2. Fur Trade: The French primarily focused on the fur trade, establishing numerous trading posts and alliances with Native American tribes to gain access to valuable furs. They placed less emphasis on agriculture and permanent settlement compared to other European nations.
3. Exploration: The French were driven by a desire to explore and claim new territories. French explorers like Samuel de Champlain, Jacques Cartier, and La Salle ventured deep into the continent, expanding France's territorial claims and knowledge of the Americas.
4. Military Strategy: France employed a defensive strategy in its colonies, building forts and fortifications along strategic waterways to protect their territories and trade routes. They relied more on alliances with Native Americans for military support rather than establishing large standing armies.
5. Cultural Assimilation: The French made efforts to assimilate with the Native American tribes they encountered. French settlers often married Native American women, learned their languages, and adopted some of their customs and practices, leading to a degree of cultural exchange and intermarriage.
6. Economic Exploitation: While France was involved in trade and resource exploitation, it did not establish large-scale plantations or rely heavily on African slavery like the British or Spanish. The French economy in the Americas was more diversified, including fishing, fur trading, and the production of cash crops like tobacco.