Why was the Lawrence River valley the strategic key to control North America? 10 pts!?

Question

Partly because of trade?
I'm not sure.. please help me out!
thanks

Answer 1

This is largely from the point of view of Canada. There were two Canadas, in the French, later the British points of view:Lower Canada, Quebec and Montreal, and Upper Canada, everything else. The St. Lawrence was the highway between Montreal and Quebec and also upriver to everything else. Lasalle believed that the St. Lawrence would lead to a great river flowing to the southwest and emptying into the Vermillion Sea, a mythical outlet to the Pacific and China. His home was built along the rapids named La Chine, for this reason.
The St Lawrence does lead to the Great Lakes, which do, by a series of portages eventually lead to the Mississippi River. It is in this way, that Canada, and Louisiana were connected. The French called the area north of the Ohio Canada and south of the Ohio Louisiana.
Britain was a late comer by comparison. Original settlers traded for furs with the Indians, but the supply ran out, particularly after the conflict developed between French allied natives and English allied natives. Eventually the over the mountain boys began dealing directly with natives, besides doing some trapping of their own.

So yes, trade was the key to the Americas from the point of view of the European powers. From the English perspective, it was mercantilism, all raw materials sent home to England and the colonies only bought finished goods from home. From the French perspective, it was mainly the product of the land, long straight pines for ship masts, beaver pelts for hats, and buffalo skins for rugs, coats and warm lap blankets.
And, to the European powers, any avenue into the interior was a key to the continent. The French held the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi (eastern shore anyway). Would the UK stand by and let the people they'd been fighting since the 11th century control the continent? The history of colonial America would say no, the Royal Navy would say it louder.

I would look at the war called Seven Years War worldwide, and French and Indian War here, individuals like Frontenac, LaSalle, Tonti, Marquette and Joliet and other links that these searches will lead you too on google, yahoo or wikipedia.

Answer 2

St Lawrence River Valley

Answer 3

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW SHORT PORTAGES THE ST. LAWRENCE, THE GREAT LAKES, AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES FORM A WATER ROUTE TO ALMOST 2/3 OF THE USA.