The English, Dutch, and FrenchIn the late 16th and early 17th cent., the English, Dutch, and French began to undertake colonization through the agency of chartered companies. The greatest of these private trading companies was the British East India Company, which played a vital role in the history of the British Empire. Show
The French generally adhered to mercantilist theory in establishing their colonies, using them mainly for the economic advantage of France. The English colonists in North America, however, were, in many respects, virtually independent of the parent country, the most serious restriction being the establishment of a trade monopoly by the home government through the Navigation Acts. Because their territory was suitable for settlement, rather than exploitation, the residence of the British colonists in America tended to be permanent. The increase in overseas trade and colonial consumption helped to stimulate the Industrial Revolution, which in turn, because of the increased technological superiority afforded Europe, especially Great Britain, and because of the greater desire for markets and raw materials, gave added impetus to colonization and made it easier to accomplish. Although Great Britain lost most of its North American colonies as a result of the American Revolution, other acquisitions (most notably in India) soon made it the greatest colonial power in the world. The French, stripped of one colonial empire in the colonial wars of the 18th cent., established another in the 19th cent. Sections in this article:
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How were the Dutch and French colonies different from the English colonies of North America?How were the Dutch and French colonies different from the Enflish colonies in North America? THe English colonies were more populated; while the Dutch and French colonies were established mainly for commerical reasons, New England was begun for religious reasons.
How were the French and Dutch colonies different?French settlements were initially made up of fur traders, merchants, and missionaries, so that there were fewer than 5,000 settlers by 1672. Dutch settlements were also relatively small, and only about half of their residents were Dutch, the others being a mix of ethnicities, including Germans and French Huguenots.
What was one main difference between the French and Dutch colonists in North America?What was one main difference between the French and Dutch colonists in North America? Unlike the Dutch, the French tried to convert the native peoples to Christianity. The Beaver Wars were fueled by firearms supplied to native peoples by French fur traders.
How did the French and Dutch compare in their relationships with American Indians in North America?Unlike the Spanish and English, the French and Dutch fostered good relationships with Native Americans. The French in particular created alliances with the Hurons and Algonquians. Both the Dutch and the French relied on marriages with Native Americans to expand their fur trading operations.
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