<P> Social mobility was easier in America than in France at the time . The seigneurial system was not imposed on the banks of the Mississippi, although the long lot land division scheme of the seigneurial system was adapted to some of the meandering rivers and bayous there . There were few corporations treated hierarchically and strictly regulated . Certain tradesmen managed to build fortunes rather quickly . The large planters of Louisiana were attached to the French way of life: they imported wigs and clothing fashionable in Paris . In the Country of Illinois, the wealthiest constructed stone - built houses and had several slaves . The largest traders mostly wound up settling in New Orleans . </P> <P> The King sent the army in the event of conflict with the other colonial powers; in 1717, the colony of Mississippi counted 300 soldiers out of 550 people (Havard G, Vidal C, History of French America, p. 225 .). However, the colonial army, like that of France, suffered from desertions . Certain soldiers fled to become coureurs de bois . There were few mutinies because repression was severe . The army held a fundamental place in the control of the territory . Soldiers built forts and frequently negotiated with the Native Americans . </P> <P> The coureurs des bois (literally "runners of the woods") played an important part, though not well documented, in the expansion of French influence in North America . By the end of the 17th century, these adventurers had journeyed the length of the Mississippi River . They were motivated by the hope of finding gold or of carrying out a profitable fur trade with the Indians . The fur trade, often practiced without authorization, was a difficult activity, carried on most of the time by young unmarried men . Many ultimately wished to go on to more sedentary agricultural activities . Meanwhile, a good number of them were integrated into native communities, learned the languages, and took native wives . A well - known example is the French Canadian Toussaint Charbonneau, husband to Sacagawea, who gave birth to Jean - Baptiste . They took part in the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804--1806 . </P> <P> Ancien Régime France wished to make Native Americans subjects of the king and good Christians, but the distance from Metropolitan France and the sparseness of French settlement prevented this . In official rhetoric, the Native Americans were regarded as subjects of the King of France, but in reality, they were largely autonomous due to their numerical superiority . The local authorities (governors, officers) did not have the means of imposing their decisions, and often compromised . The tribes offered essential support for the French in Louisiana: they ensured the survival of the colonists, participated with them in the fur trade, and were used as guides in expeditions . Their alliance was also essential in the fight against the British . </P>

What was true about the settlement of the louisiana territory