Posted by Bill R on February 28, 1998 at 13:54:16:
In Reply to: Back to the Movie: Part XIIV posted by Katja on February 28, 1998 at 12:43:34:
Katja,
I think you just became my favorite gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now having said that, all the GGGG's are probably a-rocking furiously and all the SYMT's are probably whooping their war cries.........
You have some interesting obversations there....
I think, in general, both your questions can be answered by looking at the different approach to colonization and the natives that the French exercised as opposed to the British. Regarding the natives, the French wished to convert them to catholicism, and the French colonists often adopted the native american ways and intermarried with them. The English, on the other hand, saw the native american as in the way, feared and distrusted them, and rarely considered them as marriage material.
The general approach of French vs. English toward the native American can be partly explained by their general approach to colonization. The French colonists generally saw themselves as coming to America as a temporary adventure in order to make their fortune in the fur trade. Essentially the many forts they established were geared toward trade with the indians, and in protecting their trading rights from other incursions. Therefore good relations with the native Americans were essential. The native American did not see the French as "land hungry". The English, on the other hand, came here for property. They had either been granted property in the new world to own or manage (without asking a "by your leave" of the present inhabitants) or came here with the prospect of obtaining land after an indenture served to pay passage to the new world. To the English colonist,
it was all about land and property. And the native American resided on the land they wished to obtain.
This is a fairly generalist explanation, but I think it does apply. And can explain your questions.
Bill R