History Unit #1: NEW FRANCE

1530s – France began to send explorers to find new, unknown lands

First Nations peoples lived on North American continent for thousands of years before explorers Relied on land for: food, clothing, shelter, transportation and medicine Respected: animals, weather, seasons, land & water

1534 – King of France sent Jacques Cartier to explore Must find two things: Shipping route to Orient to import goods to Europe Precious gems and metals to make France rich

In 3 weeks, Cartier arrived off coast of Newfoundland He kept going to find “new” land in Quebec and Montreal Cartier spent winter (almost all crew got scurvy - disease caused by lack of vitamin C)‏ Went back to king with a boat of rocks (not diamonds)‏ Never came back, felt he had failed at finding route & discovering riches 

Samuel de Champlain – went in 1603 and made many voyages until 1635 with same goals as Cartier Made an alliance with the Huron people (First Nations peoples) – one of his shots killed two Iroquois

Champlain was a cartographer (map-maker)‏ 20 years working tirelessly to build a colony for France Nickname: “Father of New France”

Jesuit priests were sent as missionaries to New France 1611 Jesuits arrived with 2 goals: spread Roman Catholic religion to First Nations & start boys school

Ursuline Nuns led by Marie Martin in 1639 to go to Quebec and convert the First Nations people to Catholicism Started a convent (community of nuns, dedicated to God)‏ Started girls schools for First Nations and settlers daugthers

Next class... Interactions between Aboriginals & Explorers