederation; we can continue to see this in modern times through referendums which deal with French culture and separation. Quebec is also unique geographically, containing mild to arctic climate zones and 4 geophysical regions; this is very diverse for a single province in Canada. These regions in Quebec allows for a diverse economic industry, including: hydroelectric production, agriculture, forest and mining industries. The economic production through Quebec’s varying geography and their individual French culture and history is what makes Quebec a unique region in Canada.

On the contrary, Cartier was determined and believe in himself that he could make it through this journey without dieing and hoping to find a new path too gold and spices. Although in the end Cartier did not find a new path too gold and spices, he sailed many new parts of north america like Gaspè in which he met an Iroquois chief and made many valuable trades with this chief. Cartier also raised a 9 foot cross in the honor of his king while he was in Gaspè. These two pieces of evidence prove that Cartier was a determined explorer. In the end of his magnificent years of sailing Cartier was a very determined explorer who knew he could get anything done.

The relationship escalated to the point of an alliance in which the French helped the Hurons fight their enemy the Iroquois Confederacy. Champlain became so successful with the Indians that he eventually sent traders out to live alongside the Hurons, adopt their culture and language and at the same time monitor the flow of furs to the newly settled Quebec. Not nearly as profitable as the fur trade was their export of crops, which only started because they used the farming techniques that the Native had shown to them. Though the French was relationship with the Indians was not spotless, it did prove to be economically beneficial to both the French and the Indians.

Dietary modifications within a particular culture are indicative of the influences of an external culture and such transformations are frequently exemplified throughout the colonial history of North America. Indeed, the incorporation of European food goods, such as alcohol, into the diet of the Canadian Indigenous Peoples is representative of the immense impact which the first explorers had on these tribes (Lunn 1992). Furthermore, the transitional dietary modifications of the First Nations People of Canada’s North are a direct reflection of Western influence and the European attempt to assimilate these traditional societies according to Western idealism. Traditional dietary conversions correspond with the establishment and eventual

British empire was in control of Canada, “a deep and complex transformation.” (Calloway, 112) British empire envision North America with field of action while the French spent the next two decade revenging on their loss with the Seven Years’ War and Treaty of Paris. Even though the French did not succeed in North America, eventually they migrated towards large swaths of Canada, The Great Lakes, and Mississippi Valley using their social systems and culture to survive. “The Interior French”, (Calloway, 123) were French-Canadian who lived beyond the Great Lakes country. They had formed an alliance within the Indians and having a good reputation with dealing goods. Louisiana went to Spain eventually, a few French migrated to Louisiana as a Peace of Paris. More settlers were French in Louisiana during the Spanish era instead of the French. Louisiana changes hand in Paris a couple times in 1763.

The French relationship with First Nations has been a dominate factor in Canadian history. Their successful means in establishing such relations led them to great achievements and downfalls. This relationship was successfully earned by the French for a variety of reasons. One, the First Nations, already in awe of European culture, were eager to trade due to their further fascination of European items (232). More specifically, they desired basic European goods such as “…knives, hatchets, kettles, beads, cloth and, eventually, the firearms of the French (5). Unlike the English, the French seized greater advantage of First Nations cooperation by demonstrating acts of tolerance and respect (8). The efforts of Samuel de Champlain, who formed “The Order of Good Cheer” to increase friendly relations, highlights this sentiment (1.3). To further impress them, the French utilized the practice of gift giving, a tradition they discovered in Brazil (1.3). One other essential factor in establishing relations was partly due to intermarriages between both

Cartier’s thorough explorations of the St. Lawrence Gulf created the main gateway for Europeans to access North America (Ages of Exploration - Jacques Cartier).

Samuel de Champlain helped establish Quebec and became known as the “Father of New France”, he made a treaty with the Huron Indians and attacked the Iroquois and this came back to haunt them when the Iroquois hampered their penetration into the Ohio River Valley

The Jesuits attempted to convert the Indians to Christianity and to save them from the fur trappers and their endless shenanigans, and failed.

During the time the Spanish built a military post at St. Augustine while also wiping the French interlopers, there were fishing fleet activity involving the English and French, in Cape Cod. There, were also local Native Americans who decided to trade with the English and French, fur, in return for manufactured goods such as guns, cloth, and metal utensils. With this, trading became more well-known and accessible to the other English and French, thus becoming a daily activity for the Europeans and the Native Americans. However, as time passed, more animals with fur began to diminish, thus enacting the competition of fur against the English and French. Unlike the French who took up many of Canada’s land (home of many fur-bearing animals) and traded with the Natives there, the English trading took place in Newfoundland and on the Atlantic coast south of the French settlements. However, with the diminishing of fur-bearing animals, the French began to move further west in search of it. This then gave the French an advantage of exploring more of Canada and North America, while also building relationships with more Native

The Niagara peninsula showed its value to the economic growth of Upper Canada by being an essential breakpoint in the water communication with the longest portage in the St. Lawrence-Great Lake system (4). However it did not mean that the Niagara River did not play a great importance also. It served as a transshipment function for goods and furs. However, that all changed when Sir William Johnson and a small army of regulars, colonies, and Indians took the British. Under the new regimes, the transshipment did stay the same (5).

We are going to talk about how Cartier and Champlain made enemies of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois). Jack was credited with the European discovery of the entry to Canada the St. Lawrence River. While Champlain sailed from St. Malo, France in 1534 with two ships and a crew of sixty one men. Cartier was commissioned by King Francis l in France in 1534 to travel to North America to look for spices, gold, diamonds, and most important the passage to the Far East. Cartier travelled through the Strait of Belle Isle, south along the western coast of Newfoundland, and around the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Champlain and the Quebec colony engaged in a friendly relationship with native Huron Native Americans

He mapped out much of northeastern North America, and discovered Lake Champlain in 1609, which was later named after him, and was also important in the establishment of the French colonies in the New World. His biggest accomplishment however, is the establishment of the Quebec settlement. Before long though, there were enemies trying to invade Quebec. With the help of some northern Indian tribes who were allied to the French government, they defeated Iroquois marauders on Lake Camplain. His victories and successes in the New World alongside the Indian tribes helped to enhance French prestige among the allied tribes and increase fur trade between France and the Indian

“New France was not merely the settlement of a few fur traders.” The Acadians were “a pastoral-like people who once formed a proud nation in a land called Acadia.” Although falling under the jurisdiction of “New France,” the Acadians governed separately than the rest of the country and were an independent entity within New France. Today, “the Acadians are the French speaking population of the Canadian Maritime provinces,” and these are the Acadians that were not displaced during the expulsions, under British rule. Acadia’s beginnings, with the construction of Port Royal, could have marked the colony for success, but instead, led to a troubling conclusion for the European descendents. Through failed leadership, two