European Nations Settle North America Chapters in Brief

European Nations Settle North America

Chapters in Brief In the early 1500 s, the French began to explore North America. Jacques Cartier came across and named the St. Lawrence River. He then followed it inward to reach the site of modern Montreal. In 1608, Samuel de Chaplain sailed as far as modern Quebec. In the next 100 years, the French explored and claimed the area around the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River all the way to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. The area became known as New France. The main activity in this colony was trade in beaver fur. The English also began to colonize North America. The first permanent settlement came at Jamestown, in modern Virginia, in 1607. The colony struggled at first. Many settlers died from disease, hunger, or war with the native peoples. Soon farmers began to grow tobacco to meet the high demand for it in Europe.

Chapters in Brief In the 1620 s and 1630 s, other groups from England began to settle in modern Massachusetts. These settlers were deeply religious people who did not agree with the practices of the Church of England. They wanted to purify the church and were called Puritans. They hoped to build a model community dedicated to God. They succeeded over time in part because many families settled there. Meanwhile, the Dutch also started a new colony. They settled in the location of modern New York City and called it New Netherland. Like the French, they engaged in the fur trade and set up trading posts along the Hudson River. The colony did not grow very large, but it did attract people from other European countries. New Netherland became known as a home to people of many different cultures. Europeans also took possession of many islands of the Caribbean. There they built tobacco and sugar plantations that used enslaved African as workers.

Chapters in Brief The European powers began to fight for control of North America. First, the English forced the Dutch to give up their colony. New Amsterdam was renamed New York. The English also planted other colonies along the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Georgia. These colonists came in conflict with the French settlers in Canada on many occasions. The final fight started in 1754 and was called the French and Indian War. When it ended in 1763, France was forced to give up all its land in North America to Britain.

Chapters in Brief The native peoples responded to these events in many different ways. Many worked closely with the French and Dutch, joining in the fur trade and benefiting fro it. Those who lived near the English, though, had stormier relations with colonists. More than just trade, the English were interested in acquiring land for settlers’ living and farming. This was land that Native Americans would not be able to use for hunting or growing their own food. This conflict erupted into war several times. Natives, though, could not overcome the settlers’ guns and cannons. As in Spanish lands, the native peoples suffered even more from disease. Thousands upon thousands of natives died from European illnesses making it impossible for them to resist the growth of the colonies.

Competing Claims in North America Ø Spain’s colonization success did not go unnoticed Ø England, France, and the Netherlands became interested in colonization

Further Exploration • Cabot (England) explores area around Newfoundland • Cartier (France) explores St. Lawrence R. • Hudson (Netherlands) finds Hudson Bay while looking for the “northwest passage”

The French • New France – 1608 – Samuel Champlain • Founds Quebec – base of New France

French Colonies • Goals: – Priests spread Christianity / convert the Native Americans – Young, single men engaged in fur trade – More interested in making $$ than occupying territory – Established for fur trade * Not a big desire to build towns or raise families • No large colonies • Mostly single men buying, selling, and trapping beaver (brown gold)

The Dutch • • New Netherland (1609) – Henry Hudson – Fur trade with Iroquois – Welcomed a variety of people to attract colonists Henry Hudson

Dutch Colonies • Surrender land to English • 1664, the English drive out the Dutch (“Dutch Wedge”) – Re-name the colony New York • By 1750, 1. 2 million English live in the 13 colonies

The English Arrive in North America 13 Colonies

The English • First attempt: Roanoke Island, 1585 – Failure • Jamestown is next! - 1607 - named after King James I - coast of Virginia - too interested in gold than food - 7 of 10 died in first few years

Jamestown (1607) Ø The Charter of the Virginia Co: – joint-stock company funded colonies in the Americas – guaranteed colonists the same rights as Englishmen May 24, 1607 about 100 colonists [all men] land at Jamestown

Jamestown Fort & Settlement Map Geographic/environmental problems? ?

The Jamestown Nightmare Ø Settlers died by the dozens! Ø “Gentlemen” colonists would not work themselves Captain John Smith: The Right Man for the Job? ? There was no talk…but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold…

Jamestown High Mortality Rates The “Starving Time”: Ø Ø Ø Ø 1607: 104 colonists by spring, 1608: 38 survived 1609: 300 more immigrants by spring, 1610: 60 survived 1610 – 1624: 10, 000 immigrants 1624 population: 1, 200 adult life expectancy: 40 years death of children before age 5: 80%

England Ø Plymouth Bay 1620 – Pilgrims • super strict separatists – seek religious freedom Ø Massachusetts Bay 1630 – Puritans • want to build a model community and purify the Anglican Church – seek religious freedom

The English • Plymouth Bay – Pilgrims • Super strict separatists – Seek religious freedom • Massachusetts Bay – Puritans • Want to build a model community and purify the Anglican Church – Seek religious freedom

Relationships with Native Americans • Trade with French and Dutch • Hostility with English settlers – wars • Less land than French but more people (Settlement)

England Battles France • With the Dutch defeated, the French and English remain • The French and Indian War (1754 -1763) – French and Native Americans vs. British and Native Americans – British become the dominant power in North America!!!