Early Canadian History

Coureurs de Bois

"Runners of the Woods" who would travel into the unknown (to Europeans) to learn Native understandings and establish trade relationships with First Nations to get beaver furs to sell in Europe. First sent out by Champlain.

Seigneury

A Feudal Europe style village or settlement, including a Lord (or seigneur). It would include farms, shops, a church, houses, etc.

Company of 100 Associates

A company hired to run the French colonies, settlements, and fur trade monopoly in New France. They were expected to settle French Catholic settlers in their territories. Went out of business in 1663.

Dutch East India Company

A company that received government monopoly over trade in Asia; acted as virtually independent government in regions it claimed until the British took over.

Scurvy

A disease that was caused by a lack of vitamin C. Cartier's men were devastated by it during their first 2 voyages, preventing successful long-term settlements.

Hochelaga

A fortified Iroquois village up the St. Lawrence River from Stadacona where Cartier visited in 1535. He named a hill there Mont Royal. Became the site of Montreal later.

Reformation

A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches

Iroquois

A well-organized alliance of First-Nations groups that spoke a similar language. Became enemies of the French after the Battle of Lake Champlain.

League of 5 Nations/Iroquois Confederacy

An alliance of Iroquois-speaking peoples that decided to support and defend each other. Became a strong and important player in the New World fur trade, etc.

Henry Hudson

An explorer who searched for a Northwest Passage to China through the Arctic. Explored around New York (_______ River) and up north (_________ Bay) looking for this route. Did this for English merchant companies and the Dutch East India Company.

John Cabot

Born in Italy (Giovanni Caboto), explored the New World for England while looking for the Northwest Passage to Asia. Didn't find it, but did 'discover' Newfoundland. Considered the first European to explore the mainland of N.A. since the Vikings.

Charter

Contracts/Agreements from Kings and Queens back in Europe that gave rights of exploration/settlements/colonization/monopoly in the New World to merchants/settlers/explorers.

Mercantilism

European government policies designed to promote overseas trade between a country and its colonies and accumulate raw materials by requiring colonies to trade only with their motherland country.

Jacques Cartier

Explored the New World for France in the 1530s. Kidnapped Donnacona and his sons for guides and to report to the Royal Court in France about wealth in N.A.

Fur Hats

Extremely popular in Europe, they were bought for 4x the annual salary of the workers who traded for the materials they were made from. The money made from this business was one of the driving factors in European settlement and exploration and was an important part of the relationship between Europeans and First Nations groups in Canada.

Pyrites

Fool's Gold. Cartier brought back this 'treasure' to the King of France to show how rich they could get in the New World. Unfortunately for him, it was worthless.

Frontenac

Governor General of New France. Led the French in guerrilla warfare against the Iroquois and English. Established many defensive forts in New France.

Samuel de Champlain

He has been called the Father of New France, The Father of Canada and a symbol of European Colonialism. His statue looks out over the cliff at Quebec City, where he established the first long-term settlement in North America north of Florida. Allied with the Huron against the Iroquois to build trade relationships for furs.

Verrazano

Italian explorer who sailed for King Francis I of France. Explored the East coastline of North America between Florida and New Brunswick, the first European to do so probably since the Vikings.

Longhouse

Many examples of these structures have existed around the world. In our story, the Huron and Iroquois build temporary versions of these. They would group them together in a village. Up to 10 families might share a large structure.

Jesuits/Missionaries

Men in "Black Robes" who were brought to the New World to teach First Nations about Christianity and convert them to Catholic Faith.

13 Colonies

The British settlements on the East Coast of North America that would become the United States in 1776. A rival to New France in the New World.

Algonquin/Montagnais

The First Nations groups that allied with the French against the Iroquois at Lake Champlain.

Arquebus

The French rifle used by Champlain at the Battle of Lake Champlain. A symbol of a new era of alliances and battles between First Nation and European peoples in Canada.

Donnacona

The Iroquois Chief of the village of Stadacona (where Quebec was built later). He and his sons were sometimes guides and taught the French many things, including ways of treating scurvy. Died in France.

Alliance

The Iroquois Confederacy was a good example of this (The Mohawk, Senega, Cayuga, etc.), as was the French partnering with the Huron, Algonquin and Montagnais. Long-term friends and enemies were established because of these early examples.

Stadacona

The Iroquois village where Cartier interacted with Donnacona and his people. Later became the site of the habitation of Quebec.

Jean Talon

The first Intendant of New France. Was appointed by King Louis XIV. Tried to change the economy from all fur trade to agriculture and diverse business. Brought in many settlers from France to build up the European population.

Quebec

The first permanent French settlement in the New World. Established by Champlain.

Colonialism

The idea that a country can set up laws and settlements in another country to get wealth and resources for the "mother" country.

The Northwest Passage

The mythical direct sea route from Europe that would provide direct trade access to China, India and the rest of Asia, without having to sail around Africa. It didn't exist at the latitude that Europeans hoped it would.

Lake Champlain

The site of a battle that established the alliance between the French and the Huron/Algonquin/Montagnais people against the Iroquois. Samuel de Champlain participated in the battle to establish trading relationships with these groups.

Palisades

The wooden spike/plank defensive structure built around Iroquois villages.

1608

The year Champlain established the habitation at Quebec. The first permanent settlement for the French in the New World. An important trading centre.

Triangle Trade

Trade arrangements done between 3 ports. Finished industrial goods and farming supplies would go from Europe to North American colonies, fish, staves for barrels, and farming produce would go from NA to the Caribbean colonies and sugar and rum (in those barrels) would go back to Europe. Business was controlled with this arrangement by the European countries.

Hudson's Bay Company

Was a fur trading business that was also the world's largest landowner at one point ('given' all the land that drained into the Hudson's Bay-Rupert's Land). Had a monopoly on the fur trade in these lands. Enforced laws, acted as a government and built trading posts that later developed into towns and cities.

Monopoly

When one group or company controls a business or market, for example when the Hudson's Bay Company controlled all of the fur trade in Canada.

Huron

Wyandot (or Wendat) people who lived around the Great Lakes region of North America. Allied with the French against the Iroquois. Key trading partners with the French in the early days of the fur trade.