¶ … French and the Native American: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship
When considering the history of the United States and its inception, the most common conception is of Native American tribes being tortured, murdered, and generally emaciated from their contact with the Europeans. And certainly, this was generally the case. However, in the often sad history of contact between the new entrants into the Americas and the native tribes, there are also a few sparks of light, where the native tribes and Europeans in fact benefited from their interactions with each other. Although these benefits were often not without their complications, the relationships between the French and the native tribes with whom they came into contact were generally of a far less violent and murderous nature than most other Indian-European interactions. Indeed, the mutual benefits of these relationships began based upon the fur trade and later progressed to intermarriage and intercultural relationships.
According to Templeton (n.d.), the main motivation for French entry into the Americas was the fur trade. The Native Americans in Northern America were fur traders by nature, and the Europeans gained much insight from their expertise and experience. In fact, so successful was this fur-based relationship that the French attempt to convert the Natives to Catholicism took a second position to the professional relationship.
Another reason for the success of the relationship was the fact that the French acknowledged the superior information and experience of the Native fur traders and were willing to learn from them. There was therefore none of the basic racism and violence that make up so many of the accounts about Indian-White relationships of colonial times. Nevertheless, it must also be recognized that these relationships were not without their initial or indeed continuous strain.
French entry into the Americas began in earnest when King Francois I of France sent...
He set sail in April 1534 with 61 men on two ships. His initial contact with the natives at Chaleur Bay on the Gaspe Peninsula was not entirely fortunate. The cross he erected on the peninsula, with the legend "Long live the King of France" proved upsetting to the natives. The Chief Donnacona made no secret of his tribe's feelings (University of Ottawa, n.d.). Despite the initial difficulty, Cartier was permitted to secure the services of two young tribes members, Domagoya and Tiagnoagny, on the journey back to France. During further journeys, Cartier discovered fishing and farming villages and the fur trade was established, despite continuous suspicion among the Micmac and Iroquois tribes.
In 1608, Samuel de Champlain, another French explorer, continued Cartier's work by founding Quebec City. The established fur trade was complicated by conflicts among the warrior tribes in the country. The Huron, for example, were one of the most beneficial fur trading associates for France, but were decimated by the Iroquois. Hence, France was forced to form alliances with tribes such as the Algonquin against the Iroquois in their battles. Other fur trading ties were established between France and tribes like the Inuit, Montagnais (Innu), Naskapi, Micmac, and Malecite (University of Ottawa, n.d.). Conflicts with the Iroquois persisted until the Great Peace of Montreal in 1701.
In addition to the fur trade, trading posts and missions were to significantly influence the relationships between the Native Americans and French settlers. Eastern North America and the Great Lakes region were particularly influenced by these new relations. Trade increased rapidly, for example, and with this came an increasingly mixed population. The Metis, speaking not only local languages but also French, acted as interpreters in the interaction between the French and…
