Life was not always rosy for the colonists in the years around 1645. Many difficulties complicated daily lifeDaily life is the things that you do every day as part of your normal life..... They had to build, clear the land and adapt to the harsh winter climateClimate is the average and normal weather in a specific place or region. . These were also times of conflict and even war, so French settlers had to be wary of attacks, in this case by the Iroquois from the south, known as the Haudenosaunee or the Five Nations.
Friends of their enemies were their enemies too!
When the French settled in the St. Lawrence Valley, the Haudenosaunee did not immediately go to war against them. Instead, they went to war against other Indigenous nations like the Algonquins, the Innu (Montagnais), and even the Iroquoian-speaking Wendats (the Huron). Why do you think the Haudenosaunee did that? Well, that is a good question! Let’s just say they wanted to protect their hunting territoryA territory is an area of land, or sometimes of sea, that we can say "belongs"..., and they wanted to be the most important nations in the fur tradeTrade is when we buy, sell, or just exchange goods (things, foods, etc.) or services (helping.... So the French, who were friends with those enemy Algonquin, Innu and Wendat nations also eventually became the enemies of the Iroquois to the south.
Fear in the colonyColonizationColonization occurs when one country takes control of another country, territory, or people. It happens when...
The forts of Montréal and Trois-Rivières were repeatedly attacked by these Iroquois, which caused the deaths of many colonists. The habitants were afraid to farm the land. To protect themselves, they farmed in groups, some standing guard armed with weapons while the others worked. Fortunately, there were also periods of truce (agreed to pauses) that allowed the colonyColonizationColonization occurs when one country takes control of another country, territory, or people. It happens when... to grow.
But how did these wars end? Find out by reading about the Great Peace of Montréal.
See also – Traces of the past:
And the related page: The Great Peace of 1701!
