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Old French Maps--Illinois
Randa
Created on July 27, 2024
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Transcript
an Initiative of French Heritage Corridor
France in North america
Old French Maps
discovering Illinois' Past
From France to North America
What year was it, 400 years ago today??? Click here to check your answer!
In about 1600, people from France came across the Atlantic Ocean to live in North America. They founded some towns, like Montreal.
When were the French in Illinois?
Four hundred years ago, Illinois was not yet a state, and the United States of America was not yet a country. The land that is Illinois today was home to Native Americans (sometimes called Indians).
What is this?
What is this?
Here are some hats made out of fur! Do you know anyone who wears one of these hat styles today?
Trading for furs
The French also came to the land that is now Illinois, where they wanted to trade with the Native people who were here. The French people saw the furs that the Native people used, like mink, beaver, and otter, and they knew that they could sell those furs back in France. Often, hats were made from the furs.
Test your knowledge about Trade Goods
Here!
What are these? Click here to find out!
What are these? Click here to find out!
Trade Goods
The Native people traded the furs of animals that they had trapped for useful objects that the French people brought over from France. We call these objects “trade goods." The trade goods were things like cloth, metal pots, and metal knives and axes. (We talk about “trading” these things, not “selling” them, because the French and Natives didn’t use paper money, they just traded furs for goods!)
The first French people to come here traveled through Illinois on its rivers, mostly in canoes. As they traveled, they made notes and drew maps of what they were learning. They built some forts and villages in Illinois so that they could trade with the Native people and could grow some crops.
The French Arrive
You can click on each map's image to see that map online
Illinois Map 2024
Google Map 2024
LOOKING AT MAPS
When you use a map, you can learn many kinds of information. On a map, you will see things like lakes and rivers, of course, but mapmakers can put other information on maps, too.
Bellin's Map 1744
Jolliet,'s Map 1679
OLD and NEW MAPS
Let’s look at some maps of Illinois. First, let’s look at some modern maps, and next, some maps that the French people made in the 1600s and 1700s. We’ll compare the maps and see what is different! And, we’ll think about what the French mapmakers thought it was important to show on their maps.
Do you see any lakes (or parts of lakes)? What big lake (or part of it!) do you see in the north?
What roads do you see? Name three of the interstate highways that you see.
What rivers do you see? Name three!
What cities and towns do you see?Name four!
Illinois today
Remember the directions, North, South, East, and West!
Let's take a look at what is on this modern map.
What language is used on this French map??
Map by Louis Jolliet, drawn after his trip on the Mississippi in 1673
Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques Marquette traveled down the MIssissippi River in 1673.They were the first Europeans to travel down the Mississippi. They met Native people who helped them to learn something about this territory, which was unknown to European people. What geographical features like lakes and rivers can you recognize on this map? Do their shapes look a little different from what you see on modern maps? Why?
Map by N. Bellin, 1744
From New York Public Library
Can you recognize the Great Lakes? Can you see the land that is now Illinois? Why do you think the map doesn't look exactly like a modern map of the United States and North America? What do you think the curvy lines on the map (like this) represent?
And now a French map made in 1744!
Take a look at this map, which was published in 1744. You can see that it shows the eastern part of North America.
You'll find the answers on the next page!
Guess the English names of the rivers that are circled! (Hover over the dots to find out.)
Let's Compare Maps!
Now, find those rivers on this map of Illinois waterways!
VS
2024 Map
1744 Map
The river names are circled on the old map.
Let's Compare Maps!
Here are those rivers on the modern map of Illinois.
VS
2024 Map
1744 Map
The French word "Pays" means "country," or "area," so "Pays des Ilinois" means "Illinois Country."
Here are the names of the groups: Mascoutens (a tribe that no longer exists) Miamis Illinois (spelled Ilinois)
On this map, the names of different Native American tribes are written. It shows where these groups lived when the map was created in about 1744. Some of their villages are also shown.
Native Americans on the Map
Why was it important for the French to show where people of different Native tribes lived? How did the French interact with the Native people? Click to learn more about these Native tribes: Miami: https://miamination.com Illinois (Peoria tribe): https://peoriatribe.com/history/
Think about it!
On the modern map of Illinois, we noticed highways and roads. Why do you think there are no roads on the old maps created by the French?
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Names of... 1) 2) 3) Shapes of... 1) 2) Anything else??
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Think about it!
So... what information did the French people put on their maps? What have you observed?
https://frenchheritagecorridor.org
© 2024 French Heritage Corridorand Randa Duvick randa.duvick@valpo.edu
You can learn more! Go to the French Heritage Corridor website:
More information!
You can use an online app like this one or you can draw and write the information on paper!
On that map, put in the labels that you think are important for someone looking at the map to know!
What kinds of labels will you include? Why? Who will think that these labels are useful (that means, who is the audience for your map, who will look at it?)?
Choose a place you know well: your classroom or your home or the state of Indiana or another place. Draw or find a map of that place that doesn't already have labels on it. (Your teacher can find some maps at frenchheritagecorridor.org)
Create your own map!
then, show your map to the class and explain what you labeled and why!
Map Activity
What are these?
These are kettles made of metal. They could be used for cooking.
1624Remember: we call the century of 1624 "the 17th century"
(2024 - 400 = 1624).
Today, it's 2024: 400 years ago, it was 1624 !!
What year was it?
400 years ago...
The name on the map for this river is "Rivière Colbert." What is the name of this river today? MISSISSIPPI, of course!
Each group of Native people was different!They had different languages and different customs. If the French wanted to trade with different groups, they had to know the different groups well. They also tried to make sure that there were not conflicts among different groups!
French and Native people
(It's Lake Michigan, of course!)
What is the English name today for "Lac des Illinois"?
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