Maple History: A Canadian History Podcast

Is Isola by Allegra Goodman Worth Reading? - Reese Witherspoon Book Club ReviewI told the story of Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval and how she was marooned on the Isle of Demons off the coast of Quebec in 1541. Isola is a fictionalized version of that story by Allegra Goodman and in this bonus episode I let you know if it is worth a read. If you have read the book, let me know if you agree with my assessment. Did you feel the same way or do you think I'm way off the mark?Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What made New France so hard to establish? A look at the realities of early settlement and slow colonial growth.Fischer, David Hackett. Champlain’s Dream: The European Founding of North America. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008Jacques Mathieu, “HÉBERT, LOUIS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed April 15, 2026, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hebert_louis_1E.html.Ethel M. G. Bennett, “HÉBERT, GUILLEMETTE (Couillard de Lespinay),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed April 15, 2026, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hebert_guillemette_1E.html.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 16, 1649 was a fateful day for the Wendat Confederacy. An attack by the Haudenosaunee led to difficult decisions needing to be made for the survival of the Wendat people. SourcesThe Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerNatives and Newcomers: Canada's Heroic Age Reconsidered by Bruce TriggerDispersed But Not Destroyed by Kathryn Magee LabelleBlackhawk, Ned. “The Destruction of Wendake (Huronia), 1647–1652.” In The Cambridge World History of Genocide, edited by Ned Blackhawk, Ben Kiernan, Benjamin Madley, and Rebe Taylor, 243–266. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.Blick, Jeffrey P. “The Iroquois practice of genocidal warfare (1534–1787).” Journal of Genocide Research3, no. 3 (2001): 405–429.Otterbein, Keith F. “Huron vs. Iroquois: A Case Study in Inter-Tribal Warfare.” Ethnohistory 26, no. 2 (Spring 1979): 141–152.Magee, Kathryn. “They Are the Life of the Nation: Women and War in Traditional Nadouek Society.” The Canadian Journal of Native Studies 28, no. 1 (2008): 119–138.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The epidemics have ravaged both the Wendat and the Haudenosaunee but they are still competing in trade with the Europeans to get a hold of coveted goods. This leads to increasing violence and changes in warfare practices.SourcesThe Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerDispersed But Not Destroyed by Kathryn Magee LabelleThe Ambiguous Indigenous Empire but Francis JenningsNatives and Newcomers: Canada's Heroic Age Reconsidered by Bruce TriggerBlackhawk, Ned. “The Destruction of Wendake (Huronia), 1647–1652.” In The Cambridge World History of Genocide, edited by Ned Blackhawk, Ben Kiernan, Benjamin Madley, and Rebe Taylor, 243–266. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2023.Blick, Jeffrey P. “The Iroquois practice of genocidal warfare (1534–1787).” Journal of Genocide Research3, no. 3 (2001): 405–429.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A brief portrait of Hélène Boullé, whose life is often reduced to a line in Champlain’s story. This episode pauses to look at her on her own terms. Sources:Marie-Emmanuel Chabot, o.s.u., “BOULLÉ, HÉLÈNE, named de Saint-Augustin (Champlain),” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 26, 2025, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/boulle_helene_1E.html.Raymonde Litalien, “CHAMPLAIN, SAMUEL DE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 26, 2025, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/champlain_samuel_de_1E.html.Landry, Marc-André. “L’histoire singulière d’Hélène Boullé : mariée à de Samuel de Champlain alors qu’elle n’avait que 12 ans.” Le Journal de Montréal, May 31, 2025. https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2025/05/31/lhistoire-singuliere-dhelene-boulle-mariee-a-de-samuel-de-champlain-alors-quelle-navait-que-12-ansFischer, David Hackett. Champlain’s Dream: The European Founding of North America. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 1630s, epidemics spread through Wendake and caused profound loss. This episode looks at how those outbreaks unfolded and how Wendat communities lived through that decade.Sources:The Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerCrosses in the Sky: Jean de Brébeuf and the Destruction of Huronia by Mark BourrieDispersed But Not Destroyed by Kathryn Magee LabelleThe Jesuit Relations edited by Allan GreerJesuit Relations - onlineGet extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Étienne Brûlé was one of the most important young men in the early days of New France. He acted as an interpreter and liaison between the Wendat Confederacy and the French traders and colonizers led by Samuel de Champlain. This was not an easy world to navigate and he made plenty of enemies. Eventually those enemies caught up with him and he suffered a fate he couldn't talk his way out of.Sources:Champlain's Dream by David Hackett FischerThe Edge of the Woods by Jon ParmenterThe Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerNatives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered by Bruce TriggerCrosses in the Sky: Jean de Brébeuf and the Destruction of Huronia by Mark BourrieFox, William. “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business”: Historical Accounts and Archaeological Evidence Concerning an Early-Seventeenth Century Partnership. Ontario History, vol. 115, no. 1, Spring 2023, pp. 99-113. Caloz, Danièle. “Étienne Brûlé: Paris Bourgeois.” Champlain Society Blog. 2014.https://champlainsociety.utppublishing.com/digital-content/champlain-blog/etienne-brule-paris-bourgeois-by-daniele-caloz.Caloz, Danièle . "Étienne Brûlé: A Wealthy Parisian Trader?." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 03, 2015; Last Edited June 29, 2015.Olga Jurgens, “BRÛLÉ, ÉTIENNE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed December 3, 2025, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/brule_etienne_1E.html.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charles St Etienne de La Tour had lived in Acadia since he was a teenager and had been working to build this nascent French colony when another man, Charles de Menou d'Aulnay Charnize came with ambitions and an ego. These rival ambitions would slowly grow into full antagonism and then violence. Books:Faragher, John Mack. A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from Their American Homeland. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005.MacDonald, M. A. Fortune and La Tour: The Civil War in Acadia. Agincourt, ON: Methuen Publications, 1983.Trudel, Marcel. The Beginnings of New France, 1524–1663. Translated by Patricia Claxton. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1973.Magazine Articles:Poizner, Susan. “The Lioness of Acadia.” The Beaver (Canada’s History Magazine), February–March 2007, 36–41.Pelchat, André. “Private War Over Acadia.” Beaver (Canada’s History) 80, no. 6 (December 2000–January 2001): 8–11.Journal Article:Henneton, Lauric. “‘Fear of Popish Leagues’: Religious Identities and the Conduct of Frontier Diplomacy in Mid-17th-Century Northeastern America.” New England Quarterly 89, no. 3 (September 2016): 356–83.Dictionary of Canadian Biography Entries:Ryder, Huia, and ———. “Biencourt de Saint-Just, Charles de.” In Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1. University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. Accessed November 18, 2025. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/biencourt_de_saint_just_charles_de_1E.html.MacBeath, George. “Jacquelin, Françoise (Françoise-Marie).” In Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1. University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. Accessed November 18, 2025. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/jacquelin_francoise_marie_1E.html.Baudry, René. “Menou d’Aulnay, Charles de.” In Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1. University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. Accessed November 18, 2025. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/menou_d_aulnay_charles_de_1E.html.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Jesuits came to Quebec on a mission in 1625 to save souls and not to make friends. Champlain's Dream by David Hackett FischerThe Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerNatives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered by Bruce TriggerHuron Wendat: The Heritage of the Circle by George E. SiouiThe Jesuit Relations: Natives and Missionaries in Seventeenth-Century North America - edited with an introduction by Allan GreerThe Jesuit Relations: A Biography by Micah TrueCrosses in the Sky: Jean de Brébeuf and the Destruction of Huronia by Mark BourrieGet extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) got a shocking introduction to Europeans in 1609 when Champlain joined a raid into Haudenosaunee territory but they were quick to learn how to seek out other European allies for their benefit. When the Dutch arrived they sought out a trade relationship but so did the Mahican who also lived in the same area as some of the Mohawk. This episode will discuss the early days of the Dutch colony in New York and their relationship with the Haudenosaunee.Sources:BooksChamplain's Dream by David Hackett FischerThe Ambiguous Iroquois Empire by Francis JenningsThe Edge of the Woods by Jon ParmenterThe Ordeal of the Longhouse by Daniel K. RichterJournal ArticlesParmenter, Jon. 2013. “The Meaning of Kaswentha and the Two Row Wampum Belt in Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) History: Can Indigenous Oral Tradition Be Reconciled with the Documentary Record?” Journal of Early American History 3 (1): 82–109. https://doi.org/10.1163/18770703-00301005Parmenter, Jon. “In the Wake of Cartier: The Indigenous Context of Champlain’s Activities in the St. Lawrence Valley and Upper Great Lakes, 1550–1635.” In When the French Were Here—and They’re Still Here, edited by Nancy Nahra, 88–104. Burlington, VT: Champlain College, 2010.Carpenter, Roger. “Making War More Lethal: Iroquois vs Huron in the Great Lakes Region, 1609-1650.” Michigan Historical Review 27, no. 2 (Fall 2001): 33-51.Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

*This episodes contains a detailed account of torture.Champlain steps dramatically into a complex world of ancient kinship networks, complex diplomacy, and a long simmering war when he founds the city of Quebec in 1608. He finally meets the powerful Wendat people and assists them and their allies in a famous battle against the Haundenosaunee in the heart of Mohawk territory.Sources:Champlain's Dream by David Hackett FischerThe Making of Canada: An Epic History in Twenty Extraordinary Lives by Greg KoabelThe Children of Aateantsic: A History of the Huron People to 1660 by Bruce TriggerNatives and Newcomers: Canada's "Heroic Age" Reconsidered by Bruce TriggerJournal Article:Carpenter, Roger. “Making War More Lethal: Iroquois vs. Huron in the Great Lakes Region, 1609 to 1650.” Michigan Historical Review 27, no. 2 (Fall 2001): 33–51. DOI: 10.2307/20173927 Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the early French attempts to settle in what would become Acadia, from Saint Croix to the more promising shores of Port-Royal. Who were the people who came? What were they hoping for? And how did they survive in a land already home to the Mi’kmaq? Join us as we discuss the story of one of the first European settlements in what is now Canada and the important relationship between those a settlers and the Mi'kmaq. Support us on PatreonSources:John Mack Faragher, A Great and Noble Scheme: The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from their American Homeland. 2005David Hackett Fischer, Champlain's Dream. 2008Daniel N. Paul, We Were Not The Savages 4th Ed, 2022Marcel Trudel, The Beginnings of New France 1524-1663. 1973Get extra content on Patreon or Substack Follow me on TikTok @MapleHistoryPodFollow me on BlueSky @MapleHistoryPod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.