1. The French Come to America
NEW FRANCE

2. Why did the French come to America?
King Louis of France wanted to find a shortcut to Asia
In 1534 the king sent Jacques Cartier
to America
Cartier wanted to find a river in America
that he could follow west all the way to
Asia
Cartier sailed to Canada, but didn’t find
a river that went to Asia
Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River and said that all the land around the St. Lawrence River belonged to France. He called it New France.

3. Rene Robert Sieur de la Salle
In 1682 La Salle traveled from the St. Lawrence River to the Mississippi River, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico
He called all the land around the Mississippi River “Louisiana.”
The French started two cities on the Mississippi River, St. Louis and New Orleans

4. How did Native Americans help the French?
Some French people moved to America to get furs
Native Americans hunted animals for their furs
The French traded with Native Americans for these furs
In France they sold these furs for a lot of money

5. The French and Native Americans
Some Native Americans taught the French how to use canoes and snowshoes
Some Native Americans taught the French how to trap animals for furs

6. The French in North America
The French came to America to teach Native Americans how to be Catholic
The French did not allow freedom of religion
Only Catholics could live in New France, so the colony grew very slowly
The French owned much more land in America than the English owned
There were many more English settlers than French settlers
The French did not take Native American land

7. The French and Indian War
England did not want France to own land in America
Many English people wanted to move west to Louisiana
England and France had been enemies in Europe for many years
By 1754, England and France were fighting a war in America
Some Native Americans fought for the French, and some fought for the English
George Washington led the Virginians against the French

8. The French and Indian War
The French and English also fought in Europe
England won the war in Europe
England won the French and Indian War in 1763 in America
After the war, England owned all the land that was east of the Mississippi River.
Spain owned the land west of the Mississippi river
France lost most of its land in America