The French Conquest of Canada

Paper Summary:

The paper claims that French relations with the native people can best be understood in light of all the European explorations to the new lands. According to the writer, the French did not consider the native people inhabiting Canada as their equals, and thus were not hesitant to enforce French Catholicism and customs. The paper argues that in attempting to "save" the Amerindians by converting them to European civilization and to the Catholic religion, they virtually destroyed the culture of the native people.

From the Paper:

"The tone was set for French-native people relations with explorer Jacques Cartier, who took possession of the new land for the king of France. Cartier's relations with the native people began with a lie. When he reached Gaspe Bay in 1534 he raised a 30-foot wooden cross on Point Penouille. More than 200 Iroquois from Stadacona (Quebec) were fishing on the peninsula at the time and they were initially trusting and cordial to Cartier and his men. The cross, however, seemed improper to the Native Chief Donnacona, and Cartier, fearful of the outcome of the discontent and suspicion among the Iroquois, lied by saying that the cross was just an insignificant landmark (The Virtual Museum of New France: Jacques Cartier)."

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