153. La Salle, the French Fur Trader. The story of their adventures excited in Canada still greater interest in that vast and almost unknown region. In 1679 La Salle started to occupy and hold the Mississippi Valley for the French king. (See map below.) Traveling from what is now Kingston by way of the Niagara River, Green Bay, the St. Joseph, the Kankakee, and the Illinois rivers,

he and his party reached Peoria Lake. Here they built a fort. While the great leader returned for supplies, Father Hennepin floated down to the Mississippi, and then slowly made his way up that stream to the Falls of St. Anthony, where now stand the "Twin Cities of the Northwest," St. Paul and Minneapolis. But the hated Iroquois warriors burned La Salle's fort, and he gave up his attempt for the time. Nothing daunted, however, La Salle finally reached the Mississippi by way of the Chicago and Illinois rivers and journeyed to the Gulf of Mexico (1682). After the custom of that time, the party went through the ceremony of taking possession of the vast region drained by the Mississippi for the King of

France. La Salle named it Louisiana in honor of King Louis. How rich and splendid a region for a new French empire! The English settlements at this time. occupied only a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast.

154. French Settlements in the Mississippi Valley. From the Gulf of Mexico and from the Gulf of St. Lawrence the French had two waterways to the interior of North America. Only one other remained, that by way of the Hudson and the Mohawk rivers. What use France made of these early advantages we shall see.

In 1718 New Orleans was founded, giving France control of the entrance to the Mississippi. Later a great fortress called Louisburg was built to give her control of the entrance to the St. Lawrence. (See map, page 120.)

The Canadian French were also active. They settled Kaskaskia, on the Mississippi River, in 1695, and shortly afterward Detroit and Vincennes. Many other posts were established in the new region, and to-day we find, especially along the Mississippi, the Great Lakes and their tributaries, many French names. The French thus spread themselves over a vast region, hoping to hold it till they grew stronger. Their real object was to build up a great colonial empire in America.

PREPARATORY STRUGGLES

155. Common Causes. The English and the French had been rivals in Europe for centuries, and now each nation was ambitious to control as much of the soil of America as possible. Possession of the soil would not only give room for the growth of colonies, but promised great wealth on account of the rich trade in furs and the more useful trade in fish. Their claims to American territory, based on explorations and settlements, were in conflict at many points. Partly to settle these disputes, but at first chiefly because England and France fought at home, their children went to war in America.

156. King William's and Queen Anne's Wars (16891713). We have already seen how the English people drove out their tyrannical king, James II., and placed William of Orange upon the throne (§ 107). France at once took sides with James and a great war began between the two countries which lasted for twenty-five years. Peace was once made for a short time, but under Queen Anne, the successor of William upon the English throne, the bitter conflict was continued.

The English colonists were far superior in numbers, but, except for the Five Nations, the Indians all took part with the French. The French also had an able soldier, Count Frontenac, the governor of Canada, to lead them. He planned at first to invade and capture New York, thus cutting the English colonies in two, and getting possession of their only great waterway to the interior. But the Five Nations attacked Canada, and the French then adopted the Indian plan of fighting by sending small parties of Canadians and Indians to burn outlying settlements and massacre their inhabitants. Great damage was thus done, and the whole New York and New England frontier was kept in constant terror.

157. Indian Massacres. Schenectady, New York, was one of the first places attacked. A fierce band of painted Indians, led by French officers, made its way upon snowshoes over the deep winter drifts toward the little town. They endured cold and hardship; they forded the icy rivers, and at last hid in the woods near their unsuspecting prey. Night came on and the people of Schenectady were sleeping peacefully; even the drowsy sentinels dozed at their posts. Suddenly upon the icy air rang out the shrill Indian war whoop, and from the borders of the wood rushed the savages, intent upon plunder and blood. There was little resistance. In a moment the town was in flames and its inhabitants

were slaughtered or fleeing half-clad toward Albany. Before help came the French and Indians were well on their way back to Canada with their prisoners and plunder. Such were the dangers of frontier life in war

INDIANS ON THEIR WAY BACK TO CANADA WITH THEIR PRISONERS

time. Many other massacres of the same sort took place during this long conflict. The most famous were those at Salmon Falls, New Hampshire, and at Haverhill and Deerfield, Massachusetts.

158. New England and New York Coöperate (1690). The English did not submit tamely to such blows. The colonies saw that they must act together if they were to defend themselves successfully. Either New York or Massachusetts alone was helpless. So after the massacre at Schenectady, a meeting between several of the exposed colonies was held at New York to agree upon joint action (1690). This conference was very important, as it was almost the first meeting of the kind.

159. English Expeditions and their Results. As a result of this meeting a great fleet under Sir William

Phips was sent to attack Acadia, and Port Royal, its chief town, was captured. Later attempts against Quebec and Montreal failed, and although Port Royal was for a time reoccupied by the French, a second English expedition reconquered Acadia. When peace was finally made by the treaty of Utrecht (1713), not only was all Acadia given to England, but Newfoundland and the Hudson Bay Territory as well. Acadia was renamed Nova Scotia, and Port Royal was called Annapolis in honor of the queen. So in spite of their terrible losses the English colonies gained ground as a result of the long warfare.

King George's War (1744-1748).

George I.

160. and George II. were Germans, and did not understand the ways of Englishmen. They depended very much upon the advice of a great statesman, Robert Walpole, who avoided war just as long as possible. So the colonies had a long period of rest from war with France. But more than ever were they watching and fearing the advance of the French from the west and from the north.

When war finally broke out again in Europe, New England sent a great expedition of one hundred vessels and several thousand troops against Louisburg, the key to the St. Lawrence. The fortress of Louisburg, located on Cape Breton Island, was made of heavy stone and had cost several million dollars. The French thought it could not be taken. But it fell (1745), and the event caused great rejoicing throughout the English colonies and in Great Britain. The disappointment was very great when it was given back to France by the treaty of peace (1748).

THE FINAL STRUGGLE

161. Immediate Causes of the French and Indian War (1754). The preceding wars had not removed any of the causes of trouble between the two sets of colonies,