Friends and Enemies in Times of War
Long before the first European settlers arrived in North America, the Haudenosaunee formed their confederacy. Joining together allowed them to establish themselves as a dominant native force. In the early 1600s, French and Dutch traders established scattered trading posts in Haudenosaunee territory. The European demand for beaver pelts led to a thriving fur trade between the Haudenosaunee and the Europeans. By the mid-1600s, the English had taken over Dutch claims. Both the French and the English expanded their settlements in North America. France built forts and outposts in New France (Canada) and explored inland along the Mississippi River. England established 13 Colonies along the Atlantic Coast.
