Native and European Encounters & The Beginning of the Fur Trade 1492… and Beyond In 1492, Christopher Columbus (Spain) lands in the Caribbean (San Salvador) In 1607, Captain John Smith (England) founds Jamestown Colony In 1608, Samuel De Champlain (France) founds Quebec Three European empires in North America France & England England- Jamestown, VA (1607) Came looking for opportunity Wanted to be individuals France- Quebec (1608) Royal enterprise- expand empire Convert to Christianity Pelts of woodland animals Motives All European nations are here for similar reasons (although some different) Nationalistic: create a world empire North West Passage: water route to Asia Christianity: save the pagan Economics: furs are valuable Native Americans: Two Language Groups Algonquian Iroquois St. Lawrence South/East- Lake Valley/ northern Ontario- New New England York Nomadic Sedentary Hunting/fishing Agriculture Portable wigwams Long houses Bark/Skins Poles/Bark Single family Many families Samuel de Champlain French geographer/ mapmaker Explored St. Lawrence River for fur Algonquin drew map for him to reach inland Governor-general of New France Samuel de Champlain Brought first missionaries to Quebec Didn’t use for faith, used for advancement Convert Natives? Keep them ties culturally and commercially Official French Policy: Befriend the natives These young men are called voyageurs Samuel de Champlain (Route) Etienne Brule
Lived with Huron Lake Superior (1621- 1623) First white man to explore lake- possibly Wisconsin No real evidence of travels Etienne Brule (Route) Churchmen Society of Jesus- Jesuits Recently founded Motivated to spread Green Bay/ Madeline Island Jean Nicolet 1634 Lands at Red Banks (near Green Bay) Lived among Natives Heard of Winnebago in Fox River Valley/ Green Bay Thought they knew way to Northwest Passage Jean Nicolet (Route) Jean Nicolet An artistic rendition of his first encounter with the Winnebago Jean Nicolet- First Impression Nicolet has a red & yellow silk robe with embroidered birds Pulls out two pistols and fires into the air The Winnebago flee Nicolet places items on sticks as peace offerings The Winnebago will stay loyal to the French Nicolet’s Legacy Fur Trade 1640- French traders found straits to Lake Superior Saulteurs- “People of the Straits” Anishinabe- “Original Man” Ojibwa- “Puckered” ref to moccasin sewing Ojibwa Chippewa- name given by English Hunters/ trappers Helped French with fur trade Montreal- center of trade War over fur trade Pushed Ojibwa further west to Lake Superior Others joined later Pierre Esprit Radisson Coureurs de bois - “Rangers of the Woods” Bought furs without assistance Gave first contemporary description of Wisconsin Pierre Esprit Radisson Keweenaw Peninsula- copper Ontonagon River- wild rice Chequamegon Bay Welcomed into the tribe Freely traded goods Dakota & Cree Saw European goods with WI Indians Wanted a part of the trade Wooed Radisson Packs of beaver pelts, tools, & trinkets Market value of 60 boatloads? 140,000 livres (1 livre = roughly 1 Spanish $) Trade from the Natives
Map of New France
Beaver hat & pelt Trade from the French Copper Pots
Alcohol Guns/ Tobacco Wool Impact of the French Unlike England, few French will ever come Large colonies, or cities, never established Large wilderness with several outposts/forts Elaborate trade routes using rivers, forts, lakes Metis: French/Native, mixed blood race Fort Michilimackinac (Mackinac Island, MI) Natives become addicted to products Furs depleted/ Culture compromised Colonies The Original WI “Highways” Fort Michilimackinac Au revior, France, Hello, England French control WI (1634-1763) Perfected “highway” between Green Bay, Portage, Prairie du Chien (Fox & WI Rivers) Charles de Langlade: WI’s 1 st permanent European resident (Father of WI) French & Indian War: English colonists worried over French forts (1755-1763) French lose, cede all territory to England England loses area- American Revolution (1776)