French Fur Traders come to North America
French Explorers claimed land for the French King in Canada
The French were the first people to come to Ohio who were from Europe. They influenced the other European Explorers to come.
Robert LaSalle from France- First white man to explore the Ohio River
Traded with the Indians
The Fur Trade was started
Beaver – The resource
Because…. In the 1600s and 1700s, fur hats were popular in Europe. North America became the source of beaver, muskrat, deer, and raccoon pelts for the hat industry in Europe.
Pierre Celeron buried 6 lead plates along the Ohio River to claim the land for France.
Sample of lead plate
The English King was not to happy about these claims in North America
King George III sends George Croghan
To make friends with the Indians
Croghan gave Indians British Flags to fly over their wigwams.
Christopher Gist was also sent to Ohio.
To find good places to live in the Ohio Country. He measured the land and drew maps.
Gist found Ohio to be a great place for English settlements.
Conflicts French and British Kings both claiming the land in the Ohio Country. White settlers moving into Indian Territory and destroying the land for the Indian way of life.
Lead to War French & Indian War
The French & Indians fought against the British
The British Won the War