Why Did France Lose Its North American Colonies? 

*Would you have liked to see France retain American territory for longer?* Also, Start speaking a new language in 3 weeks with Babbel 🎉. Get up to 60% OFF your subscription ➡ Here: go.babbel.com/t?bsc=1200m60-youtube-generalknowledge-may-2023&btp=default&RU-vid&Influencer..generalknowledge..USA..RU-vid

Fun fact, along with the French speakers of Canada and Louisiana, there is (or was until very recently) a small population of French speakers in Missouri, in the central US. They're descendants of 18th-century French settlers from the era when France claimed and largely controlled the Mississippi River.

One important thing that is rarely highlighted is how (until the 19th century) France mainly viewed colonies as short term cash, and didn't care as much about colonization, especially as a way to expand, as Britain or Spain did. I see France in 17th and 18th century as mostly a european continental power, with only secondary views on colonies. It may seem the wrong choice today, now that those territories aren't that empty anymore, partly thanks to some intense immigration in the 19th/20th centuries especially from Europe. But that wasn't that obvious back then that those territories would become so relevant in the future, especially in terms of soft power nowadays.

Great video! I'm from Québec and I actually learned (or relearned) a few things! I find it quite special that French is still spoken in many regions of North America, mostly Quebec like you said, but also with a large French speaking population in Acadia, Eastern and Northeastern Ontario (where I currently live), Manitoba, and smaller communities in other area.

Thanks for putting the Seven Years War And the French and Indian War together since as an American I learned it as the French and Indian war rather than the Seven Years War

I always imagine the alternate timeline where French language and influence wasn't lost in Acadia and Newfoundland, but still managed to go under british rule. A Canada where the entire Eastern portion is French and the west is English. Or imagine a US where the other empires that claimed it had a significant cultural and linguistic impact. A united states where many states are speaking English, Spanish, French, and even Dutch. It would become a very linguistically diverse country.

Video idea: most interesting military operations planned but not carried(e.g. Operation Tannebaum-invasion plan for Switzerland, Operation Pike-bombing plan by UK against the USSR, Operation Gertrude- invasion plan for Turkey by Germany and Bulgaria etc).

Bonjour from Québec! Merci beaucoup pour la vidéo! I mourn the loss of our beautiful North American "empire" every so often and I can't help but imagine what the world would look like if things had gotten our way. I thought I was well-versed in the history of New France, but you actually made me learn a few things, such as the Mississippi Bubble and Fort Saint-Louis, Texas. I've got to read more about Louisiana. Cheers!

Great video. My ancestors were some of the original French Immigrants to Canada (and also Huron ancestors). SOme were soldiers and some came with their families. Many were Filles du Roi.

That is a decent summation of events at the macro-level, but France's long-term prospects in North America were never as solid as the Brits for a reason touched on here when the commentator talks about the French population being mostly male. Unlike the British colonies which were established by planters and religious groups that wanted to plant roots, New France was largely seen as a way for men get rich in the fur trade. Most of them weren't looking to develop the land or religious freedom. Their plan was to make a few bucks and return to France. They had some major ports like New Orleans but nothing on the scale of the building that went on on the East Coast of North America. People had a stake in the land by the 18th Century and were not only willing to fight for it, they wanted to expand. That was one of the gripes the colonists had with the Crown after the French-Indian War. Their British overlords wanted to hem them in to keep peace with the Indians. The colonists living in the British colonies had more to fight for and were better motivated as a result.

I'm Quebecois on my father's side. One of my 8x Great Grandmother was a filles du roi.

There was another British-French war between the two mentioned in the video: the War of the Austrian Succession, known as King George's War in anglophone North America. It involved a British expedition to capture French Nova Scotia, especially the fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island. One of my great-great-etc. grandfathers was a British subject from Massachusetts who was conscripted and sent on the expedition, where he was killed before the walls of Louisbourg.

Imagine how the US would look today. The Eastern third would speak English, the middle part would speak French and West of the Rockies and South of the Great Salt Lake would speak Spanish with the states North of the Great Salt Lake speaking Russian! What an interesting country. I wonder if the US was broken into 4 or more countries if we would have had a close relationship with Britain and Europe as we have today?

Congrats, beautiful images. Keep up the good work.

The single colonies France didn't lose in the Americas are the French Caribbean, St Pierre and Miquelon and French Guiana, but French is still spoken in the Americas

A Start Fort :) Thanks for sharing.

I dig the new transition styles you're using, General.

Hello from Québec 👋

Fun fact!!! St. Pierre and Miquelon were actually 'invaded' by DeGaulle's Free French army in WWII!! It appears that some citizens of the Islands were tipping off Germany to when and how big the convoys taking supplies to Britain were thereby alerting the Wolf Pack of Submarines to their route. This was devastating to US shipping so DeGaulle and some of his troops landed on the Islands and a few troops stayed there to make sure the spying stopped. No shots were ever fired and no fighting happened. The Islanders weren't happy but life went on and shortly Germany took over Vichy after the Allies landed in Africa so there is a chance that if DeGaulle hadn't made this move, Germans might have occupied the islands.

Excelente trabalho, parabéns!

Great video. I like the new chapter title cards, they are cool. Good luck with your French lessons, I thought you would be learning Danish because of your gf.

Learn French to riot with them. You're a real one dude.

If the French found gold and silver like the Spanish did in the New World this story would have been written so differently. The French had 60 to 80 years ahead of the English in the New World. Life was just too easy for the Kings of France to spend time or money on New France. Not so for the English and Dutch. They deserve this land called North America. The people from France that came over to the New France were great people but were not supported by their King. A sad history for the hard working French people.

The map of 1682 included St. Louis. Interesting since it wasn’t founded until 1764. Third reason Napoleon sold all of Louisiana was because Americans were swarming into the territory in such large numbers, he realized they would probably seize it. So, he recognized the inevitable and sold it. A few decades later Mexico was facing a similar situation but did not learn that lesson and lost land.

Une belle histoire bien racontée. Merci pour ton travail,

Great video, but would have liked it if you mentioned the role my home state of Michigan played. The French had a huge presence here and founded many cities, most notably Detroit and built a fort there. Used it to trade fur with the Natives which gave them allies in the Great Lakes region, where the British hadn’t yet gotten to. That played a very significant part in the collapse of the French colonial empire in North America.

Bon Jour! Je ne parle français. I think this loss was due to other wars France had. France had other priorities at that time. I would be interesting to have a French America. 🤔

Causes for all historic turning points ever: 1. War of Spanish Succession 2. Peace of Westphalia 3. Napoleon.

The Mississippi River is and was the trade highway for naturally prosperous North America. Especially New Orleans. Which is the cork in the bottle.

One reason: England (directly or indirectly) Plus the Seven Years War was even worse than this video leads to believe for France, because the English also took possession of french territories in India, expelling France almost completely from the subcontinent

I wonder one thing: if france lost all its possessions in north america, then how did this quebec state come into existance? Where did its french population come from?

would be nice to see a video how communication worked when they dont speak a language

Yeah your right, that's how I lost all my land. I'm sad :(

10:11 France invents the bank cards. Magnet stripe introduced ~250 years later.

French and Indian war and the Louisiana purchase

The French had a lot of problems settling the southern part of New France in the colonial period. First, it was the Mississippi Bubble of 1717-1720 with Crosart and John Law. Second, it was no real continuity in leadership. Louisiana had Iberville to start, then his brother Bienville took over after he died. Every few years, Bienville would be recalled to France to answer charges of bribery or fraud. When his replacement screwed things up, Bienville would have the charges dropped and was sent back to Louisiana. The death knell for Louisiana and New France wasn’t after the 1763 Treaty of Paris. It started in 1729 when the Natchez tribe revolted against the French at Fort Rosalie. After slaughtering and capturing almost every Frenchman as well as several women and children in the modern Natchez, Mississippi area, the Natchez tribe were eventually defeated and fled to Louisiana, where they were finally defeated in the Silver Creek Massacre of 1731. A few Natchez escaped slavery or death and found refuge with the staunchly British allied Chickasaws. This added napalm to a gasoline fire and no French boat on the Mississippi River nor any Frenchman or French allied Native American on Chickasaw lands was safe. For every French and Choctaw or French allied Native attack or slight, the Chickasaws would exact brutal revenge. Boats were sunk, pack trains were attacked and skirmishes raged. It all came to a head in 1736, when the French decided to take action. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. The Chickasaws, the French and their allied tribes (the Illinois, the Miami, the Wea and most importantly the Choctaws), fought the Battles of Ogoula Tchetoka and Ackia in Tupelo, Mississippi within eight weeks of each other. The French were routed in the first battle, with their commander getting shot three times then burned alive along with 21 other Frenchmen. The second battle was a blunder, a disaster and a slaughter for the French with Bienville himself as commander. Over 100 Frenchmen were killed or wounded as the Chickasaws just mowed them down from the safety of their fort. The French tried one more time in 1740 but a wet winter, discontent in the ranks and camp diseases decimated the French at Fort Prudhomme in modern day Memphis, with a negotiated ‘peace’ was made with only a few shots in anger fired. The state of conflict never really went away until the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763. The Choctaw Civil War in the late 1740’s plus problems in Europe, focus on Quebec and the Seven Years’ War finished French Louisiana for good.

Good video One about Spain with the territories of Asia/Oceania would be great too

French started strong. They had an access ro Missisippi River hence the access to all their territiories up to the Great Lakes, but unfortunatelly they did nit control the east coast line.

nice

So, RU-vid puts the length of time of the video on the thumbnail for every video. On the thumbnail for this video, where the years are, it reads "1713, 1763, and 17:24" The time stamp perfectly covers the actual year there, 1803. So be careful when making your thumbnails and remember the time stamp (:

That’s cool

I knew most of these things. It was good to be reminded about Haiti’s revolution though

There is no place in the present, let alone in the future, for a monarchy.

France had more important issues to deal with during the late 1700s and early 1800s. For example, French people were trying to keep their head attached to their bodies in Paris. How could they be worried about a semi-colonized overseas land? 😅

How did Spain lose America?

Because war is expensive.

So funny when two Randos walk into your house, kick you out and start dividing up your stuff as if you never existed

A true revelation. 1664 marks rhe year the French realized they were in control at this pivotal moment.

Battle of the Plains of Abraham, 1760. An underrated battle on the impact it had on the world.

France still owns lot of overseas territory.

You forgot to mention Saint Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and Clipperton, which are located in North America,and are modern French colonies.

Earl of Chatham says hello

To grossly simplify, during 1700s king Luis XIV caused a huge mess and Luis XVI had to pay for it...... French revolution

An important point, is that the fur trade was the basis for the economy of New France, and was the motive for the French to explore new lands and build new forts, so as to establish trade routes for the fur trade. The fur trade was also the economic basis for New Amsterdam and Rupert's Land. On the other hand, tobacco was the main cash crop in the Chesapeake Bay colonies. New England and the Philadelphia area were refuges for so called "non-conformist" Protestants (non-Anglicans), namely Puritans and other Calvinistic sects in New England and Quakers in the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania, as well as various German sects. The French did not allow Protestants to settle in New France, despite over a million Huguenots fleeing France in the 1600s after the revocation of the edict of Nantes. Probably more Huguenots settled in the 13 colonies than French Catholics did in New France. The economic basis of New England became shipping, especially the triangular trade between Africa, the Caribbean and the UK, with some whaling, and the Philadelphia area became the main breadbasket of the 13 Colonies. New France imported much of their food from France until the end of the French regime, especially wheat and wine. After the British took over, the economy of Canada did not change much, until the early 19th Century when Americans very rapidly settled what is now the Mid-West, rendering the fur trade impossible. By the mid-19th Century, the fur trade had shifted to western Canada and the Pacific North-West. Many of the fur traders were still French Canadians, but there were also many Scots and Irish.

Imagine no Napoleon, Mexico might still control Louisiana territory, unless it broke off like the Central American states did (From Mexico) and formed its own Latin American republics.

Quebec and France could easily become one country. Quebec would be an overseas part of the European Union. Quebec would be much better of than being part of Canada. Would also be better for the EU.

France claimed a piece of North America. They controlled small portion of that piece. The majority of that portion had few or no euro-french present except intermittently.

Because the British defeated the French in 1759 on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City. This ended the Seven Years War between the two countries.

You made a referrence to René-Robert Cavalier. You left out part of his surname. His full name was René-Robert Cavalier De-La-Salle.

If learning french is your thing, I suggest this pronunciation : Kebek

You forgot to mention the brief period during which france controlled Mexico (first and second french interference in mexico)

16:15 French Guiana is 83 846 km² so about the size of Austria and it's on the American mainland. Doesn't qualify as only a handful of small islands.

Was the Louisiana purchase bad? The French couldn’t hold it esp while fighting a war at home and American was already showing signs of manifest destiny… if they hadn’t of sold it the Americans would have colonized it anyways and might have opened a second front to the war. The only mistake was not asking for 20 mil

More importantly, why couldn’t 🇬🇧 & 🇫🇷 just keep it on Europe?

How did the U.K. (United Kingdom of Great Britain) lose America?

Did he mention france attemptingto take over mexico 🇲🇽 bc today is cinco de mayo

You forgot important details that if turned out differently north America's present could be very different. In the 16th century France tried to settle what is now south Carolina and florida and the Spanish quickly traveled from Cuba to prevent it. A couple of battles were fought and in the end the Spanish kicked out the French from this area of North America. If the French had succeeded in having a foothold in what is now south Carolina and florida the United States would not have existed.

Most of them were claim some land only was colonisied(quebec 😊and louisiana ) and rest claimed land is inhabited by natives

Within 8 hours!

bro how does france,spain sweeden, austia and the here along with all their colnies lose britan Portugal and prussia like buh

a lot of potential here but the maps are hard to follow

The phrase " a few decades" to resume the Spanish Louisiana and without a map.... To explain five decades, or 50 years, or half a Century (1763-1808). Even more, you shown as initial image of the north America map in 1650 with the absurd "New Albion" claimed by UK, without clarify that along 1670' Captain Anza and Mr. Junipero Serra founded all the cities along California from Los Ángeles to San Francisco....even more until1821 and later with the treaty of Adams-Onis, It is again half a Century and more. Why is It? Are you covering something or It is just dismissing?...for general knowledge.

French & Indian War (#1) and Napoleonic Wars (#2) / changed world history in a major way

Great video, but you're making the important but common mistake of describing the Louisiana deal as being a bad deal when it absolutely isn't. The mere fact that there was a deal makes it a great success. As you explained in your video, there were really few French settlers and therefore France was going to lose Louisiana at some point. These territories were mostly empty and basically worthless as there were no incentives for anyone to buy them. The United States had absolutely no need for these territories at the time and they knew that France would be unable to protect/keep them if the need for the United States to expand into these territories arose in the future. When the United States expressed interest in purchasing the port of New Orleans, France, well aware that it was doomed to lose Louisiana, had the brilliant idea of trying to include all of Louisiana in the deal and even to ask a higher price for it. Basically, France was able to sell something that was bound to be given away. They were able to sell something to the United States that they could have gotten for free. They were able to sell for $5 million something that was worth $0. It absolutely cannot be described as a bad deal.

Within 8,600 views!

How do we Know all this is truthful if we didn't live on those times

No wonder why we were forced to learn French in high school

Jaques Cartier , not James !!

Why ? in their immense pretension, it was necessary to be hired in the French army, it was necessary to be a catholic, thus the soldiers found themselves with many advantages, money, prestige, but for a fews On the other side they accepted the Dutch, the Germans, the Jews, the Irish, the Italians ....

The French monarchy was never too interested by its North American possessions and it abandoned Canada in 1763 to keep Guadeloupe instead.

I am 16% French,5% Scandanavian 12% English and 67% German

But France still have territory in America's even though it's small

Its always interesting to me how much history of North America before the independence of the USA is forgotten! North America was colonized by Europeans for nearly 250 years BEFORE the US achieved independence. The USA isn't even 250 years old yet!

Sorry for asking, but why was the Napoleon War not a World War?

And they are continuing to, to this day. I believe that in my lifetime, french will not be in the top 10 most spoken languages in the americas. Possibly even globally.

Honestly, skill issue on their part

James Cartier 😫 nooooo Jacques. 😊

TL;DW... The British Saved you all 18-minutes.

France lost its North American colonies twice, once from the US and a second time after conquering Mexico and then losing the colony a few years later.

I thought for sure you were going to mention that Saint-Pierre/Miquelon was the only place in North America where the guillotine was ever used!

Title: Why? Me: The British and their descendants? Video: Yes ✅.

Why is the ads for babble just about the French Protest

The short answer: Britain is an island that lies in the ocean between France and North America.

Mongolia is the farthest country from any french territory

Mason-Dixon line

France didn't lose north America, they rather focused on west Africa which they still essentially control. Europeans came together at the right time to carve up many parts of the world to their benefit.

On cinco de mayo????

We're definitely proud of our heritage here in Quebec. Actual ethnic French. Not the kylian Mbappe fake french. Vive le Québec!

Yeah ok

Crying French Colonial noises