Early European Exploration and New France

Early European Exploration

• Vikings were the first Europeans to travel by boat to North America.
• John Cabot found codfish, which provided food and slowed the ship.
• Jacques Cartier met Indigenous people and named Canada through a misunderstanding.
• Jean Nicolet added Lake Michigan to European maps after trying to sail to China, mistakenly thinking it was the Pacific Ocean.

Immigration and the Creation of New France

• Europeans immigrated to New France because of high taxes and expensive land in Europe. In contrast, New France offered low taxes and cheap land.
• The Filles du Roi were women who agreed to go to New France to grow the population by marrying and having children.
• Common men came to New France to become fur traders and buy land.
• Jesuits and missionaries came to build mission churches and convert First Nations people to Roman Catholicism.
• Champlain was a French explorer who came to trade furs for goods.
• Soldiers came to protect the New France colony.

The Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse)

• The Haudenosaunee, also known as the Six Nations Confederacy, are Indigenous people.
• They adapted their economic activities to survive in various environments, including hunting, fishing, and agriculture.

The Métis

• The Métis are people of both First Nations and European heritage, with European fathers and Indigenous mothers.
• They settled along fur trade routes.
• Their spiritual life was a blend of Christian beliefs and traditional Indigenous spiritual practices.
• Métis daily life involved hunting, trapping, farming, and craft making.

The Treaty of Utrecht (1713)

• The Treaty of Utrecht ended the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), which was fought to determine the next King after Charles II died.
• France wanted Philip of Anjou, a relative of the Spanish King, to rule. However, Great Britain, the Dutch Republic, and other states wanted to prevent France from becoming more powerful..
• The war was mainly fought in Europe, but Philip of Anjou won and became known as Philip V.
• The Treaty of Utrecht returned France and Britain to competition in the fur trade.
• The British sought to improve their trading relationships with First Nations peoples.
• When the treaty gave Britain control of the East Coast, they desired the land occupied by First Nations.
• The treaty also led to the displacement and killing of First Nations people, as British colonists claimed their land.
• The Treaty of Utrecht is also known as the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, signifying a commitment to ending hostilities between France and Britain.

The Acadians

• The British established their colonies in Canada, often displacing Indigenous inhabitants.
• The British created policies to change French beliefs.

The Quebec Act (1774)

• The purpose of the Quebec Act was to gain the loyalty of French-speaking Canadians in Quebec.
• The Quebec Act guaranteed freedom of worship and protected French property rights.
• It prevented Canadians from moving to what was considered the "land of the Indians."
• The Quebec Act established the government of Quebec.
• It benefited French Canadians by giving them the right to practice Roman Catholicism.

The American Revolution (1776)

• Patriots were people in the 13 colonies who wanted independence from the British.
• Loyalists were people in the 13 colonies who wished to remain loyal to Britain.
• Thirteen Colonies: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina.

British Laws During the American Revolution

• Sugar Act: Taxed sugar and molasses.
• Stamp Act: Taxed all legal documents.
• Townshend Act: Taxed glass, tea, lead, paper, and paint.
• Tea Act: Allowed the East India Company to exclusively sell tea.
• Intolerable Acts: Closed Boston to all shipping until the destroyed tea was paid for, and the King had to pay for lost taxes.

The Impact of British Laws on the American Revolution

• The British were left with significant debt after the Seven Years' War and sought to have the 13 colonies pay for this debt by increasing taxes.
• The colonists were angered by these taxes, believing they weren’t necessary as they didn’t feel the need for protection from the French or First Nations. This led to growing frustration at being taxed without representation in British Parliament.
• The Townshend Act was recalled in 1770.
• The Stamp Act was recalled in 1766
• The Americans aimed to free Quebec from British rule.
• General Richard Montgomery captured Montréal and continued to Quebec City.
• The American army, led by General Benedict Arnold, nearly failed due to faulty maps, starvation, disease, and desertion.
• General Richard Montgomery met General Benedict Arnold on New Year's Eve 1775, in Quebec City,, they lost the battle and retreated to camp out for the winter.

The Loyalists

• Many Loyalists were people who came from Scotland, German states, the Netherlands, or were former African American slaves.
• Loyalists left their home country for America because America was under British rule and Loyalists supported Britain.
• Loyalists faced challenges like a slow government in surveying their land, hindering settlement.
• The Loyalists boosted the population, leading to the creation of New Brunswick, and heavily influenced Canadian politics and culture.
• Loyalists strengthened British cultural influence within British North America.
• Black Loyalists were Black slaves who fought for Britain in hope of freedom and a promise of land.
• Loyalists left the United States because of the war and due to America gaining independence from Britain.
• Black Loyalists faced discrimination, limited land access, and sparse resources.
• The Haudenosaunee Loyalists were people from a league of five nations (Mohawk, Cayuga, Seneca, Onondaga, and Oneida).
• Many Haudenosaunee Loyalists left for Canada as they lost their place, property, and security during the American Revolution.
• Challenges faced by Haudenosaunee Loyalists included securing land, planting crops, and building homes.
• Chief Joseph Brant is significant for his alliance with the British during the American Revolution.