Difference in 17th Century Colonies

tall trees", they still had daily interactions. The French and British approached their economic and cultural interactions with Native Americans differently. Historical evidence, including firsthand accounts, documents, and observations by historians, clearly indicates that the British and French had distinct approaches in their dealings with Native Americans in North America. During the early stages of exploration, both nations initially enjoyed positive relationships with the Indians due to the economic benefits obtained through cooperation. The fur trade with Native Americans quickly flourished because of its high profitability when sold in Europe.

Years later, the economic goals shifted, as did the relations with the Native Americans. Samuel de Champlain, leading the French, established a fur trading network in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence regions. With the aim of improving relations, the French sought to ally with the Huron Indians in that area. This relationship progressed to the point where the French assisted the Hurons in their conflict against the Iroquois Confederacy, forming an alliance. Champlain's success with the Indians led him to dispatch traders to live among the Hurons, embracing their culture and language, while also monitoring fur trade in the newly settled Quebec. Additionally, the export of crops proved less profitable for the French compared to fur trade, as it only began due to Native Americans teaching them farming techniques.

Despite encountering some problems, the French established a mutually advantageous economic alliance with the Indians. In contrast, British colonization faced a delayed commencement due to their conflict with Spain. However, they swiftly capitalized on the economic benefits offered by the new world. Jamestown, situated in present-day Virginia, emerged as one of the early noteworthy English settlements in

this region. It was during this period that they encountered the vast empire of Algonquian tribes.

Despite their initial hesitancy towards the Spanish due to a negative encounter, the Algonquian leaders reluctantly welcomed the English, hoping for advantageous trade and assistance during times of conflict. However, the British had different motives, resulting in an early war. The British emerged triumphant, enabling the flourishing of Jamestown colony. This led to a tobacco-centered agricultural boom. Over time, the British settlers became covetous and sought after the Indians' land, despite their absence of belief in land ownership. Consequently, this ignited a war between the two factions.

This pattern of amicable beginnings and subsequent conflicts between the Indians and English was commonly observed in the new world. However, the British were economically successful like the French, albeit through different means. The cultural interactions between the French and British with the Indians progressed similarly as it was closely tied to their economic interactions.

The French are recognized for their "frontiers of inclusion," wherein they commonly resided alongside Native Americans in mixed communities. Conversely, the British implemented an "exclusion" policy that maintained a separation between Europeans and Native Americans. In the initial stages of French colonization, the majority of settlers were males. Consequently, numerous mixed-race communities and relationships between Europeans and Native Americans formed due to limited migration to the colonies. This led to the emergence of a new racial group with both European and North American Indian ancestry. Such an inclusive attitude towards Native Americans contributed to fostering positive relations during the period of colonization.

The British had a different approach to Native American relations compared to the French. They pursued a policy of

separating the communities, believing in the superiority of the British over the "savage" Indians. This belief was reinforced when the cultures mixed. The English viewed the Indian policy of sharing land as primitive and failed to appreciate its advantages. They also saw the native people's religious beliefs as a sign of lack of intelligence, considering that many settlers were influenced by the enlightenment era in Europe when religious ideas were challenged by science.

Through the growth of the colonies, the exclusion by the British developed into a complex relationship with the Native Americans, impacting future decades and centuries. France and Britain both heavily invested resources and manpower in colonizing the new world, reaping the benefits of North America. However, had the American Indians not been present during the arrival of the first explorers, the continent's and nation's history would have markedly diverged. The British and French approaches to coexistence with Native Americans differed to such an extent that they can be seen as opposite.