2. THE JESUIT RELATIONSINTRODUCTION1 OF 2 The Relations are annual reports of French missionaries of the Society of Jesus on their efforts to convert the “pagan savages” to Catholic Christianity The Jesuits were masters of the written word They were members of a religious order Every Jesuit was a college teacher at some point in his career Violence and exploitation by fellow Spaniards posed the greatest obstacle to the spread of Christianity The French has a unique approach to Colonization
3. THE JESUIT RELATIONSINTRODUCTION2 OF 2 The Jesuits were determined to reshape native thinking and behavior in conformity with Christian principals Almost all missionary priests were recruited from the Jesuit college of France In the 1660’s the Five Nations came to terms with the French and their native allies The Jesuits published annual Relations for the audiences back home in France There is very little data on the circulation and readership of the Jesuit Relations Jesuits were there to teach the Indians, not learn from them, but yet it seemed unlikely that their outlook would be unaltered To be a barbarian or savage was to lack law and civic order
4. Chapter 1Montagnais Hunters of the northern woodlands1 of 2 The earliest published Jesuits Relations were written by Father Paul Le Jeune (1592-1664) The Algonquian had stories of supernatural creatures and magical heroes to convey an understanding of the world The Iroquois had many rules when it came to throwing out the bones of the beaver Indians believe that a being named Atahocam created the world and that Messou restored it Indians say that all animals have a elder brother that is great and powerful Indians also believe that there are certain spirits of the air which they call Khichikouai
5. Chapter 1slide 2 of 2 The Indians obtained physical advantages such as being tall, erect, strong, well proportioned, and agile Paul Le Jeune called the mind of the Indians “of good quality” Indians are content with basic subsistence Indians profess to never get angry Men leave the household arrangements to the women without interfering Indian nations of Brazil cannot punish a child or allow one to be chastised
6. Chapter 2 Jean de brÉbeuf on the hurons1 of 2 The Hurons had the best documentation of the period of initial contact with Europeans Training in Latin and Greek was part of the education of every Jesuit The Huron language is very complicated to learn and understand They believe in a women they call Aataentsic, who fell from heaven Iouskeha is the Huron’s god Indians look upon their dreams as ordinances and irrevocable decrees
7. Chapter 2slide 2 of 2 A feast is a matter of importance: they fall into 4 kinds The most magnificent of all the feasts is called Atourontaaochien, singing feasts The Hurons are very concerned about one another and are always eager to help a neighbor Metaphoris is largely in use among Huron people They never create war without a reason The Hurons has a ceremony called Feast of the Dead that united all the Huron people about every 12 years
8. Chapter 3 disease and medicine 1 of 2 Europeans acquired immunity to some of the disease, unlike the Indians who were totally unprotected The Hurons attributed illness to both natural and supernatural causes The Hurons had 12 kinds of dances that were remedies for sickness In 1637 the Huron village was hit with strain of influenza that devastated the population The Jesuits were more concerned about the people who were on deaths bed than the people who were sick and still living The Indians seemed to only want to get baptized when they appeared to be at deaths door
9. Chapter 3 slide 2 of 2 The Indians of Ihonatiria had made a vow to build a little chapel to praise and thank God Bleedings were very common during this time of wide spread disease. It was thought that these bleedings would let the disease out of the persons blood A Algonquin captain told the Hurons that they were mistaken for thinking that the devil caused this disease and that they should only blame the French In 1639 the Hurons encountered a new epidemic…. Smallpox Whoever came in contact with the French usually came in contact with disease right after
10. Chapter 4 diplomacy and war1 of 2 The French didn’t come to America as Christian conquerors Native wars became more intense and deadly in the 17th century The long war between the Iroquois and the northern nations was interrupted by occasional truces and periods of peace War resumed in 1647, the Iroquois attacked the Algonquians “There are no hunters so eager for game as the Indians are when hunting men”
11. Chapter 4 slide 2 of 2 In March 1649 the Hurons were taken by surprise by a large Iroquois invasion The Iroquois captured the villagers of the mission of St. Ignace where the Hurons live The Iroquois had this attack planned out very well The Iroquois chief was seriously wounded and lost nearly 100 brave men
