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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Finds North America
Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean.When he arrived in North America he mistakenly thought he had reached India.
FIRST NATIONS- "Who are are these strange and foreign people on our land?"
FRENCH- "Now that Columbus has discovered new land we might consider traveling there ourselves."
ENGLISH- "Even though Columbus has found the new land we are not interested in venturing there yet." -
Aug 23, 1497
Newfoundland
John Cabot reached the waters off Newfoundland in 1497. When he returned to England he reported seeing fish so plentiful they could be caught just by lowering a basket into the water. Although Cabot claimed Newfoundland for Britain, the British did not want the island as a colony. They wanted fish.
FIRST NATIONS: "Who is this man? Taking our fish!"
FRENCH: "Yay for John Cabot! He reached Newfoundland!"
ENGLISH:"Finally, plentiful fish for us!" -
Mar 19, 1534
Jacques Cartier Begins Exploring
The King of France sent a French sailor, captain named Jacques Cartier to find a passage through North America to Asia.
FIRST NATIONS- "Ever since that man arrived on our land more and more strange people have been coming. I do not like it."
FRENCH- "Hopefully Cartier can establish a good colony in
the New World."
ENGLISH- "Now the French are sending explorers. Maybe we should consider sending some as well." -
May 1, 1536
Kidnapping of the Haudenosaunee
In the spring, Jacques Cartier forcibly took Donnaconna and nine other villagers back to Europe. In 1542 he returned with only 2 villagers and Donnaconna, the rest had died. Cartier lied and said the other seven villagers loved life in Europe and decided to stay.
FIRST NATIONS: " How dare he take our people, and lie to us on top of it!"
FRENCH: "Jacques Cartier did the right thing."
ENGLISH: " Hahaha the French made a big mistake! We will have a better realtionship with the First Nations. " -
English First Attempt to Colonize
Walter Raleigh was the first English explorer to try to build a colony in North America. His first attempt failed, so he tried again in 1587. This attempt failed too. Raleigh failed because he and the colonists were not prepared for the harsh life of North American wilderness.
FIRST NATIONS- "Why are all these people trying to take our land away."
FRENCH- 'We need to act quick and set up a colony before the English do!"
ENGLISH- "Our first attempt failed, but we should try again very soon." -
Port Royal
A French noble named Pierre de Monts sailed to North America to set up a colony. He took a map maker and explorer named Samuel de Champlain with him. In the spring de Monts established a settlement at Port Royal.
FIRST NATIONS: " Our land is being taken over, by the Europeans!"
FRENCH: "Yes we finally have a settlement in Port Royal!
ENGLISH: " We will send colonists to North America, just like the french did!" -
New France is Established
After establishing Acadia, Samuel de Champlain established the French colony of New France which is now Quebec.
FIRST NATIONS- "I cannot believe that these newcomers are already building forts on OUR land"
FRENCH- "Now that we have founded a colony in the New World we can colonize and start new business's"
ENGLISH- "I see the French have already started to colonize.
We need to start acting quick!" -
Power Taken from Merchants
King Louis XIV took control of New France from the merchants. He set up the Sovereign Council to govern the colony. He set up this council so decisions made in the colony would favour him above the merchants.
FIRST NATIONS- "I wonder what's going on in France because I heard the King has been making changes."
FRENCH- "Now that the King is in power we have little voice and say in decision making."
ENGLISH- "I am glad that we are living in New England because the French merchants have no voice." -
Hudsons Bay Company
Coureurs de Bois, Radisson and de Groseilleirs traveled to Hudson's Bay because First Nations people had told them the land was rich in fur bearing animals. Later the same year a fur trading business opened called the Hudson's Bay Company
FIRST NATIONS- "With this trading post open we can obtain new goods we could never have gotten before."
FRENCH- "Oh no the English have set up a trading post. We need to act fast and set up one too!"
ENGLISH- "Finally we have set up a post. Business is good." -
Filles du Roi
Few French women were interested in living in New France. The King had a solution. He sent 900 single women to New France. These women were known as the filles du roi or the Kings Daughters. Within 14 years the population of new France increased.
FIRST NATIONS- "First they built on our land and now they are populating it with their people!"
FRENCH- "Now that we have women on our land we can populate New France."
ENGLISH- "The French have now sent women to New France we should step up our game." -
The Great Peace of Montreal
The First Nations and New France were ready to discuss peace. All groups worked hard to find a way to end fighting. At the end of the peace talks the French, their First Nation allies and the Haudenosaunee signed a peace treaty.
FIRST NATIONS- "Finally we have made peace with the French. Now we may trade in peace."
FRENCH- "It will be good to have the First Nations as business and trading alis."
ENGLISH- "Now that the First Nations are alis with the French we might loose some of business." -
Treaty of Utrecht
Britain and France fought many wars against each other in Europe. These conflicts affected their colonies. In 1713, the two imperial powers signed the Treaty of Utrecht to keep peace in Europe.
FIRST NATIONS- "After this treaty was signed we had serious trouble with the English taking our land. We want it back!
FRENCH- "Now we are at peace with the English. This will hopefully make the fur trade less violent."
ENGLISH- "Now we are at peace with the French, but I don't think it will last." -
The Great Deportation
The British Governor was convinced that the British newcomers in Nova Scotia would not be safe with the Acadians living among them. When the British captured Fort Bausejour they found 300 armed Acadians defending the fort. So the Governor ordered a deportation of the Acadians.
FIRST NATIONS- "I can't believe the British are deporting the Acadians."
FRENCH- "What right do the British have to take deport the Acadians!"
BRITISH- " Why are the Acadians disloyal. Our only option was to deport the -
Seven Years War
The Seven Years War was a battle between the French and British. During the war manyevents took place in North America. Some include,The Capture of Louisburg, The Great Deportation and the Battle on the Plains of Abraham. The Treaty of Paris was signed to end the war
FIRST NATIONS- "We don't want anymore bloodshed. Lets hope they put end to the fighting."
FRENCH- "We are not giving up. We will beat the British."
BRITISH- "We will control North America. I can feel the French getting weaker." -
Capture of Louisbourg
Arriving off Louisbourg in June, the British fleet blockaded the harbour. The British soldiers scrambled onshore with their canons. They cut off the town from the landward side and settled in for a long siege. The people weakened to the sight of this intudement. After seven weeks, the French surrendered.
FIRST NATIONS-" This was our land, and we dont agree with
any of this."
FRENCH-' They captured us again, and we do not agree with this."
ENGLISH-" Haha! Now Louisbourg is ours!" -
Fortress Quebec
The Battle of Quebec unfolded over three months. Victory for the British was never a sure thing. The French had troops and a stone fortress that would not be captured easily. If Montcalm could hold out until winter. Wolfe and his ships could have to retreat.
FIRST NATIONS- "We are on the French's side. We hope the stay in control."
FRENCH- "We can't let the British take away our fort. Hopefully we can hold out till winter."
BRITISH- If we take control of Quebec we will control the St. Lawrence. -
The Plains of Abraham
After years of conflict the British General Wolfe came up with a plan. On the clifftop behind Quebec there was a farmers field called the Plains of Abraham. Just before midnight the British army was in place. A fierce battle raged. After 15 minutes the French fled. The British had WON!
FIRST NATIONS- " I can't believe they would fight a battle like this on our soil.
FRENCH- " We lost! I can't believe we lost everything we established."
BRITISH- "We WON! All French land claims belong to us!" -
New France is Taken Over
The competition between the French and the English fur traders came to an abrupt halt when New France came under British control. After this the French fur trade ended.
FIRST NATIONS: " The fur trading business is out of control! We won't be trading with the French anymore.
FRENCH: " The British took New France from us! This means war!"
ENGLISH: " Haha! Finally, we have New France to ourselves!" -
Treaty of Paris
France and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the conflict. Under the treaty, France gave up any claim to Quebec or any other part of North America. The British had gained control over what had been New France.
FIRST NATIONS-" Finally! No more conflict between them!
FRENCH-" Now with this treaty signed, we will have equality between eachother."
BRITISH-" We got everything we wanted, and more! We are looking forward to cooperationg with the Canadiens soon!" -
The Royal Proclamation
King George signed the Royal Proclamation which laid which laid out the British government's plans for the colony. The Proclamation brought in British instatutions and laws.
FIRST NATIONS- "I am happy we finally received some land back from the British."
FRENCH- "The British are acting fast and already inforcing their instutions and laws in what should have been our colony."
BRITISH- "Finally our laws are being inforced in North America." -
The Quebec Act
The British needed to keep their colony loyal. So they decided the best way to do that was to recognize the Canadien's rights that had been taken away by the Royal Proclamation. Therefore in 1774 Britain passed a law with new plans for the colony.
FIRST NATIONS- "Why did the French and British get something and we didn't?"
FRENCH- "Hooray,we got our rights and freedom back!"
BRITISH- "We lost our power but gained the French loyalty." -
North West Company
A group of new traders from Montreal formed the North West Company. Employees of the company became know as the Nor'Westers, and they extended the fur trade farther than in New France.
FIRST NATIONS- "With the new trading post open we have even more options of places to trade. It all depends on the prices now."
FRENCH- "It is good to see a new trading post open that is following the methods of our trade."
ENGLISH- "Now with this new trading post open our trading post will have competition!" -
The Mackenzie River
The Rocky Mountains created a barrier that kept voyageurs from going westward. Alexander Mackenzie tried to find a passage through them. He tried a long river heading out of Slave Lake, but it took him to the Arctic ocean instead.
FIRST NATIONS- "It really is too bad this man did not find the passage. It could have been usefull to us"
FRENCH- "The discovery of the passage would have been usefull to us as well."
ENGLISH- "Mackenzie failed this time. Although maybe he deserves another chance." -
First Women Working at HBC
Isabel followed her boyfriend from Scotland to Canada. Her boyfriend worked for HBC so she joined him there by disguising herself as "John Fubbister" since no women was allowed to work at HBC. No one suspected anything until she had her baby.
FIRST NATIONS- "We could have never guessed that the British would hire a women. We know how strict they are!"
FRENCH- "Why are the British letting women work at HBC?"
BRITISH- "How could we not tell that a women was working at our trading post?"
