What part of the Americas did the French first explore and settle?

Samuel de Champlain was employed in the interests of successive fur-trading monopolies and sailed into the St. Lawrence in 1603. In the next year he was on the Bay of Fundy and had a share in founding the first French colonyFrench colonyFrance began colonizing the Americas in the 16th century and continued on into the following centuries as it established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America.

Where did the French explore and settle?

19.2. 5: French Explorers. France established colonies in North America, the Caribbean, and India in the 17th century, and while it lost most of its American holdings to Spain and Great Britain before the end of the 18th century, it eventually expanded its Asian and African territories in the 19th century.

When did the French first explore America?

As the English, Spanish and Dutch began to explore and claim parts of North America, Jacques Cartier began the French colonization
French colonization
France began colonizing the Americas in the 16th century and continued on into the following centuries as it established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France established colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America.



of North American in 1534.

What part of North America did the French explore?

French exploration



In the early sixteenth century, it joined the race to explore the New World and exploit the resources of the Western Hemisphere. In 1534, navigator Jacques Cartier claimed northern North America for France, naming the area around the St. Lawrence River New France.

What colonies did the French settle?

The French colonial empire in the Americas comprised New France (including Canada and Louisiana), French West Indies (including Saint-Domingue, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Tobago and other islands) and French Guiana. French North America was known as ‘Nouvelle France’ or New France.

Where was the first settlement in America?

Jamestown, Virginia

In 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America to start a settlement. On May 13 they picked Jamestown, Virginia for their settlement, which was named after their King, James I. The settlement became the first permanent English settlement

Why did the French explorers settle in North America?

Besides expanding the fur trade, the French wanted to find a river passage across North America (for a trade route to Asia), explore and secure territory, and establish Christian missions to convert Native peoples.

Who explored America first?

Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus (/kəˈlʌmbəs/; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the



is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492.

Why did the French settle in North America?

For all the vast area the French laid claim to in North America, New France was never effectively colonized. Many permanent communities were founded, but the main interest of the mother country was commercial exploitation. The fur trade, far more lucrative than farming or fishing, became the basis of the economy.

What colonies did France have in North America?

French Colonies in America

  • Cahokia Courthouse, Cahokia, Illinois.
  • Fort de Chartres III, Prairie du Rocher, Illinois.
  • Fort St. Jean-Baptiste, Natchitoches, Louisiana.
  • Fort Michilimackinac, Michigan.
  • Fort Toulouse, Wetumpka, Alabama.
  • Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.
  • La Pointe-Krebs House, Pascagoula, Mississippi.


Why did France explore and settle in North America?

Besides expanding the fur trade, the French wanted to find a river passage across North America (for a trade route to Asia), explore and secure territory, and establish Christian missions to convert Native peoples.

Where did the French settle in North America and why?

They ventured throughout the whole Great Lakes region and the Mississippi Valley, claiming the territory for the king of France. Within this vast midsection of North America, many permanent settlements were founded, including Detroit, St. Louis, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.

Did the French explore the Great Plains?

The third and last group of European explorers to discover the Great Plains—nearly two centuries after the Spanish but only shortly after the English—were the French, penetrating the region from two directions: the northeast via the Great Lakes drainage basin and the southeast via the Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi

Where did the French settlers came from?

Most (65 per cent) were men in their mid-twenties originating from the north-western coastal regions of France such as Normandy, Britain or Île-de-France. Approximately 25 per cent of the colonists came from large cities like Paris, Rouen, La Rochelle, Poitiers and Bordeaux.