<P> Competing with Spain , Portugal , the Dutch United Provinces and later England , France began to establish colonies in North America , the Caribbean and India in the 17th century . A series of wars with Great Britain and other European major powers during the 18th century and early 19th century resulted in France losing nearly all of its conquests . France rebuilt a new empire mostly after 1850 , concentrating chiefly in Africa as well as Indochina and the South Pacific . Republicans , at first hostile to empire , only became supportive when Germany started to build their own colonial empire . As it developed , the new empire took on roles of trade with France , especially supplying raw materials and purchasing manufactured items as well as lending prestige to the motherland and spreading French civilization and language and the Catholic religion . It also provided manpower in the World Wars . </P>
<P> Competing with Spain , Portugal , the Dutch United Provinces and later England , France began to establish colonies in North America , the Caribbean and India in the 17th century . A series of wars with Great Britain and other European major powers during the 18th century and early 19th century resulted in France losing nearly all of its conquests . France rebuilt a new empire mostly after 1850 , concentrating chiefly in Africa as well as Indochina and the South Pacific . Republicans , at first hostile to empire , only became supportive when Germany started to build their own colonial empire . As it developed , the new empire took on roles of trade with France , especially supplying raw materials and purchasing manufactured items as well as lending prestige to the motherland and spreading French civilization and language and the Catholic religion . It also provided manpower in the World Wars . </P>
how did france lose its north american empire
how did france lose its north american empire
A series of wars with Great Britain and other European major powers during the 18th century and early 19th century
A series of wars with Great Britain and other European major powers during the 18th century and early 19th century