Who founded Mobile?

The French

Some street names in Mobile come from the French.

The Brothers A leader and a French naval officer, Le Moyne Iberville and his brother Bienville sailed westward and reached what they called “the mouth of La Mobilla.” Le Moyne IbervilleBienville

They traveled from Pensacola Bay westward.

Iberville explored Mobile Bay and a large Island near the mouth of the bay. What is the name of the Island that Iberville explored? Dauphin Island Dauphin Island

They traveled up the Mobile River and founded a fort called Fort Louis. The “27 Mile Bluff”

The French moved Fort Louis in 1711 just south where the river flowed into the bay. They built a new fort and also called it Fort Louis.

A village outside of Fort Louis was called La Mobile The fort was close to Indian towns and trade with the Indians became important to the French. They wanted to trade beads, tools, and cotton cloth for fur pelts and deer skins.

What was it they were missing?

Families

The Cassette Girls The French government selected young women and sent them to the colony so they could marry the French soldiers and establish homes. 23 girls arrived with French Nuns in 1704 on board the ship the pelican. They brought their clothes in trunks called “cassettes” and were called the “cassette girls.” Because the place they stayed was crude the women rebelled. This was called “the petticoat rebellion.” Madame Langois, Bienville’s housekeeper, taught them how to make gumbo. They did marry had young children. Some moved on to New Orleans, while others stayed.

Girls: Imagine you are a Cassette Girl Write a journal entry and describe the following: - What were some things you saw on your voyage over to the new land? - What are some things your brought with you and/or wished you could have brought? - How did you feel when you left your families in France?

Boys: Imagine you are either Bienville or Iberville Write a journal entry and describe the following: -What was your voyage like on the way over to the new land? -What are the places you explored? Describe some things you might have seen and who did you see? -How did you feel about the new land?

They constructed a brick fort and called it Fort Conde. The town around the fort was called Mobile. The French decided to move south to where the river flowed into the bay. The River was the Mobile River.

Fort Conde Today

Other Forts… The French built other forts to increase their influence over the Indians and to improve trade with them. Fort Toulouse was built as a trading fort for the Indians as a military out post against the English near the Alabama river. An outpost is where soldiers are stationed to prevent surprise attacks. Fort Tombecbe Located on the Tombigbee River, it was a a French outpost for a war against the Chickasaw. Wars occurred for almost 100 years, involving France, Spain, and England. Control over America and Indian trade was the main issue of each. The English defeated France and Spain, therefore Mobile came under the British flag.

French Influences Mardi Gras Gumbo Azaleas Street Names

The English

Fort Toulouse was established by the French, the English built a trading mission just north of the fort. Mission- is a headquarters or station. The mission was near an Indian town called Okfuskee, the English called their settlement Fort Okfuskee. They wanted to trade beaver pelts for fur hats and deerskin for leather. Beaver Pelts Deerskin Leather

Great Britain had more factories than the French, therefore they could manufacture more and better trade. The British traders often traveled from Charleston, South Carolina to Alabama Indian country.

They bartered (traded goods) for deerskins and animal furs and returned to South Carolina. Why do you think they went back to South Carolina with these goods?

Lachlan McGillivrary He was a trader from Scotland who came to America. When he arrived to Savannah, Georgia he had only a shilling and some clothes. A shilling is a British coin worth about a penny.

He signed with a caravan (group of people traveling together) from Georgia to trade with the Alabama Indian country. He received a jackknife for taking care of the pack animals on the journey (known as a pocket knife). He traded the knife to an Indian for deerskin and when he arrived in Charleston he sold it. He continued to deerskin trade in order to make money.

He did marry a lady named Sehoy. Her father was a French commander and her mother belonged to the Wind Clan Indians. They established a trading post and had three children. The youngest child, Alexander, received his education from Charleston, South Carolina. He later became an important leader for the creeks. Alexander McGillivray

Why do you think Alexander McGillivrary became an important leader for the creek Indians?

English Influences Laws Language