ebooks Thunder in the Harbor: Fort Sumter; Charleston; and the American Civil War (Emerging Civil War Series) by Richard W. Hatcher in History

Description

Compared to other nationalities; few French have immigrated to the United States; and the state of Michigan is no exception in that regard. Although the French came in small numbers; those who did settle in or pass through Michigan played important roles as either permanent residents or visitors. The colonial French served as explorers; soldiers; missionaries; fur traders; and colonists. Later; French priests and nuns were influential in promoting Catholicism in the state and in developing schools and hospitals. Father Gabriel Richard fled the violence of the French Revolution and became a prominent and influential citizen of the state as a U.S. Congressman and one of the founders of the University of Michigan. French observers of Michigan life included Alexis de Tocqueville. French entrepreneurs opened copper mines and a variety of service-oriented businesses. Louis Fasquelle became the first foreign-language instructor at the University of Michigan; and François A. Artault introduced photography to the Upper Peninsula. As pioneers of the early automobile; the French made a major contribution to the language used in auto manufacturing.