Europeans have been harvesting primary resources along the North American Atlantic coast for the past millennium. Permanent settlements on Canadian and American soil date back to the seventeenth century. These were the product of military and commercial alliances with local indigenous nations. The French settled in New France, Acadia and Louisiana. As early as 1731, La Vérendrye was the first to lead an expedition to explore the West and, in all likelihood, may have reached what is now Montana and Wyoming. France’s geographical sphere of influence stretched from the Laurentian valley and the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and the southern limits of Alberta. The Seven Years’ War put an end to their ambitions of discovery forcing them to retreat towards the Laurentian valley. The loss of Quebec City in 1759 and Montreal in 1760 definitely ended France’s ambitions in Canada. Henceforth, the French born in Canada and those who decided to stay were known as “Canadiens”. This name was subsequently also adopted by the English living in the country.
