New France

When we think of the European touch on North America, we tend to concentrate on the British. After all, the British Empire was the father of the thirteen colonies which would one day become the founders of the United States. But there were other European nations who had early and powerful influences on North America during the colonial period - one of best examples of this is New France.
New France was the area of North America under French control, either directly or culturally, and at its height stretched from the Quebec region of Canada all the way down to New Orleans and beyond. This particular time period and setting would make for great storytelling, especially if you're characters are members of the Priory of Sion or the early Knights of Labour. 
== Facts: ==
-Gallia Nova, or New France, is the proper name for the French colonies in North America during its colonial period. The famed French explorer Jacques Cartier is often credited with being the first to begin New France with his extent explorations of the St. Lawrence River.
-Unlike the British colonies, which were market-driven and offered land for sale, the French colonies continued the older medieval-European system of land renting. Land-owners, wealthy members of each colony called Seignuirs, leased their land for farming or other uses to anyone who could afford it. 
-Probably the biggest economic drive for New France was the fur trade. Several major businesses and companies were founded specifically to carry rich furs from the North American wilderness back to Europe for sale. This actually led to much strife and consternation, particularly wars with the British who tried to encroach on the fur trade, and between elements in New France itself. 
-This rich trade in furs attracted many Adepts, especially Hunters. The trading companies who made up the fur trade also means that New France was jammed packed with Seneschals as well. The Company of New France was probably the pinnacle of Seneschal-involvement in Gallia Nova. 
-Because New France takes place prior to the French Revolution, the kingdom of France is still very much Catholic, and this is reflected in all of her colonies. The Ghosts of Catholicism have deep roots in New France and they, along with the Priory of Sion, are probably the two biggest European Chapters in the area. 
-French explorers caused New France to explode in size, easily eclipsing the British colonies. For a time, France lay claim to the American interior, from Quebec all the way down the spine of the Appalachians and to the mouth of the Mississipi where New Orleans lay. 
-Unfortunately, much of this supposed New France existed on paper only. The setup of the French Colonies, which placed much risk on new immigrants from Europe with little reward other than to maybe take up the fur trade or rent land to farm, meant that their population was never that large. 
-Add to this scenario the ever-present threat of wars with the native Amerindians (remember that this was about the time when the White Lodge really started to solidify its power and centralize its leadership), successive wars with the British to the South and over the Atlantic, and the threat of disease, winter and animal predations (to saw nothing of native supernatural threats which the Priory was new to), and eventually Gallia Nova collapsed in on itself. 
-However, while New France may no longer exist in its entirety, it endures through some of its constituent members which carry on its French culture. New Orleans, a major city in the United States, is a surviving bastion of Gallia Nova, as is the Arcadian peoples of Canada, the entire Quebec region, and elements elsewhere. 
== References: ==
-https://www.britannica.com/place/New-France
-https://nations.wikia.com/wiki/New_France
-https://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/
-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JHYTE8/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1Category:Priory Of Sion
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