The French Build a Fort and a Colony
Les français bâtissent un fort et une colonie
| — | Fort Rosalie | — |
The French needed a strong defensive fortification in the lower Mississippi River valley to prevent European intrusions from the south, and the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River at the settlement of the Natchez proved ideal. Following the peace terms that ended the 1716 conflict between the French and the Natchez tribe, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, required the Natchez to provide materials and labor for the construction of Fort Rosalie, named for the Countess of Pontchartrain.
The fort served as the local seat of colonial government and was quickly surrounded by French settlements and plantations. In an effort to establish a stable economy, the French encouraged colonists to grow crops such as tobacco and indigo. Growing tensions between the French and the Natchez erupted in violence throughout the 1720s. When the French demanded additional lands that included the White Apple village, an important settlement for the native people, the Natchez determined to take a stand.
French:
Les Français avaient besoin d'une forte fortification défensive dans la partie inférieure de
la vallée du Mississippi
this page online
Le fort servait de siège au gouvernement colonial et était rapidement entouré de colonies
et de plantations françaises. Dans un effort d'établir une économie stable, les Français ont
encouragé les colons à cultiver des récoltes, telles que le tabac et l'indigo. Une recrudescence des tensions entre les Français et les Natchez ont éclaté en violence tout au long l''année de 1720. Lorsque les Français ont exigé des terres supplémentaires qui comprenaient le
White Apple Village (ou le Village de la Pomme blanche), un centre sacré et cérémoniel
pour le peuple Natchez, les Indiens ont décidé de prendre des mesures.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical
Location. 31° 33.392′ N, 91° 24.609′ W. Marker is in Natchez, Mississippi, in Adams County. It is on South Canal Street near Green Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Natchez MS 39120, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Mississippi and in Natchez Trace Corridor. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: French Retaliation & the Second Fort Rosalie (here, next to this marker); The Natchez Revolt (here, next to this marker); The British Assume Control and Shelter Tories (here, next to this marker); The Spanish Lay Out a Permanent Town (a few steps from this marker); The Natchez People (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Introduction of Slavery in the Natchez District (about 500 feet away); The French in North America (about 500 feet away); The European Struggle for Control (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Natchez.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2019, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 490 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 10, 2019.
