France and The Netherlands in
the Age of Discovery
By Mr. Eichmann
French Explorers
An Italian explorer names Giovanni de Verazzano, searched for the
northwest passage.
Jacques Cartier – Sailed up the St. Lawrence River to where the city
of Montreal is today.
Samuel de Champlain – Founded first French settlement known as
Quebec
Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet explored the Upper Mississippi
River.
Robert La Salle – Sailed around the Great Lakes
Other explorers sailed down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of
Mexico, up the Missouri River, and to the Rocky Mountains.
Al this led to border disputes with England
Successes of the French
Explored and established colonies in
the middle part of North America and
Canada.
They established fur trade
The French created good
relationships with Native Americans
Failures of the French
French government was too controlling of
the colonies
The French government only allowed
people of French decent to inhabit and
populate the colonies
The French lost their influence in North
America when they lost the French and
Indian War
The Netherlands
The Netherlands – also called Holland
The people speak Dutch
They became England’s greatest rival because of their being
excellent shipbuilders and sailors.
Took land near the Hudson River thanks to the explorer Henry
Hudson.
They called their territory New Netherland and established a colony
on an island they called Manhattan. The city on that island was
called New Amsterdam, which later became New York.
The governor of the colony was named Peter Minuit. He bought the
island for knives, beads, and trinkets, although this is a legend.
Success of The Netherlands
The Netherlands became the most
educated people in Europe
The Dutch were successful in maintaining
colonies within English territory
The Dutch were able to take over
Portuguese colonies and trade routes due
to a powerful navy
Failures of The Netherlands
The Netherlands allowed all different
cultures to come to their colonies, causing
a disunity and a lack of loyalty
Colonial leaders like Peter Minuet and
Peter Stuyvesant were too strong willed
The Dutch eventually lost control of most
of their colonies to the English
Swedish Colonies
The Netherlands financed the establishment of Swedish
colonies near the Delaware River. The colony was called
New Sweden.
The Swedes built log cabins, which became the main
foundation for homes in America for years to come.
The Swedes traded furs with the Native Americans
The English looked at the Dutch and the Swedes as
intruders. They saw New Amsterdam as being an
excellent harbor for ships. King Charles II sent a fleet of
ships to take the colonies and put them under English
control.