The
French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued in the following centuries as
France established a
colonial empire in the
Western Hemisphere. France founded colonies in much of eastern
North America, on a number of
Caribbean islands, and in
South America. Most colonies were developed to export products such as fish, sugar, and furs.
As they colonized the New World, the French established forts and settlements that would become such cities as
Quebec and
Montreal in
Canada;
Detroit,
Green Bay,
St. Louis,
Mobile,
Biloxi,
Baton Rouge and
New Orleans in the
United States; and
Port-au-Prince and
Cap-Haïtien in
Haiti.
North America
The French first came to the New World as explorers, seeking a route to the Pacific ocean and wealth. Major French exploration of North America began under the reign of King
Francis I. In 1524, Francis sent
Italian-born
Giovanni da Verrazano to explore the region between
Florida and
Newfoundland for a route to the
Pacific Ocean. Verrazzano gave the names
Francesca and
Nova Gallia to that land between
New Spain and English Newfoundland, thus promoting French interests.
thumb|Arrival of [[Pierre-Esprit Radisson|Radisson in an Indian camp in 1660.]]
Later, in 1534, Francis sent
Jacques Cartier on the first of three voyages to explore the coast of Newfoundland and the
St. Lawrence River. The French subsequently tried to establish several colonies throughout North America that failed, due to weather, disease or conflict with other European powers. Cartier attempted to create the first permanent European settlement in North America at
Cap-Rouge in 1541 with 400 settlers but the settlement was abandoned the next year after bad weather and Indian attacks. A small group of French troops were left on
Parris Island,
South Carolina in 1562 to build
Charlesfort, but left after a year when they were not resupplied from France.
Fort Caroline established in present-day
Jacksonville, Florida in 1564, lasted only a year before being destroyed by the Spanish from
St. Augustine. An attempt to settle convicts on
Sable Island off Nova Scotia in 1598 failed after a short time. In 1599, a sixteen-person trading post was established in
Tadoussac (in present-day
Quebec), of which only five men survived the first winter. In 1604,
Saint Croix Island, Maine was the site of a short-lived French colony, much plagued by illness, perhaps scurvy.
Fort Saint Louis was established in Texas in 1685, but was gone by 1688.
A major French settlement lay on the island of
Hispaniola, where France established the colony of
Saint-Domingue on the western third of the island in 1664. Nicknamed the "Pearl of the Antilles," Saint-Domingue became the richest colony in the Caribbean before a 1791 slave revolt, which began the
Haitian Revolution, led to freedom for the colony's slaves in 1794 and, a decade later, complete independence for the country, which renamed itself
Haiti. France briefly also ruled the eastern portion of the island, which is now the
Dominican Republic.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, France ruled much of the
Lesser Antilles at various times. Islands that came under French rule during part of all of this time include
Dominica,
Grenada,
Guadeloupe,
Marie-Galante,
Martinique,
St. Barthélemy,
St. Croix,
St. Kitts,
St. Lucia,
St. Martin,
St. Vincent and
Tobago. Control of many of these islands was contested between the French, the British and the Dutch; in the case of St. Martin, the island was divided in two, a situation that persists to this day.
Great Britain captured some of France's islands during the
Seven Years' War and the
Napoleonic Wars. Following the latter conflict, France retained control of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Marie-Galante, St. Barthélemy, and its portion of St. Martin; all remain part of France today. Guadeloupe (including Marie-Galante and other nearby islands) and Martinique each is an
overseas departments of France, while St. Barthélemy and St. Martin each became an
overseas collectivity of France in 2007.
In Martinique, unlike Saint-Domingue, slavery was not abolished during the
French Revolution. Meanwhile, in Guadeloupe slaves gained their freedom from 1795 (due to pressures by the French Revolution, the convention in Paris performed this task and sent
Victor Hugues to implement the new law) but then faced the reinstatement of the institution of slavery by Napoleon in 1802.
South America
From 1555 to 1567, French Huguenots, under the leadership of vice-admiral
Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon, made an attempt to establish the colony of
France Antarctique in what is now
Brazil, but were expelled. From 1612 to 1615, a second failed attempt was made in present-day
São Luís, Brazil.
French Guiana was first settled by the French in 1604, although its earliest settlements were abandoned in the face of
American Indian hostility and tropical diseases. The settlement of
Cayenne was established in 1643, but was abandoned. It was re-established in the 1660s. Except for brief occupations by the English and Dutch in the 17th century, Guiana has remained under French rule ever since. From 1851 to 1951 it was the site of a notorious
penal colony,
Devil's Island (
Île du Diable). Guiana is presently an
overseas department of France.
In 1860, a French adventurer,
Orelie-Antoine de Tounens proclaimed himself
king of Araucania and Patagonia. His claim was not accepted by foreign powers and
Chile and
Argentina took firm control over the regions, treating him as insane.
See also
