Posted on 05/11/2005 8:27:40 AM PDT by God pays good
PARIS (AFP) - The US Library of Congress and the French National Library have joined forces to launch a bilingual website exploring the history of the French presence in North America from the 16th to early 19th centuries.
The site, which includes more than 100,000 images from the rare book collections of the two libraries, was launched at a ceremony in Paris on Tuesday.
"In developing this web presentation both national libraries have done what they do best -- sift through an exhaustive amount of material in order to make our common histories comprehensible and accessible to the public," said Jean-Noel Jeanneney, president of the Bibliotheque nationale de France.
The site looks at the role played by France in such events as the French and Indian war, the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase.
It also documents the travels of French explorers and the role of French fur traders and missionaries in opening up the Midwest.
Among items available on the site are versions of Samuel de Champlain's "Voyages", Jacques Marquette's account of his voyage in North America in 1673 and Theodor de Bry's late 16th century illustrations of native Indian villages.
"This site will be especially valuable for teachers as they prepare lessons on this complex and pivotal chapter in American and French history," said Congress librarian James Billington.
"France in America" can be found on the Library of Congress site at http://international.loc.gov/intldl/ -- while the French version "La France en Amerique" is at http://gallica.bnf.fr/France-Amerique.
The French hate us, but can't wait to take credit for our success.
I think the french want to kiss and make up. Have you seen President Bush in Europe without Jaques Chirac near by lately? the Popes Funeral, the current end of WWII celebrations.
Jaques is always kissing poor Laura's hand. How icky.
This effort is driven by sour grapes.
The entire Jerry Lewis film catalog will be available on DVD at the site later this summer.
They should have opened it on 5 May --- you know Cinco de Mayo --- the celebration of the fact that France is so pathetic even Mexico can kick its butt.
Don't con artists have a name for this? Isn't is called "cooling the Mark."
The French are lucky they wound up with a country at all...
thanks to us.
A small mention that they were under treaty to sell Louisiana to Spain, but sold it to the United States might be in order, or that it was french priests that ordered scalps as proof of bounty that Spanish, British, American and non-aligned tribes were indeed dead.
Treason, Treachery, Theft, Murder, Bribery, Genocide, Mutilation, Desecration, Subversion, Perversion and Lies.
The french have left quite a legacy in North America.
I just love reading the French missionaries own words: I blessed him, then bonked him and then they made soup.
Our Oldest Enemy
Should be very educational.
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