1. Chapter 3 The British in North America
What kind of society did the British colonist create in North America?

2. Mercantilism
An economic system that allowed an imperial country to become rich by selling the resources that are taken from its colonies.

3. The British Cross the Atlantic
Sir Walter Raleigh was the first English Explorer to try to build a colony in North America in He was not prepared for the harsh life of North America and his attempts to colonize failed as a result.

4. Four Reasons Why it Was Important to Build Colonies in North America
1. Economy: it was possible to make a lot of money
2. Competition: Spain and France were expanding their empires and Britain wanted to be more powerful
3. Quality of Life: Life in the new world was harsh but still better than the home country
4. Religious Freedom: Religious groups could practice their beliefs freely

5. The Thirteen Colonies
Eventually, colonists from Britain established 13 colonies along the eastern coast of what is now the United States. Together these colonies became known as the New England.

6. Comparing The 13 Colonies and New France: Different Goals
New England
France was not interested in spending a lot of money on its North American colonies. It just wanted to get the furs and other natural resources like timber, fish and metal ore.
The British spent a lot of money on their colonies. They wanted to establish large settlements to gain military and economic advantage over the other European countries.

7. Comparing the Differences Between The 13 Colonies and New France: The Climate
New England
The climate of the St. Lawrence Valley and Acadia had long cold winters. It wasn’t very good for farming most of the year, making it difficult for colonists to earn a living. The cold weather made it good for furs.
The climate was mild, especially in the southern colonies. Farmers could grow things year-round. Life was much more comfortable.

8. Comparing The 13 Colonies and New France: Employment
New England
The early economy of New France was based mostly on the fur trade. There was not as many opportunities for others to earn a living doing anything else.
The British colonies were based mainly on farming, fishing and logging. This allowed for more opportunities for colonists to make a living at other things.

9. Comparing The 13 Colonies and New France: Religion
New England
Only Catholics from France were encouraged to come to New France.
Settlers from many faiths settled in the Thirteen Colonies. People from different countries came and not only people from Britain.

10. Comparing The 13 Colonies and New France: Trade
New England
The colonies of New France were only allowed to trade with people from France. All trade was based on only the fur trade and it was a monopoly.
Initially the Thirteen Colonies were allowed to trade with other countries and not just Britain. You were encouraged to start you own business and grow a variety of crops.

11. The British Colonies in Atlantic Canada
Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) reached Newfoundland in He was the second European (not counting the Norse Vikings) after Columbus to come to North America. He went back to England and told them of the huge supply of fish. He claimed Newfoundland for Britain but they weren’t very interested in having a colony there.

12. The Beothuk of Newfoundland
The Beothuk were the First Nations people who once lived in Newfoundland. The British used guns to hunt them down and killed many of them. They also unintentionally brought diseases with them that resulted in the deaths of many of the Beothuks. By 1828, only Shanawdithit was left. She died in and the Beothuk nation was now extinct.

13. The Creation of Halifax
Britain was worried about the French in Nova Scotia at the Fortress of Louisbourg. In 1749 the British built a town and military fort at Chebucto and named it Halifax. The houses and building spread out along the waterfront and at the top of the hill they built the military fort.

14. Rupert’s Land 1670
In 1670 King Charles II of England granted a monopoly to the Hudson’s Bay company. It covered all the lands drained by the rivers that flowed into Hudson Bay. This area was called Rupert’s Land after the first head of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

15. The Hudson’s Bay Company
Incorporated by King Charles the II in 1670, the company controlled the fur trade throughout much of the British-controlled North America. Undertaking early exploration, its traders and trappers forged relationships with many groups of aboriginal peoples when the HBC built trading forts at the mouths of the important river.

16. Henry Kelsey’s Journeys
Henry Kelsey worked at the HBC. In 1690, he started a journey with a group of Cree to try to convince Aboriginal Peoples to trade with the HBC. He travelled by foot and canoe south and west. He eventually went out to the great plains. He was the first European to see the great buffalo herds.

17. Anthony Henday’s Journey
A British explorer named Anthony Henday worked for the Hudson’s Bay company. In he left York Factory travelling by foot to the West. He got as far as Red Deer. He established trade relations with the Siksika First Nations and the HBC.

18. Samuel Hearne’s Journey
In 1770, a young sailor named Samuel Hearne set out from Hudson Bay to explore the Arctic for gold. He travelled by snowshoe hauling supplies on toboggans with a Dene leader called Matonabbee. In the summer they used bark canoes. He was the first European to reach the shores of the Arctic Ocean.

19. Matonabbee
Matonabbee was raised at a fur-trading post and was familiar with the European and Dene ways of life. He spoke three languages and was a good negotiator. He helped Hearne find the Arctic Ocean and helped him live off the land. He was a successful fur trader for the Hudson’s Bay company. He killed himself after his HBC fort was destroyed by the French and his people died of smallpox.

20. The Search for the Northwest Passage (Sir John Franklin)
Europeans were searching for a shortcut through the Northwest passage to Asia. One of the most famous Arctic explorers was Sir John Franklin. In he and his ships disappeared looking for the passage. Franklin and his crew died and their ships were only recently found.

21. The Search for the Northwest Passage: Roald Amundsen
It wasn’t until 1906 that a Norwegian sailor named Roald Amundsen finally found the route through the passage. It took him three years of travelling though dangerous ice conditions before he was able to make the crossing.

22. Exploring the Pacific Coast
In 1778 the English explorer James Cook sailed his ship the Resolution into a harbor on Vancouver Island. The sea otter pelts he had collected were very valuable and were called “soft gold”. George Vancouver followed Captain Cook looking for an entrance to the Northwest Passage. He made the first accurate maps of the Pacific Coast.