An examination of the early contacts between explorers and Amerindians, the variety of societies in the New World, the development of European beliefs and attitudes towards Amerindians, the origins of the concept of l'homme sauvage, relations between Amerindians and the early colonists and missionaries, and the outcome of colonization of the New World. Focuses on France's particular experiences in exploration, trade, and colonization, especially in Brazil, Florida, and on the St. Lawrence.