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French Guiana like the other Guianas are located just east of the Caribbean Basin. Despite this, the history and culture since the European discovery has been more associated with the Caribbean than South America. The first Europeans to visit the northeastern coast of South America were the Spanish (1496). The Spanish established a few small settlements in what is now French Guiana (1503-04). Control of the Guianas became part of the power struggle between the major European powers. The Dutch not only established themselves in Surinam to the west, but for a time in Brazil to the south. The Dutch and French also attempted to settle the area. There were rumors of great wealth in the interior. English King James I dispatched an expedition to the area which failed and cost Sie Walter Raleigh his head. Finally the Dutch under the Treaty of Brenda relenquished their claim (1667). This was, however, followed by a continued efforts by the European colonial powers (Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Portugal) to control northeast South America. The question was not finally resolved until after the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. With the French Revolution, slaves were freed (1789). Many moved into the interior and attempted to set up villages like the ones they had come from in Arica. International recognition of Fremch jurisdiction was finally achieved (1817). The colony was, however, a backwater, of the new colonial empire French built in the 19th century. There was a brief period of prosperity because of a gold discovery (1850s). Napoleon III to deal with over-crowed jails turned to French Guiana Shipping prisoners to the colony had the advantage of relieving French prisons as well as securing settlers. The colony, as a result, acquired a sinsister reputation as the location of the infamous Devil's Island prison. It was here Cpt Dreyfus was unjustly encarcerated. France after World War II granted French Guiana the status of an Overseas Department (1946). This made French Guiana an integral part of the French nation. French gave little attention to French Guiana and the limited infrastructure began to deteriorate. Civil unrest occurred (1970s). A security crackdown followed, but promised improvements did not occur. The Mitterrand Government finally introduced needed reforms (1982-83). The keystone to the reforms was a degree of centralization. Local affairs are now overseen by the Regional Council. French Guiana is now best known as the location for European satellite launches.
Different native American peoples occupied the northern edges of South America, now known as the Guianas, for centuries.
French Guiana like the other Guianas are located just east of the Caribbean Basin. Despite this, the history and culture is more associated with the Caribbean than South America. French Guiana as discovered by Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the New World (1498). Adventuresome Dutch, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish aventurers followed, risking the the arduous ocean journey to reach the Guiana. Rumors abound of vast gold esources. They were blissfully unprepared for the dangerous jungle conditions. Some were killed by the Native Americans defending their lnds, but most died from tropical disease. They never found the gild they sought. But the European countries vied with one another to control the area. The French would prevail in what is now French Guina, the Dutch and English further west also eaked out small South amrican enclves in the Guianas.
French Guiana, commonly referred to in France as simply Guiana, was not colonized by France until rather late in the colonial era. There were early attempts.
The first Europeans to visit the northeastern coast of South America were the Spanish.
The Spanish established a few small settlements in what is now French Guiana (1503-04). Control of the Guianas became part of the power struggle between the major European powers. The Portuguese controlled Brazil to the south. The Dutch not only established themselves in Surinam to the west, but for a time in Brazil. The area was visited by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to this New World (1498). The Dutch and French attempted to settle the area. There were rumors of great wealth in the interior which could be accessed bt the seberal rivers. The Dutch and French made the difficultv arduous ocean journey to thw Guianas and attempted to establish settlements (early-16th century). They were entirely unprepared for the challenges of a tropical jungle. Most periahed in the jungle as aresult of both tropical disease anf the Native American people defending their lands.
English King James I dispatched an expedition to the area which failed and cost Sir Walter Raleigh his head.
France attempted to settle the area (1624), but had to abandon it because of hostile Portuguese action. The Protuguese saw a French settlemnt as a violation of the Treaty of Tordesillas in which the Pope divided the America between Portugal and Spain. French settlers returned (1630), but were riven out by Native american attacks. The French finally establish a settlement at Cayenne (1643). Aew small plantations wereset up. Aggin Native American attacks followe, in part because the French attempted to enslave thelocal population. The Dutch West Indies Company seized French territory to establish the Dutch colony of Cayenne (1658). This was associated with Louis XIV's wars and attempts to conquer the Dutch. The persistent Frebch once more returned (1664) and founded a second settlement at Sinnamary. The Dutch as part of their effort to resist French conquest attacked the new French colony (1665). The English also resisting French expansion entered the picture and seized the area (1667). Finally the Dutch under the Treaty of Brenda relenquished their claim (1667). This was, however, followed by a continued efforts by the other European colonial powers (Britain, France, and Portugal) to control northeast South America.
The Treaty of Breda returned the area to France (1667), essentially beginning the era of sustained French control. The question was,however, not finally resolved until after the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.
The Dutch briefly occupied the area (1676). Seven Years War / French and Indian War was ended by the Treaty of Paris (1763). France lost almost all of its colonial possessions, including Canada and India. All that remained was Guiana and a few Caibbean islands (primarily Martinique and Guadelupe). It is that this time thar serious French colonization began. Louis XV dispatched thousands of settlers to Guiana. He lured there with fanciful stories of gold and fortunes to be made. Reality proved very different. The settlers emcountered a raw wilderness filled with hostile natives and tropical diseases. A little more thn a year later there were only a few hundred survivors. Without a way home, they fled to three small islands along the coast--the Iles de Salut (Islands of Salvation). The largest island was named Royal Island, another St. Joseph (he patron saint of the expedition), and the smallest of the islands, surrounded by strong currents, �le du Diable -- which would become the infamous Devil's Island of subsequent French history. When the survivors evntully were rescued bd returnd hom, their tragic stories made a powerful impression on the French. It sgnificantly reduced the flow of settlers. The French Revolution briefly abolish slavery, but Napoleon reintriduced it.
During the Napoleonic Wars, French Guiana was seized by Portugal (1809). Napoleon's was defeated in Europe, but the colony was returned to France by the Treaty of Paris (1814).
International recognition of Fremch jurisdiction was finally achieved (1817). The colony was, however, a backwater, of the new colonial empire French built in the 19th century.
Slaves were brought out from Africa to work on plantations stablished along the more disease-free rivers. Exports of sugar, hardwood, Cayenne pepper and other spices brought prosperity to the planters. Plantations grew around the capital at Cayenne. Some were substantial with several thousand slaves
There was a brief period of prosperity because of a gold discovery (1850s). The French began to increasingly use Guiana as a penal colony. Napoleon III to deal with over-crowed jails turned to French Guiana Shipping prisoners to the colony had the advantage of relieving French prisons as well as securing settlers. The colony, as a result, acquired a sinsister reputation as the location of the infamous Devil's Island prison. It was here that Jewish Cpt. Dreyfus was unjustly encarcerated. This did not end until World War II.
The Trans-Atlantic slave trade was dominated by the Portuguese and British, but France was an important participant. The vast majority of the captued Africans were dlivered to Haiti, with lesser numbers to Martinique, and other colonies. In comparison smaller numbers were delivered to the relatively small number of plantations on Guadeloupe and French Guiana. The Caribbean islands becme emnsely valuable with the development of sugar as cash crop. Sugar was produced on extrodinarly brutal plantations using slave labor. Gaudaloupe, Haiti (Saint-Domingue), and Marinique were the source of emense wealth--especially Haiti. The French established plantations in what is now French Guiana at a fairly late phase of the sugar era and slavery, just before the French Revolution (late-18th century). The French sugar as well as Cayenne pepper and other spices. As in the Caribbean islands, they They brought in several thousands captured Africans to work the plantations. As in the Caribbean, the system were very brutal. Small numbers escaped into the interior and became known as maroons. Unlike the Caribbean, the French had no way of controlling this. Maroons could be hunted down on small islands with no place to hide, but not in the vast South American intrior. The French Rvolution resulted in abolotion of slavery (1789). Many to escape their brutal oppressors moved into the interior and attempted to set up villages similar to the ones they had come from in Africa. Napoleon attemoted to reintroduce slvery to revive the highly profitable sugar industry. This led to disaster in Haiti which had been the major producer. An entire French Army was virtually destroyed by the Haitians and disease. French Guiana was of lesser importance. And ulike Haiti and he two smaller islands, many of the former slaves had disappear into the interior and were essentually irrretrievable. It was easier to import new slaves from Africa. Plantations syrrounded Caynee and up some of the more disease free rivers. This was the only real period of prospeity for the colony. The government of the French Second Republic abolished slavery in all its colonies and protectorates (April 27, 1848). It took some time for the news to reach French Guiana so Abolition Day in Guiana celebrated somewhat later (June 10). It was, however, not observed until decade later (2012).
France after World War II granted French Guiana the status of an Overseas Department (1946). This made French Guiana an integral part of the French nation. French gave little attention to French Guiana and the limited infrastructure began to deteriorate. Civil unrest occurred (1970s). Sime Indigenous French Guianians have asked for greater autonomy, although a mere5 percent appear to favor actual independence. Here the generous French government subsidies are a factor. A security crackdown followed, but promised improvements did not occur. The Mitterrand Government finally introduced needed reforms (1982-83). The keystone to the reforms was a degree of centralization. Local affairs are now overseen by the Regional Council. French Guiana is now best known as the location for European satellite launches. The European Space Center at Kourou has a substantial expatriate workforce.
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