CANADIAN HISTORYFirst Nations

&

Early European Explorers

Canadian Geography Test

1. Fill out the chart below.

Province / Territory Capital City

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

2. Match the letter with the proper name. NOTE: Not all the names will be used!

Arctic Ocean

Indian Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Rocky Mountains

Hudson’s Bay

James’ Bay

Bay of Fundy

Gulf of Mexico

Ottawa

St. Lawrence River

Red River

Great Bear Lake

Lake Winnipeg

Great Lakes Region

I = ________________________________II = _______________________________III = _______________________________

a = ________________________________b = ________________________________

c = ________________________________d = ________________________________e = ________________________________f = ________________________________g = ________________________________h = ________________________________

First Nations and European Explorers VocabularyConfederation - “______________________________!”

Allies - In an “alliance”; working _________________; bond or friendship between nations.

Enemies - Disagreement; often in ________________; at war.

Settlement - A place where people ___________ and have established homes, farms, etc. Could be a village, town, fortress, trading post, etc.

First Nations People

- While the best term is “First Nations people”, they are also commonly called “____________”, “____________________” or “__________________”.

- These people were the very, very __________ people to live in North and South America. In fact, they have been here since, at least, _______________ B.C.

- They survived by _____________, ______________ and, a few, even ____________.- Today, they live in every province and territory in Canada. However, in the past, most of them

lived along major _______________; particularly, they lived along the ____________________ River,___________ Lakes region, _________________ Coast and __________________ Coast.

- In this unit, we will be focusing on the ___________________ and the ______________ and you will be hearing about the ____________________.

Iroquois - Also called “_____________________________”.- Mostly lived in northeastern United States; but could be found along the _________________.- The Iroquois Confederacy had five nations; we will be learning about the ________________

and __________________.- Lived in ____________________. Farmed _____________, corn and beans; fished and hunted.- Allies with the ________________; enemies of the ________________ and _______________.

Huron - Mostly lived around the __________________ region, near Toronto today. But could be found along the _________________________.

- Lived in longhouses. Farmed squash, ________ and _________; ______________ and hunted.- Spoke _________________ language.- Allies with the _______________; enemies with the _______________.- Eventually converted to _____________________.- __________________ by the Iroquois in 1649.

Algonquin - Lived along the ___________________________.- Allied with the ________________ and ___________________.

Bering Strait - Historians have a theory that the very, very first people ________________ (moved) to North and South America from Asia (near ____________) to N. America (near ____________) while the water between the two continents was ____________ during the last _________________. This frozen ice bridge was called the ________________________.

10,000 B.C. - During the last Ice Age, ______________ years ago, people _________________ to Canada.

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Europeans - People from the continent of _____________. For example, ____________ and ____________ are ______________ in _______________, therefore, ______________ and _______________ people are _________________.

- Starting in ________, European countries began _________________, mapping and _______________ North and South America.

- We will be focusing on ___________ mostly, ____________ some and Spain very little.- In Canada, the _______________ met the _________________ people; specifically, the

_______________, ________________ and __________________.Christopher Columbus

- In _________, Columbus sailed the ocean _________. - Columbus ______________ America and _______________ world history.

John Cabot - In _________, Cabot became the first European to set foot in ________________.

Jacques Cartier

- In ________, Cartier _______________ and mapped the ____________________ River.- He claimed all of Canada for _______________.

Samuel de Champlain

- We will be spending a lot of time studying ________________.- He is called the “___________ of __________________”.- Before Champlain, Europeans did not settle in Canada. Champlain, successfully established

settlements in Canada; including ______________ in Nova Scotia in ________ and ___________________ in _______.

Quebec City - Established by Champlain in _______ along the St. Lawrence River.- Capital city of _____________________.

St. Lawrence River

- This river was the “highway” between the settlements of New France: _____________, ________________ and _____________.

- It connected the ________________ region to the _______________ Ocean. Atlantic Ocean - This is the ocean between _________________ and ________________.

Northwest Passage

- Early European explorers were looking for a way around Canada so that they could get to the rich markets of _____________. Canada was the obstacle and the _______________________ was the dream of a way around. The passage did not actually exist.

Fishing - Early European explorers would come to Canada for the __________, specifically __________.- They would stay for the _____________ and return for the _____________.

Fur Trade - Early European explorers stayed in Canada for very few reasons. We had little to offer in the way of valuable _____________. However, _______ from Canada’s wildlife had some value.

- By far and away the most valuable ________ was _______________________.- The _____________________ is the biggest reason Europeans came to Canada.- First Nations people would _________ furs to the Europeans in exchange for metal items, guns,

food and any other goods not found naturally in Canada. - The ________________ benefited both the Europeans and the Aboriginals.

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Before Contact: First Nations People in Canada

First Nations – General HistoryWhile the terms “native people” or “Aboriginal people” are acceptable, “First Nations” is the term they most commonly use to describe themselves. In history, some people even used the inappropriate term, “savages”.

The First Nations people were the first inhabitants of the land now known as Canada.

Historically, there are a number of very different nations. Each group had their own customs, language, history, geography and religion. Overall, there were 12 completely different languages across Canada. They survived Canada’s climates in a variety of ways (such as hunting in forests or on the plains; as well as fishing in rivers, oceans, and streams).

When the Europeans arrived, these first inhabitants became their trading partners, allies, guides, and even their enemies. The interactions between the early European explorers, settlers, missionaries, and fur-traders defined the future of the First Nations in Canada. Many native groups worked closely with the European settlers and they adapted by learning their language and customs; however, just as often the contact between the groups resulted in conflict.

The ancestors of Canada’s native peoples migrated across the Bering Strait from Russia, northern Asia to Alaska more than 12,000 years ago, towards the end of the ice age. They were

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hunters of prehistoric bison, caribou, elk, mammoth, mastodon, and other large mammals. Slowly, over the next 1000 years, they migrated to settle all of North and South America.

At the beginning of the 1500s, right when the Europeans first arrived, there were probably only three hundred thousand people living in all of Canada. (That’s less than 1% of our current population of 35 million.) The majority lived along the rivers and bays of coastal British Columbia, in southern Ontario where Toronto is currently located and along the St. Lawrence River. Outside of those three main areas, there were very few people. For instance, a person could explore the prairies of Alberta for weeks and not see another living person.

The Bering Strait: Story of Migration

Reminder: Always answer in complete sentences.

1. Describe the relationship shown, in the reading above, between Canada’s First Nations people and the European settlers.

2. Math question: If the Canada’s native people migrated across the Bering Strait 12,000 years ago, in what approximate year did they arrive in Canada?

3. Before the arrival of the Europeans, approximately how many Aboriginal people lived in Canada?

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4. Summarize three other pieces of information provided in the above passage.

How to cite a quote:- After each quote, always include the author, title, year and page in parentheses. - Example:

The First Nations people were complicated. In fact, “each group had their own customs, language, history, geography and religion (Wiley, “Canadian History: Pre-Confederation”, 2014, pg. 6).” With all those differences, it made these first people very complex.

The Iroquois and Huron PeopleThe Iroquois and the Huron were two very similar nations; however, they were the most bitter enemies.

Both lived in and around the Eastern Woodland’s Region (see map). The Iroquois, are also commonly called “Haudenosaunee”. While some of them lived in Canada, along the St. Lawrence River, most were further south in modern-day New York state. The Huron lived in southern Ontario in and around the Great Lakes region.

The Iroquois were a “Confederacy”. This means that five large, Iroquois-speaking groups “joined together” into one enormous nation. The groups within the Iroquois Confederacy were the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and Mohawk nations. The two most relevant ones to the early Canadian explorers were the Seneca, because they were the largest, and the Mohawk, because they caused the early French settlers the most difficulties.

The Huron nation was much more welcoming. They were allied with most of the other groups along the St. Lawrence; including the Algonquin and Ojibwa. Also, the Huron quickly allied with the French explorers and settlers. Also, the Huron were among the earliest converts to Christianity.

The two rival nations spoke the same language: Iroquois. So whenever they met, communication was easy.

Both the Iroquois and Huron were farmers. Unlike all the other first nations people living in Canada at this time, these nations had well-established settlements and farms. The Huron, for example, obtained as much as 75% of their food by farming; they ate primarily corn, beans,

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squash, and sunflowers – supplemented by fish. Most of their food came from farming and fishing.

Probably the most striking difference between the Iroquois and Huron when compared to and Canada’s other native people was their homes; after all, Iroquois does mean “people of the longhouses”. A typical longhouse was up to twenty-five to thirty meters long and eight meters wide. It was constructed on a frame of poles sunk into the ground and around the outer perimeter, bent and tied together in the centre, and covered with bark, usually cedar. In the longhouse lived an extended family based around the matriarch. A matriarch is a mother. The family consisted of a woman and her daughters, or group of sisters, together with their husbands and children. Each Huron and Iroquois village could have as many as 400 longhouses and a typical village had over 1000 people (many were larger).

In some ways the Huron and Iroquois had a primitive form of democracy. This meant that they had an elected village councils that made some of the decision for the group. However, like most early democracies (and many in the world today), they were far from perfect. Most of the elected people were corrupt and awarded their friends and family members with important positions in the nation. Also, there decisions regarding war were made by an unelected war council.

Another similarity between the Iroquois and the Huron was their religion. Both has a strong sense of the supernatural or spirit world. They both revered and feared these spirits. As a result, life in both the Huadenosaunee and Huron nations was filled with public and private religious celebrations. Generally, celebrations were a lively time of dancing, games, and eating.

Despite the similarities between the Huron and Iroquois confederacy, war was more or less continuous. A war leader would organize a raiding party. Generally, war parties would attack the enemy villages to seek revenge. While the violence was frequent, relatively few deaths resulted directly from the fighting. Instead men, women and children were taken captive, and the tendency was to torture the men and adopt the women and children to replace members from the captors’ ranks.

5. Using the reading, define each word.

Confederacy

Mohawk

Seneca

Longhouse

Matriarch

Democracy

Torture

6. Describe three similarities between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Huron. (3 marks)

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7. Analyze the above picture and read the captions of the Iroquois Long House. Write five very good questions that are still left unanswered.

8. Find one quote that describes the relationship between the Huron and the Iroquois. Use proper citation for the quote. See example from this booklet, titled: “How to cite a quote”.

RESEARCH HOMEWORK Due Date: ________________________

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Select one of the above questions to research. At home research your answer and write approximately one page describing everything you learned. As always, use your own words. If you use material from another author, cite it properly.

CONTACT: European Explorers

9. This painting by George Reid depicts how he imagines the first contact between Europeans and First Nations may have looked. Record 10 observations from this piece.

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First Contact: Europeans meet the First NationsTraveling across the ________________ Ocean in a small wooden boat isn’t something that I

would recommend even with modern technology. Imagine what it must have been like to venture out into the massive ocean as an early explorer. Image the type of person who would leave everything behind and voyage in to the unknown.

Contact between _______________ and the ________________ people in Canada took place over hundreds of years in a variety of locations. Think of it this way, just because, say the Huron people in the east happen to meet Champlain doesn’t mean that the Blackfoot folks out here on the prairies know what’s going on.

Exploration of North and South American all began way back in _________, when an Italian explorer named Christopher _______________ stumbled upon the massive continents by accident. In fact, “in ________, when Columbus sailed the ocean _______”, he wasn’t looking for new land; in fact, Columbus was searching for China. Many historians consider 1492 a game changing event. After Columbus’s mistake, explorers from all across _________________, originally mostly from ___________ arrived in this “New World” and began exploring, mapping and settling it. Shortly thereafter, explorers from ______________ and _______________ arrived.

Anyone heading all the way up north to Canada was looking for, really, just one of two things: first, they were searching for a ______________ around the continent (the Northwest Passage) so that they could establish a trade route with ______________ or ________________; or second, they were looking for resources, such as ___________ or ______________ pelts, to bring back to _________________ to __________.

Most Important ExplorersChristopher ColumbusThe first European explorer to, well, stumble upon the massive double-continental blockade, which we now call North and South America, was Christopher Columbus. Yes indeed, had he known where he’d landed, he’d have been horrified. Really. He didn’t want to be in America, he didn’t want to have his ships anchor in the Caribbean. He wanted to be in ___________. That’s right: in _________, all the man who sailed across the ocean blue and discovered America wanted was one lousy trade route with China. Columbus was an Italian explorer sponsored by the Spanish. After several return trips to the area he never did figure out where he was. In fact, was so confused he figured he was in __________ – hence why he called the inhabitants of the land he found himself on “___________________”.

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John CabotWhile Columbus is credited with being the first to discover the “___________________”, have you ever wondered: who was the first to explore the northern part of the continent, ______________? That honour goes to Giovanni _____________ (I like to call him Mr. Roboto! – hehe, me funny). John Cabot, an ____________ explorer, was sponsored by the _____________ monarch (king) to go check out the New World and, hopefully, find a way around it to ________________. The route to China that he, and many of the others we’ll be discussing, was looking for was called the __________________ Passage. So, in ________, just five years after Columbus discovered America, Cobot set sail for China. Of course, he didn’t find China, instead he found a new island and a whole lotta’ _________. Cobot cleverly named the island, “_______________________________” and claimed the area for England. The fish he found turned out to be a goldmine. There was so much cod that Cobot claimed “____________________________________________________.” English fishermen began making frequent summer trips to Newfoundland for fishing and, as a result, some of the oldest settlements in Canada are found in ______________________________.Jacques CartierJacques Cartier is one of the most important Canadian explorers because he marked the beginning of ________________’s claim to Canada. His voyages, of which there were three, marked a turning point for Canada: introducing the French.

In _________, Cartier – who was actually _____________, not _____________, left for the mysterious ______________. According to his official mission, he was to “discover certain ___________ and _________________ where it is said there must be great quantities of ____________ and other _______________.” During this first trip, he sailed around Newfoundland, proving it was an island. Then sailed to the coast of New Brunswick, where he made contact with the local natives. Continuing north along the coastline, he then arrived at the month of the St. ________________ River, where he made contact with a group of _______________ people. On Cartier’s second voyage, Cartier returned the Iroquois on the St. Lawrence. There, he placed a ___________ with a sign that said, “________ ________ the ________ of __________”, which and he claimed the area for ____________. Before leaving the area, he actually took the chief, ___________________, and four other people so that he could bring them back to France. Unfortunately, Donnacona and the others died of European illnesses and never

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saw home again.

Cartier also mistakenly named Canada when an Iroquois guide pointed at the land ahead and declared it was “_____________”. However, Kanata is an Iroquois word that means “_______________”.

Case Study:Samuel de Champlain: Father of New

France

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Social Studies 7 Paragraph

Source

Samuel de Champlain was a good man, who regularly demonstrated the virtues of prudence, temperance and fortitude.

Assignment

To what extent do you agree with the source?

Reminders

Topic Sentence This is an introduction to your paragraph; in it you will clearly outline your argument.

Remember to:

“Tell ‘em whatcha’ gonna’ tell ‘em!”

Argument Sentences Typically you will need nine or more sentences to argue your topic.

- Three Evidence Sentences : may include quotes, facts, specific events,

numbers, etc. For your paragraph, you will need one piece of evidence for each of

the three virtues. You must use one quote in your paragraph.

- Three Source Analysis Sentences : these sentences will specifically

explain how the “evidence sentence” connects to the source.

- Three Argument Sentence : These sentences argue the topic.

Remember to:

“Tell ‘em!”

Conclusion Sentence This finishes the paragraph by reminding the reader how you proved your topic.

Remember to:

“Tell ‘em whatcha’ told ‘em!”

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Vocabulary

Good

Virtue

Prudence

Temperance

Fortitude

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Cast of CharactersSamuel de ChamplainSamuel de Champlain, is one of Canada’s most important historical figures.

An _______________ and gifted cartographer (____________________), Samuel de Champlain is remembered above all as the “_____________ of _____________________”. In 1603, he established _______________________ in Nova, Scotia on the Bay of ________________. Then four years later, after much hardships, he established ________________ City. By founding Quebec City on 3 July ___________, he secured French dominance of the Saint __________________ river – ‘la riviere du Canada’ – for more than _____ years.

Also, Champlain is a fighter: he _________ the ______________ with the _________________. This gave France a foothold in North America because it helped to build the _____________________, which provided money for the earliest Caandien inhabitants. As a direct result of his actions, New France dominated Canadian territory for over 150 years! He truly was the “Father of New France”.

King Henry IV (died 1610)- _________ of France during Champlain’s earliest voyages.- He helped pay for the establishment of __________________

and _______________________.

King Louis XIII- ____________ of France during Champlain’s later voyages. - He continues to pay for Champlain to explore and settle

__________________________.

Sieur de Monts- The Sieur de Monts or Pierre du Monts was Champlain’s

________________ friend. - De Monts helped _____ for Champlain’s voyages to New

France.20

Pont Grave- He accompanied Champlain during his voyages.- He was the ______________ of Champlain’s other vessel.

Basque Fishermen (Captain Darache)

- Basque is a region in ___________ which is located today in southern France and northern Spain.

- The Basque fishermen would spend their _______________ fishing in Canada and then return home in the ________________.

- Captain Darache comes into _______________ with Champlain in 1608.

First Nations, “Savages”: Eastern Woodland Nations

- Champlain made contact with many different First Nations people who live and trade along the ___________________________________; including: the ______________, ________________ and ________________.

- He refers to them all as “____________________”.

Huron:

- Lived in the _______________________ Region and traded furs with the French on the St. Lawrence River.

- _____________ and ______________ partners with the French- _________________ with the British- Eventually converted to __________________- Lived in longhouses, farmed and fished

Algonquin:

- Lived along the St. Lawrence River- Allies and trading partners with the _______________.

Iroquois:

- Lived south of the St. Lawrence River (modern day New York state) and made trips into New France’s territory in order to terrorize the Huron and French settlers.

- _________________ with the French, Huron and Algonquin. The war between New France and Iroquois Confederacy lasted ______ years.

- _____________ and trading partners with the British - Lived in _________________, ________________ and

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______________

Champlain Mapping Activity

10.Label the following:

a. Settlementsi. A =

ii. B =

iii. C =

b. Rivers, Bays and Oceansi. D =

ii. E =

iii. F =

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c. Provincesi. G =

ii. H =

iii. I =

iv. J =

The Foundation of Quebec, 1608How to cite: (de Champlain, Samuel, “Voyages, 1604-1618”, published 1907)

Voyage- ________________, ___________, ___________________

Vessel- ___________ or ____________

Pilot- _______________; in this case, driver of the vessel

Shallop- A fishing _______________

Musket or Arquebuse - 16th century ___________. Single shot rifle loaded with iron balls.

Champlain returns to France only to Convince Sieur de Monts to Pay for him to Return to the New World

Sieur de Monts had planned [the voyage]with me several times. He gave me lieutenancy [leadership] for the voyage; and, in order to carry out his purpose, he had two vessels [ships] equipped, one commanded by Pont Gravé, who was commissioned to trade with the savages of the country and bring back the vessels, while I was to winter in the country. [In order to pay for this voyage, Sieur de Monts got a letter from the king claiming all rights to fishing and hunting in New France and restricting any of that activity by any one else.]

I proceeded to Port Honfleur for embarkation [departure], where I found the vessel of Pont Gravé ready. Pont Grave and his crew left on April 9th and we left on April 13, 1608. On the

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26th, [two weeks later], we sighted the Island of Newfoundland. The next day, we sighted Cape St. Lawrence, on Cape Breton, and on the 30th we sighted the Gaspé Peninsula.

Champlain Arrives in New France and Discovers a Problem Encountered by Pont Grave

On the 3d of June we arrived in a harbor called Tadoussac, on the Gaspé Peninsula. There are sometimes violent winds here, which bringing severe cold. The harbor is small, and can accommodate only about twenty vessels.

Our vessel was unable to enter the harbor, as the wind and tide were unfavorable. So, I had a boat lowered, in order to go to the port and see whether Pont Gravé had arrived.

While on the way, I met a shallop [Basque fishing boat] with two men on board: the pilot of Pont Gravé and a Basque fisherman. They came to inform me of what had happened to them in the last few days while they waited for us.

The pilot informed me that Pont Grave attempted to hinder a Basque vessels from fishing, according to the commission obtained by Sieur de Monts from his Majesty, that no vessels should trade without permission of Sieur de Monts. Upon hearing Pont Grave’s orders, the Basque did not desist [stop] their activity. Then, the Basque attacked. They used their arms [weapons] and maintained themselves so well in their vessels that, discharging all their cannon upon Pont Gravé’s ship, and letting off many musket-shots, he was severely wounded, together with three of his men, one of whom died. Pont Gravé meanwhile making no resistance, for at the first shower of musketry he was struck down. The Basques came on board of the vessel and took away all the French cannon and arms, declaring that they would continue fishing, regardless of the prohibition of the King, and that when they were ready to set out from France they would restore to him his cannon and ammunition, and that they were keeping them in order to be in a state of security. Upon hearing all this I was greatly annoyed at such a beginning, which we might have easily avoided.

Now, after hearing from the pilot all these things, I asked him why the Basque had come on board of our vessel. He told me that he came in behalf of their master, named Darache, and his companions wanted assurance from me that I would do them no harm, when our vessel entered the harbor.

I replied that I could not give any assurance until I had seen Pont Gravé. The Basque said that, if I had need of anything in their power, they would assist me accordingly. I think they recognized their mistake in attacking a French vessel and feared the consequences of their actions. After talking at length, I went ashore to see Pont Gravé, in order to deliberate as to what was to be done. I found him very ill. He related to me in detail all that had happened. We concluded that we could only enter the harbor by force, and that the settlement must not be given up for this year, so that we considered it best, in order not to make a bad cause out of a just one, and thus work our ruin, to give them assurances on my part so long as I should remain there, and that Pont Gravé should undertake nothing against them.

We agreed though, that justice would be done in France once we returned. The Basque captain, Darache, begged me to go on board, where he gave me a cordial [friendly] reception. After a long conference, I secured an agreement between Pont Gravé and him, and required him to promise that he would undertake nothing against Pont Gravé, or what would be prejudicial to the King and Sieur de Monts; that, if he did the contrary, I should regard my promise as null and void. This was agreed to, and signed by each.

11.Explain, in detail, what happened to the other captain, Pont Grave.

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Birchbark Canoe

Portage

Merchandise

Furs

Champlain Trades with the First Nations

In this place were a number of savages [likely Algonquin] who had come for traffic in furs, several of whom came to our vessels with their birchbark canoes, which are from eight to nine paces long, and about a pace or pace and a half broad in their middle, growing narrower toward the two ends. They are very easy to turn over, in case one does not understand managing them, and are made of birch bark, strengthened on the inside by little ribs of white cedar, very neatly arranged. They are so light that a man can easily carry one. When they want to go overland to a river where they have business, they portage [carry them with them].

The savages wished to trade our merchandise for their furs, such as beaver, marten, lynx, and otter, which are found there in large numbers, and which they then carry to our vessels.

12.Brainstorm: what “merchandise” did the First Nations people want from Champlain?

13.What animal furs did Champlain trade with the First Nations?

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Arrival at Quebec and Construction of a Fort

I set out from Tadoussac the last day of June to go further into the interior of Quebec. The trip was very pleasant, on account of the great extent of woods and meadows there; but it is very dangerous sailing, in consequence of the numerous points and rocks.

We arrived at [the future site of] Quebec on the 3rd of July, when I searched for a place suitable for our settlement; but I could find none more convenient or better suited than the point of Quebec, so called by the savages. It was covered in nut trees and I at once employed a portion of our workmen in cutting them down, that we might construct our habitations there: one I set to sawing boards, another to making a cellar and digging ditches, another I sent to Tadoussac with the barque to get supplies. Quickly, the jobs were promptly accomplished through the zeal [enthusiasm] of the workers and my attention to the work.

I had the work of our quarters continued, which was composed of three buildings of two stories, with a fine cellar six feet deep. I had a walkway made all around our buildings, on the outside, at the second story, which proved very convenient. There were also ditches, fifteen feet wide and six deep. Surrounding the habitation are very good gardens.

14.Who was Champlain prepared to defend against?

15.Using both the image and Champlain’s description, list the features included in the habitation that would be useful for defense.

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A Conspiracy Against Champlain

Conspiracy

Barques

Pardoned

Jean du Val French Soldiers

Antoine Natel

[Pont Grave, Pierre du Monts and some of Champlain’s most trusted men, leave the Quebec habitation for Tadoussac in order to trade furs with the Algonquin natives.] Some days later, one of the workmen, Jean du Val, conspired against the service of the king. Du Val’s plan was to put me to death, and give possession of Quebec to the Basques. By executing this wretched plan he hoped to make a fortune. First, he bribed four other men. Then, these four men all figured they could convince the rest over to their side. However, for the time being, I had no one with me in whom I could put confidence because the four or five men, in whom I had confidence, were away. In a word, they were so skillful in manipulating those who remained that they were on the point of gaining all over to their cause by promising them many things which they could not have fulfilled.

[The conspirators] made different plans as to how they should put me to death, so as not to be accused of it, which they found to be a difficult thing. …They determined to take me while unarmed, and strangle me, or to give a false alarm at night, and shoot me as I went out. They made a mutual promise not to betray each other, on penalty that the first one who opened his mouth should be poniarded [stabbed with a dagger]. They were to execute their plan in four days, before the return of our barques, otherwise they would have been unable to carry out their scheme.

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On this very day one of our barques arrived. After the barque was unloaded, one of the conspirators, a locksmith named Antoine Natel, approached the pilot of the barque. He told the pilot about the conspiracy and his fear of being poniarded. Then the pilot said to him: "My friend you have done well to disclose such a malicious design, and you show that you are an upright man, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But these things cannot be passed by without bringing them to the knowledge of Sieur de Champlain, that he may make provision against them, and I promise you that I will prevail upon him to pardon you and the rest. …Now go about your business, listening to all they may say.”

The pilot came at once to me, in a garden which I was having prepared, and said that he wished to speak to me in a private place, where we could be alone. I agreed. He related to me the whole affair. I asked who had told it to him. [Worried for Natel’s safety] he begged me to pardon him, which I consented to do. [The pilot left to get Natel] and brought him all trembling with fear lest I should do him harm. I reassured him, telling him not to be afraid, that he was in a place of safety, …provided he would tell me in full the truth in regard to the whole matter. I asked for the motive. "Nothing," he said, "except that they had imagined that, by giving up the place into the hands of the Basques, they might all become rich." He also related to me the remaining particulars in regard to their conspiracy. After having heard and questioned him, I directed him to go about his work.

Meanwhile I ordered the pilot present all the workmen some wine. This they did not decline, and at evening were on board the barque celebrating. I lost no time in going there shortly after, and arrested all of them and held them until the next night at about ten o'clock in the evening. [24 hours!] At that time I promised to pardon [forgive] them all on condition that they would tell me the truth in regard to all that had occurred, which they did. The next day, one after the other, in the presence of the pilot and sailors of the vessel, I had put down in writing each of their witness statements. They were well relieved, as they said, since they had lived only in fear of each other. But now they lived in peace. From these interrogations, I discovered the perpetrators were Jean du Val and the four others. I had handcuffs made for the authors of the conspiracy.

A trial was planned for each of the conspirators. …During the trial, witnesses came forward and described the conspiracy. The prisoners did not deny it, but admitting that they had acted in a wicked manner, and should be punished, unless mercy might be exercised towards them; each accused Jean du Val of trying to lead them into such a conspiracy from the time of their departure from France. Du Val knew not what to say, except that he deserved death, that all stated was true, and that he begged for mercy upon himself.

After Pont Gravé and I, and other sailors had heard their testimonies, we adjudged that it would be enough to put to death Du Val, as the instigator of the conspiracy; and that he might serve as an example to those who remained, leading them to act correctly in future. We judged that the four others be condemned to be hung; but that they should be taken to France with all the evidence of their sentence. As for Jean du Val, he was strangled and hung at Quebec, and his head was put on the end of a pike, to be set up in the most conspicuous place on our fort. After all these occurrences, Pont Gravé set out from Quebec, on the 18th of September, to return to France with the other prisoners. After he had gone, all who remained conducted themselves correctly in the discharge of their duty.

16.Describe the conspirators plan against Champlain.

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17.Describe how Champlain dealt with the conspiracy.

In 1609, Champlain Describes His Battle with the Iroquois

[Note: Accompanied by two French soldiers and several Huron and Algonquin warriors, Champlain set out up the River of the Iroquois (now know as the Richelieu river). This new expedition appealed to Champlain and would take his directly into the territory controlled by the Iroquois Confederacy. Late on the evening of 29 July, out on the waters, he and his party encountered a group of Iroquois warriors. As they drew near, the Iroquois moved to the shore and began constructing barricades. Champlain’s war party dispatched two canoes to the enemy and inquired whether they were willing to fight. According to the French explorer, the response was, “they wanted nothing else”. The following day, after donning light armour, Champlain led his Native American war party towards the shore. ]

As soon as we were ashore they began to run for some 200 paces toward their enemy, who were standing firmly and had not having as yet noticed my companions, who went into the woods with some savages. Our men began to call me with loud cries: and, to give me a passage-way, they divided in two parts and put me at their head, where I marched some twenty paces in advance of the others, until I was within about thirty paces of the enemy. They at once saw me and halted, looking at me, as I at them. When I saw them making a move to shoot at us, I rested my arquebuse against my cheek and aimed directly at one of the three chiefs. With the same shot two of them fell to the ground, and one of their companions, who was wounded and afterward died. I put four balls into my arquebuse. When our men saw this shot so favorable for them, they began to make cries so loud that one could not have heard it thunder. Meanwhile, the arrows did not fail to fly from both sides. The Iroquois were much astonished that two men had been so quickly killed, although they were provided with armor woven from cotton thread and from wood, proof against their arrows. This alarmed them greatly. As I was loading again,

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one of my companions fired shot from the woods, which astonished them again to such a degree that, seeing their chiefs dead, they lost courage, took to flight and abandoned the field and their fort, fleeing into the depths of the woods. Pursuing them thither I killed some more of them. Our savages also killed several of them and took ten or twelve prisoners. The rest escaped with the wounded. There were fifteen or sixteen of our men wounded by arrow shots, who were soon healed."

[Note: The shots fired by Champlain would have serious consequences for New France. Anything but a serious defeat for the Iroquois Confederacy, it only served to anger and solidify an alliance with the British, France’s rival on the continent. New France suffered for nearly a century from raids, sieges and battles brought by the Iroquois. In 1701, peace between the colony and the Confederacy was finally struck with the signing of the Great Peace of Montreal. Yet, the treaty did not cleanse the bitterness that existed within the Iroquois people. The ill-feeling towards New France continued for more than half a century. During the Seven Years’ War, the Iroquois fought on the side of the British, and in doing so finally brought an end to France’s great North American colony.]

18.Who are the enemies that Champlain describes in this passage?

19.Why did Champlain use the French word for savages to describe the Iroquois?

20.What is an arquebuse and how does it work?

21.Why did Champlain shoot the Iroquois chiefs?

22.What were the long term consequences of this battle?

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