The French Explorers Series ( ) Program One: The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America ( )

The French Explorers Series (1524-1763) Program One: The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES T...
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The French Explorers Series (1524-1763) Program One: The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564)

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES

The French Explorers Series (1524-1763) This four part series examines the exploration and colonization of North America by France. These programs were filmed at important historical sites mainly in France, Canada, and the United States. The first program looks briefly at early European exploration and the quest for a sea route to Asia. Then the program examines the explorations of Giovanni da Verrazano and Jacques Cartier. France’s first attempt at colonization in Florida is also presented in this program. The second program examines the important role of Samuel de Champlain in founding the first successful French colonies in North America: those of Acadia and New France. The third program examines the French exploration and settlement near the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River Valley. This program looks at the explorations of LaSalle, Jolliet and Marquette. The founding of the colony of Louisiana is presented in this program as well. The fourth program examines the four “French and Indian Wars” and the eventual loss of the French colonies in North America to Great Britain. This program also offers a look at the events leading up to the Louisiana Purchase.

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Viewing Time: 16 minutes with a one-minute Five-question Video Quiz Grades 5-9 This program begins by presenting the historical background that laid the foundation for French exploration in North America. It starts with a look at trade between Europe and Asia during the 1400s. The motivations for finding a sea route to ports in the Far East that would bypass the Silk Road are examined. The program then focuses on the early non- – French contributions to world exploration made by Prince Henry the Navigator, Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, and John Cabot. France’s first expedition that was led by Verrazano is examined. The three expeditions of Cartier to Canada are described. The program ends with a look at the first attempt at colonization by France that began in Florida in 1564.

LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS McRel Standards World History Standards Grades 5-8 Era 6 - Global Expansion and Encounter, 1450-1770 Standard 26: Understands how the transoceanic interlinking of all major regions of the world between 1450 and 1600 led to global transformations Standard 27: Understands how European society experienced political, economic, and cultural transformations in an age of global intercommunication between 1450 and 1750 Standard 29: Understands the economic, political, and cultural interrelations among peoples of Africa, Europe, and the Americas between 1500 and 1750 Standard 31: Understands major global trends from 1450 to 1770 United States History Standards Grades 5-8 Era 1 - Three Worlds Meet (Beginnings to 1620) Standard 1: Understands the characteristics of societies in the Americas, Western Europe, and Western Africa that increasingly interacted after 1450 Standard 2: Understands cultural and ecological interactions among previously unconnected people resulting from early European exploration and colonization INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES Before presenting these lessons to your students, we suggest that you preview the program, review the guide, and the accompanying Blackline Master activities in order to familiarize yourself with their content. As you review the materials presented in this guide, you may find it necessary to make some changes, additions or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We encourage you to do so; for only by tailoring this program to your class will they obtain the maximum instructional benefits afforded by the materials. PRE-TEST Pre-Test is an assessment tool intended to gauge student comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program. Explain that they are not expected to get all the answers correct. You can remind your students that these are key concepts that they should focus on while watching the program.

STUDENT/AUDIENCE PREPARATION Set up a Learning Center with pictures, maps, diagrams and charts etc. relevant to the topics presented in this program. Visit http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxindex.htm/blxlebanon.htm for free printable, blank outline maps of North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Pass out copies of Blackline Master # 5, Timeline of historical events and copies of Blackline Master # 6, Vocabulary of relevant words and terms. STUDENT OBJECTIVES After viewing the program and completing the follow-up activities, students should be better able to: •

Explain why European explorers wanted to find a sea route to Asia



Explain the terms “Protestant Reformation” “Northwest Passage” and “Silk Road”



Describe the contributions to world exploration made by Prince Henry the Navigator, Columbus, Da Gama, Magellan, and Cabot.



Locate on a map the: The continents of North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa; the Saint Lawrence River, Hudson’s Bay, Labrador, Greenland, Newfoundland, Montreal, India, China, England, France, Spain, Portugal.



Describe the motivations for, and the importance of, the first expeditions to North America by France that were led by Giovanni da Verrazano and Jacques Cartier. INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM

Duplicate and administer Blackline Master # 1, Pre-Test. Remind your students that they are not expected to know all the answers. Suggest that they use these questions as a guide for taking notes on the key concepts while viewing the program. VIEW THE PROGRAM Running Time: 16 minutes plus a one-minute, five-question Video Quiz.

DISCUSSION TOPICS After viewing the program you may find it helpful to discuss these topics as a class. (You may also choose to use these topics to begin a discussion prior to viewing the program.) • • • • • • •

The significance of discovering a sea route to Asia. The Silk Road What life was like in North America before European explorers arrived. How the lives of Native Americans changed after the arrival of the European settlers. The search for a Northwest Passage The Protestant Reformation, religious persecution, and colonization in North America. The Huguenots DESCRIPTION OF BLACKLINE MASTERS

Blackline Master # 1, Pre-Test, is an assessment tool intended to gauge student comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program. Blackline Master # 2, Post-Test, is an assessment tool to be administered after viewing the program and completing additional activities. The results of this assessment can be compared to the results of the Pre-Test to determine the change in student comprehension. Blackline Master # 3, Video Quiz, is intended to reinforce the key concepts of the program following the presentation of the program. Student awareness that a Video Quiz will be given also helps promote attention to the video presentation. Blackline Master #4, Crossword Puzzle, is a puzzle game based on information presented in the Vocabulary Blackline Master #5, Timeline and Activity, is a chronological list of important events and an activity based on that list Blackline Master #6, Vocabulary and Activity, is a list of important words and terms with a fill- in- the blank exercise.

EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES Research papers, oral reports, debates, news reports, or PowerPoint® presentations could be done on the following subjects: • • • • •

The history of the Silk Road: Asian luxury goods and how they were transported to Europe before the discovery of a sea route. Some of the effects that the European Explorers had on the lives of Native people. The long-term effects from over fishing in the Grand Banks; solutions and obstacles to the problem of over-fishing. The Protestant Reformation. Religious warfare and intolerance: in the past and today.

ANSWER KEY The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Blackline Master # 1, Pre-Test 1. True 2. True 3. False, The French explorers were never able to find a Northwest Passage. 4. False, Spain was the first nation to colonize in North America. 5. True Blackline Master # 2, Post-Test A. True or False 1. True 2. False, The Spanish reached the New World first. 3. True 4. True 5. False, John Cabot was the first explorer actively to search for the Northwest Passage. 6. True 7. True 8. False, The Grand Banks are fishing grounds in the North Atlantic. 9. True 10. True B. Fill in the blanks 1. Silk, spices, porcelain (china), jewels, tea 2. Huguenots, Spanish 3. Vasco Da Gama, Africa 4. New World 5. St Lawrence C. Short Answer Answers will vary depending the explorer selected. Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz 1. False, The Silk Road was a trade route that linked Asia and Europe. 2. False, Magellan did not attempt to find a Northwest Passage. 3. True 4. True 5. False, The Huguenots were French Protestants. Blackline Master # 4, Crossword Puzzle

Blackline Master # 5, Timeline Activity 1. 1497 2. 1524 3. 1502-1504 4. 1541-1542 5. 1517 Blackline Master #6, Vocabulary Activity 1. Luxury 2. Uncharted 3. Obsolete 4. Repression 5. Iroquois

RESOURCES Web sites for teachers: About Geography http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxindex.htm/blxlebanon.htm Free blank outline maps of North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Education Place http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/index.html Free outline maps of North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Museum of New France, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation The Explorers http://www.civilization.ca/vmnf/explor/explcd_e.html A very user friendly web site that includes great links with detailed stories of the French explorer’s and maps of their journeys. World Book Christopher Columbus and the Great Age of Exploration/French Explorers http://www2.worldbook.com/wc/popup?path=features/explorers&page=html/newworld_f rench.html&direct=yes Great web site with useful links and maps of the routes of European explorers as well as information on their impact on Native Americans. Books for the classroom: Dorling Kindersley Children’s Atlas, Dorling Kindersley Publishing, London: DK Publishing, Revised edition September, 2003, ISBN 0789458454 A beautiful children’s atlas packed with maps, photographs, illustrations, and charts. It also contains “fun-filled facts” and a useful glossary. Cartier: Jacques Cartier in Search of the Northwest Passage (Exploring the World Series), Blashfield, Jean F., Compass Point Books, Minneapolis MN, 2002, ISBN 0756501229 Tells the exciting tales of Cartier’s experiences exploring eastern Canada. This book includes useful maps, timelines, and a glossary. The Explorers and Settlers: A Source Book on Colonial America (American Albums from the Collections of the Library of Congress,) Smith, Carter, The Library of Congress, Millbrook Press Inc., Brookfield, Connecticut, 1991, ISBN 156294035X Describes and illustrates the first discoveries and settlements in North America. Included are beautiful images and descriptive timelines of major events during the early explorations and settlements of North America. Battles In A New Land: A Source Book on Colonial America (American Albums from the Collections of the Library of Congress,) Smith, Carter, The Library of Congress, Millbrook Press Inc., Brookfield, Connecticut, 1991, ISBN 1562940341

With the use of historical maps, images, and descriptive timelines this book provides a clear picture of the conflicts that occurred from the days of the first American settlers to the Revolutionary War. Jacques Cartier and the Exploration of Canada, Harmon, Daniel E., Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia, 2001, ISBN 0791059588 The life story of Jacques Cartier: his search for the Northwest Passage, his discovery of the St Lawrence River, encounters with Native Americans, and his struggles to survive the long winters in Canada. Champlain: A Life of Courage, Jacobs (First Book Explorer), William Jay, Scholastic Library Publishing, 1994, ISBN 0531201120 This book includes the: Wars of Religion, Champlain’s first voyages to Canada, interactions with the Native Americans, his adventures and heroic battles, the founding of Quebec through his later years of exploration and expanding the Catholic Church in North America. The French and Indian War, World History Series, Minks, Louise and Benton, Lucent Books, San Diego CA. ISBN 1560062363 This is a useful introduction to the series of conflicts that occurred between England and France back in the 1600s and 1700s. It provides a good overview of early European exploration of the New World, the impact of exploration on Native Americans, alliances between Native Americans and Europeans, and important battles up through to the Peace of Paris which officially ended the French and Indian War. This book includes useful timelines, photographs, and stories that are intended to keep the reader interested. Jolliet and Marquette: Explorers of the Mississippi River, Harmon, Daniel E., Chelsea House Publishers, Philadelphia, 2002, ISBN 0791064263 This is the story of Jolliet and Marquette and their expedition to the Mississippi River. The Fall of Quebec and the French and Indian War, Ochoa, George, Silver Burdett Press, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1990, ISBN 0382099508 This book opens with maps of North America before and after the French and Indian War and from there goes on to tell the story of the fall of Quebec to Great Britain. This story describes the rivalry between France and England and the impact it had on the development of the Thirteen Colonies.

BLM 1 Name________________________

The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) PRE-TEST Directions: Answer each of the following either True or False: 1. An Italian named Verrazano led France’s first expedition to North America. 2. Christopher Columbus founded Spain’s first colonies in the New World. 3. The Northwest Passage was a route that the French explorers took from the Atlantic Ocean to Asia. 4. France was the first European nation to establish a long-lasting colony in North America. 5. Jacques Cartier was the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River.

BLM 2 Name________________________

POST-TEST The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Directions: Answer the following either true or false 1.

European explorers first began searching for a sea route from Europe to Asia in 1400s. 2. Explorers from France and Portugal reached the New World before the Spanish. 3. Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal was the first European actively to support the development of the new ships and navigation skills needed to find a sea route that would bypass the Silk Road. 4. European nations competed with one another in trying to discover a sea route to Asia. 5. Christopher Columbus was the first explorer to search for a Northwest Passage to Asia. 6. Christopher Columbus founded Spain’s first colonies in the New World. 7. Ships in an expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan, were the first from Europe to reach islands off of Asia by traveling west around the tip of South America. 8. The Grand Banks are huge cliffs along the St. Lawrence River. 9. Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to sail into what is today the harbor of New York City. 10. St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest colonial city in the United States. Fill in the blanks: 1. Back in the 1400s luxury goods from Asia such as __________________, ___________________, and _________________ were in great demand in Europe. 2. The ____________________ were a group of Protestants that founded the first French colony in the New World: a colony that was soon destroyed by Catholic soldiers who were ______________ , 3. _____________________ of Portugal was the first explorer to reach India by sea after sailing around the tip of _________________. 4. The term _________________________ was often used for North and South America back in the 1500s. 5. Jacques Cartier was the first European to explore the ________________________ River of eastern Canada. Short Answer: Choose one early European explorer and briefly describe the significance of his expeditions. Please write down the answers to as many of the following questions as possible: Where was he from? Who financed his expeditions? When did the expeditions

take place? What were the explorer’s goals? What routes were taken? What obstacles were faced? What discoveries were made?

BLM 3 Name________________________

Video Quiz The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Answer each of the following questions either true or false: 1. The Silk Road was an ancient trade route between Asia and North America. 2. Magellan discovered a Northwest Passage to Asia. 3. Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to sail into what is now the harbor of New York City. 4. The city of Montreal got its name from Jacques Cartier. 5. The Huguenots were a group of French Catholics who tried to colonize Florida.

BLM 4 Name________________________

CROSSWORD PUZZLE The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Questions for Eclipse Software 1. Prince Henry the Navigator was from this country. 2. Columbus explored for this country. 3. This man was the first to sail into what is today the harbor of New York City. 4. This explorer from England was the first to look for a Northwest Passage. 5. This Portuguese explorer was the first to reach India from Europe by sea. 6. This group of Protestants founded a French colony in Florida. 7. This French explorer named the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 8. This Canadian city owes its name to Cartier. 9. The oldest colonial city in the United States was named for this Catholic saint. 10. This man led the first expedition around the world but he was killed along the way. Answers for Eclipse 1. Portugal 2. Spain 3. Verrazano 4. Cabot 5. Da Gama 6. Huguenot 7. Cartier 8. Montreal 9. Augustine 10. Magellan

BLM 5 Name________________________

TIMELINE The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) 1394 - Prince Henry the Navigator is born in Portugal. 1419 - Portuguese explorers sent by Prince Henry the Navigator reach the Madeira Islands off the coast of Africa. 1441 - Portuguese explorers bring the first slaves captured in Africa to Europe. 1460 - Death of Prince Henry the Navigator. By then Portuguese explorers have reached Sierra Leone on the West Coast of Africa. 1492 to 1493 - Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, reaches an island in the Bahamas chain after sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. He believes he has reached islands off the coast of Asia. 1487 - Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, becomes the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa. 1493 to 1496 - Columbus’ makes his second voyage to the New World with seventeen ships and 1000 male colonists. 1487 - Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias sails around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. 1497 – John Cabot leads an English expedition to search for a Northwest Passage to Asia and discovers the Grand Banks. 1497 to 1498 - Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama reaches Calicut in India, becoming the first European to reach the eastern part of Asia by sea by sailing around the tip of Africa. 1498 to 1500 – Columbus’ third voyage. He reaches the coast of South America. 1502 to 1504 – Columbus’ fourth voyage. He explores the coastline of Central America. 1513 – Juan Ponce de Leon, explores Florida for Spain. 1517 - The Protestant Reformation begins when Martin Luther posts his 95 theses (criticisms of the Catholic Church) on the door of a church in Germany. 1519- Ferdinand Magellan leaves Spain, on an expedition that will end in 1522 when one of his ships becomes the first to sail all the way around the world. 1519 to 1522 - Hernando Cortez leads the conquest of the Aztec kingdom of Mexico. 1524 – The French King sends Giovanni da Verrazano, an Italian explorer, to search for a Northwest Passage. He sails across the Atlantic and up the eastern coastline of North America. Verrazano becomes the first European to sail into what is today the harbor of New York City. 1534 - First expedition of Jacques Cartier. On this voyage he claims land in what is today southeastern Quebec for France and also names the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 1535 – Jacques Cartier’s second expedition: he explores the St. Lawrence River for the first time. 1539 to 1543 – Hernando DeSoto explores what is now the southeastern region of the United States for Spain, causing great death and devastation to Native Americans.

1540 to 1542 – Francisco Coronado explores what is now the southwestern region of the United States for Spain, searching for the Seven Cities of Gold. 1541 to 1542 – The last voyage of Cartier. He fails in an attempt to found a French colony in Quebec. 1562 - Jean Ribault sails across the Atlantic to find a site for the persecuted Protestants to settle on a French Colony in North America, Fort Caroline. 1564 - French colony of Fort Caroline is founded in Florida 1565 – Spanish soldiers massacre French colonists in Florida. St. Augustine, Florida is founded.

Timeline Activity By looking at the Timeline, fill in the correct year(s): 1. John Cabot searches for a Northwest Passage in _________. 2. Verrazano explores the east coast of North America for France in _________. 3. Columbus explores the coast of Central America in ________. 4. Cartier fails to establish a French colony in __________. 5. Start of the Protestant Reformation in _________.

BLM 6 Name________________________

VOCABULARY LIST AND ACTIVITY The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564)

Bahamas - A group of small islands located in the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast of Florida. Brutal – Unnecessarily violent or cruel. Bypass – A route that goes around a specific place, usually a town. Cabot, John – An Italian explorer (sailing for England) who searched for a Northwest Passage to Asia back in 1497. Cape Breton Island – An island that is part of today’s Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Caravan – A group of people traveling together on a long journey, usually through a desert. Catholic – A member of the Roman Catholic Church. Cartier, Jacques – Important French explorer of Northeastern Canada during the 1530s and 1540s. Christopher Columbus - The Italian Navigator who led the first Spanish expeditions back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean from 1492 -1504. Colony – An area that is controlled by a distant country. Conquest – To conquer or take over. Continent – One of the seven main land areas on Earth. The seven continents are Asia, North America, South America, Africa, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Da Gama, Vasco – The Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition by sea from Europe to India in 1497-1498. Dias, Bartolomeu – The Portuguese explorer who became the first European to sail around the tip of Africa in 1487. Expedition – A journey made by a group of people in order to explore or search for something. Far East – Refers to the eastern parts of Asia. Fleet – A group of ships under the command of one person or controlling force. Fort Caroline – A French colony in Florida founded in 1564 but destroyed by the Spanish in 1565 Gaspe’ Peninsula – A peninsula in what is today southern Quebec that was claimed by Cartier in 1534. Genoa – The Italian city that was the birthplace of both Christopher Columbus and John Cabot. Grand Banks – A very rich fishing area that lured many French fishermen to the waters off of Newfoundland in the early 1500s.

Hudson River – A large river in New York State named after English explorer Henry Hudson. Huguenots – French Protestants that were persecuted by the Catholics in the mid 1500s. Indies – A name that Columbus gave to the islands in the Caribbean Sea because he thought they were near India. They later were called the West Indies to correct this mistake. Inhabitants – The people that live in, or inhabit, a certain place. Iroquois – A group of tribes that once occupied the lands of upper New York state. They included the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca tribes. They obtained firearms from the Dutch in the early 1600s and soon subdued most of the neighboring tribes. Labrador – An area along the eastern coast of the Canadian mainland. Luxury – Something that is not necessary but that is desired because it brings comfort and satisfaction. Magellan, Ferdinand – A Spanish explorer of the early 1500s. One of the ships of his expedition (1519-1521) was the first to sail all the way around the world. Massacred – A brutal killing of a group of people that is not necessary and generally done for revenge or to take control of an area. Micmac tribe – A friendly tribe of Native Americans that the French explorers first encountered along Chaleur Bay in eastern Canada. Middle East – The area of Asia in between the Far East and the Near East. Mont Real – A term that Cartier gave an area along the Ottawa river meaning “royal mountain,” where today’s French-Canadian city of Montreal is located. Originally it was an Indian village called Hochelaga. Native Americans – The people who lived in North and South America before Europeans arrived. Also called American Indians. Navigation – The science of determining the correct course or route for a ship to follow. Navigation relies on the position of stars and requires the use of maps and special instruments such as the compass and the sextant. Navigator – A person who is skilled in the science of navigation. Near East - Refers to the parts of Asia nearest to Europe. Newfoundland – A large island off the eastern coast Canada bordering the Gulf of St. Lawrence. New World – A term that was used back in the 1500s when referring to North and South America. Northwest Passage – A route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans long sought after by explorers that was believed to go either through or around the top of North America. Obsolete - Something that is no longer desirable because it has been replaced by something better. Porcelain – A valuable and fragile type of pottery. Portugal – A small European country located to the west of Spain. Precious metals – Metals of great value such as gold and silver.

Prince Henry the Navigator – The Portuguese prince who played a key role in promoting world exploration back in the 1400s. Profit – To make money, or in any other way benefit, by selling something. Protestants – A general name for the people who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church to protest its policies back in the 1500s. Protestant Reformation – An historical era that began in 1517 (with Martin Luther) when the first Protestant religions were formed. Quebec – A Native American term meaning “the place where the river narrows”. Now Quebec is the name given both a French speaking Province and to a city in eastern Canada. Repression – To be kept down (repressed), to be deprived of freedom. Saguenay – A fabled place in Canada where Cartier hoped jewels and precious metals would be found in great abundance. Saint Augustine – A city in Florida founded by the Spanish in 1565. It is the oldest colonial city in the United States. Saint Johns River – A large river in northern Florida upon whose banks the first French colony of Fort Caroline was founded back in 1564. Saint Lawrence River – A huge River in eastern Canada that links the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. Silk – A fiber made from the cocoon of a certain moth. Silk cloth was one of the main Asian luxury items desired by Europeans in the 1400s and 1500s. Silk Road – Ancient trade routes between Europe and Asia. Spice – A fragrant plant material that is dried and used for seasoning foods. Asian Spices were highly sought after in Europe back in the 1400s and 1500s. Spice Islands – Islands off the southeastern coast of Asia that were famous for their spices. St. Malo – A fishing town in northern France, the birthplace of Jacques Cartier. Uncharted – An unmapped area. Verrazano, Giovanni da - An Italian navigator exploring for France who became the first European to sail into the harbor of what is today New York City. Vikings – A group of seafaring people from Northern Europe that settled in Iceland, Greenland and even Newfoundland 1000 years ago. Whaling station – An encampment where whale oil and other products were produced. Xian – An ancient city of China often thought of as being at the end of the Silk Road.

Vocabulary Activity: Directions: By consulting the vocabulary list find the correct word (or words) to fill in the blank. 1. Silk cloth and other Asian ______ goods were once highly sought after in Europe. 2. Explorers had to make maps of ______________ areas. 3. A sea route to Asia made the Silk Road ___________ because goods could transported so much more efficiently by ship. 4. Huguenots were once subjected to brutal __________ in France. 5. The _______________ were a group of tribes of Native Americans that lived in what is now New York State.

Script of Recorded Narration The French Explorers Series (1524-1763)

The Beginnings of French Exploration in North America (1524-1564) Historical Background: Portugal and Spain Search for a Sea Route to Asia For over two centuries French explorers played an important role in shaping the history of North America. And even though they began their explorations a long time ago, France was pretty much of a latecomer when it came to world exploration. In fact by the time France started sending out its expeditions the nations of Portugal and Spain had been at work searching for a sea route from Europe to the Far Eastern ports of Asia for decades. For these countries realized that the first nation to discover such a route could not only grow rich selling European goods in the Far East. It could also sell valuable Asian ”luxury” goods such as silk, spices, jewels, and porcelain in Europe for a huge profit. Before a sea route between Europe and Asia was discovered goods from the Far East had to be transported on the backs of camels along what has come to be called the Silk Road. The Silk Road was made up of several ancient trade routes. It began here in the Chinese city of Xian and ended thousands of miles away at ports on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Transporting goods on the Silk Road was slow. Besides that camels could carry only about 200 pounds, that is 91 Kg., worth of goods. In contrast a sailing ship could carry thousands of times as much and move it a lot faster. One of the first Europeans to become interested in finding a sea route that would bypass the Silk Road was Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal. Back in the early 1400s Prince Henry assembled a group of talented people to develop the new ships, mathematical skills, and navigational devices needed to carry out long distance exploration. By 1490 Portuguese ships had spent over 70 years exploring the coast of Africa and claiming land for Portugal as they tried to find a sea route to Asia. By then Spain wanted to beat Portugal in getting to Asia. In fact an explorer named Christopher Columbus had convinced the rulers of Spain to support an expedition to find a route to Asia based on sailing west, instead of east, as the Portuguese were doing. In the year 1492 Columbus successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. When he saw land he was certain that he had reached Asia. But actually, he had only gotten as far as an island in the Bahamas chain that lies southeast of what is today Florida. Columbus began to call these islands the Indies, believing that they must be very near India. And he tried in vain to locate the fabulous Asian cities he felt had to be somewhere close by. In the end, Christopher Columbus made a total of four “voyages of discovery” back and forth across the Atlantic. And although he didn’t find a sea route to Asia, he did establish Spain’s first colonies in the New World. And Christopher Columbus also discovered the first really useful sea routes between Europe and the unexplored continents of North and South America. However, well before Columbus had stopped exploring, Vasco Da Gama, an explorer from Portugal, did find a sea route to Asia that goes around the tip of Africa. Da Gama’s voyage took place in 1497

and 1498. Twenty-one years later an expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan left this port in southern Spain, sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean, rounded the tip of South America, crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached islands off the mainland of Asia. And although Magellan was killed along the way, one of his ships actually made it back to Spain, becoming the first ship to sail all the way around the world. Yet, even before Europeans had reached the Far East by sailing around South America and Africa, some navigators thought that the shortest route to Asia must go either around or through North America. This imagined route came to be called the Northwest Passage, and for centuries explorers tried in vain to find it. John Cabot’s Search for a Northwest Passage to Asia: 1497-1498 The first explorer actively to look for a Northwest Passage to Asia was a man named John Cabot. And his explorations began a few years after the first voyage of Christopher Columbus. Like Columbus, Cabot was born in the Italian city of Genoa. As a youth he learned navigation and mapmaking here in Venice. And from Venice Cabot sailed in trading ships that visited Silk Road ports along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. John Cabot dreamed of finding a direct route to the riches of Asia, a route that would make the Silk Road obsolete. And he expected to find it by crossing the chilly waters of the North Atlantic. After having his plan rejected by the rulers of Portugal and Spain, Cabot went to England and won the king’s approval for his expedition. So in May of 1497, with the financial backing of a group of English merchants, Cabot sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of June he sighted what historians think was either Cape Breton Island or the island of Newfoundland in what is today Canada. However John Cabot, like Columbus, believed that he was looking at the shores of Asia and claimed the land for the King of England. The next year Cabot made a second voyage to this area and did not return. And although he failed to find a route to Asia, Cabot did discover that there were huge numbers of fish in the waters off of Newfoundland. These rich fishing grounds came to be called the Grand Banks. And, in the early 1500s, thanks to Cabot’s discovery, fleets of fishing boats, mostly from France, began to sail there every summer. The Explorations of Giovanni da Verrazano, 1524 By the time France sent out its first official expedition to explore North America only the nation of Spain had established colonies there. The French expedition was led by Giovanni da Verrazano, an Italian who was born near the great Italian city of Florence seen here. The French king wanted Verrazano to search for a Northwest Passage to China. And the king also hoped that Verrazano would discover great riches, especially gold and silver such as was pouring into Spain from her colonies in the New World. In the year 1524 Verrazano’s expedition sailed west from France and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Then he began to explore up the eastern coastline of North America. Starting in what are now the Carolinas he carefully mapped coastal features. As he headed north Giovanni da Verrazano became the first European to sail into what is today the harbor of New York City. And from here he

sailed up the Hudson River to find out whether it was the fabled Northwest Passage. Today the Verrazano Bridge across the entrance to New York’s harbor honors him and bears his name. After leaving this harbor Verrazano’s expedition sailed northward to Newfoundland. However, by then the coast of Newfoundland had already been pretty well explored by French fishermen. Even so, Verrazano had managed to explore a lot of uncharted North American coastline on his first voyage to the New World. And when he returned to France his excellent maps proved to be extremely helpful to other explorers The Explorations of Jacques Cartier: 1534-1542 One of the most important of the early French explorers was a man by the name of Jacques Cartier. Cartier was born here in the fishing town of St. Malo in France right around the time Columbus was planning his first voyage across the Atlantic. It is believed that as a young man Cartier had accompanied the fishing fleets that left France each summer for Newfoundland. The French king, Francis the First, asked Cartier to look for gold and other precious metals in the New World and also to keep searching for a Northwest Passage to Asia. And in April of the year 1534 Cartier’s first expedition left the harbor of Saint Malo and sailed across the North Atlantic. In May when Cartier reached the waters off of Newfoundland they were still choked with ice. But after awhile the ice melted and he was able to sail along the coast of what is today Labrador on the mainland of Canada. Labrador was the place where, one thousand years ago, Viking settlers from treeless Greenland would sometimes come to get wood for their buildings. And by the time Cartier explored the rugged coast of Labrador Portuguese fisherman had already established whaling stations there. From Labrador Cartier sailed south exploring a large body of water he named the Gulf of St Lawrence. And eventually he landed in a forested area on the mainland of Canada now called the Gaspe’ Penisinsula. Here Cartier met Native Americans and then claimed their land for France. When he returned to Europe that fall he even brought two young Indian brothers back with him. Cartier made a second voyage across the north Atlantic the next year in 1535. It was on this expedition that he sailed up one of the largest and most important rivers in North America: the St. Lawrence River. Cartier sailed far up this river until rocks and rapids prevented him from going any further. The rapids were not far from a hill he named Mont Real or “Royal Mountain” where a large city of that name, Montreal, now stands. His expedition spent the winter at a place on the river the native people called Quebec. Here they suffered great hardships throughout the long months of snow and severe cold. And many men did not live to see France again in the spring. However that winter the explorers learned about a fabled place called “Saguenay” from the local Indians: where they were told, jewels and precious metals could be found in great abundance. So when Cartier made his final journey to Canada in 1541 he eagerly, but unsuccessfully, searched for the riches of Saguenay. He also tried, but failed, to establish a permanent French colony in the Canadian wilderness. And so he returned to France the next year. And after his explorations were done Jacques Cartier spent the rest of his life in comfort here at his manor house, not far from the sea.

The First French Colonists in North America, 1564-1565 After Jacques Cartier returned to France from exploring eastern Canada, a very important religious movement called the Protestant Reformation was sweeping across Europe. This was the historical period when the first Protestant faiths broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. In traditionally Catholic France members of one Protestant sect called the Huguenots had gained political power at that time. But by the mid-1500s French Protestants were being brutally repressed by the Catholics, and their land was being confiscated as well. However this man Admiral Gaspard de Coligny was able to convince the King of France that a colony should be established in North America: It would be a place where Huguenots could escape religious persecution, and that also would serve to block Spanish expansion in the New World. In 1562 this man, Jean Ribault, sailed across the Atlantic to find a site for the French colony. He selected an area of densely forested land in what is today northeastern Florida. The land was located here on the banks of the St Johns River, not far from the Atlantic Ocean. And, even though Florida had long been claimed by Spain, Ribault decided to erect a marker like this one, boldly proclaiming the land to be a possession of the king of France. Two years later around two hundred people, mostly Huguenots, came ashore here and established the French colony known as Fort Caroline. Life was extremely difficult for the French settlers in the sub-tropical wilderness of Florida. And soon widespread hunger and illness gripped the colony. But the next spring 600 additional colonists and soldiers sailed for Fort Caroline from France. And their ship arrived in Florida just as the settlers were getting ready to abandon the colony. But by then the Spanish, who were Catholics, had learned about the Protestant colony and had responded by installing a military outpost a little to the south of it. They named their outpost in honor of St. Augustine. And the city that grew from it is now the oldest colonial city in the United States. It was from here in St Augustine in the year 1565 that 500 Spanish soldiers marched to attack the French at Fort Caroline. And in the battle that followed nearly all the men of the colony, about 120 of them, were slaughtered, mainly because they were Protestants. A short time later another 350 Frenchmen died at the hands of the Spanish after their ship was wrecked in a hurricane as it sailed to attack their base at St, Augustine. And after the destruction of Fort Caroline it would be another forty years before people from France attempted to found a colony in North America again.

VIDEO QUIZ 1. True or False? The Silk Road was an ancient trade route between Asia and North America. 2. True or False? Magellan discovered a Northwest Passage to Asia. 3. True or False? Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to sail into what is now the harbor of New York City. 4. True or False? The city of Montreal got its name from Jacques Cartier. 5. True or False? The Huguenots were a group of French Catholics who tried to colonize Florida.