Final answer:
Indians had better relations with the French primarily due to economic partnerships in the fur trade and cultural understanding. Intermarriage and a multicultural society also strengthened this relationship, unlike the English who focused on other European conflicts and engaged less positively with Native Americans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indians had better relationships with the French than with the English primarily due to economic partnerships and the French approach to cultural understanding and respect. Unlike the English, the French often solved labor shortages by forming alliances with Native Americans. One key to the relationship was the fur trade, which necessitated cooperation with Native tribes who were familiar with the land and resources.
The French also had fewer women settlers in New France, leading to a greater number of marriages between French colonists and Native American women. Such unions fostered a multicultural and multiracial society, further strengthening alliances. In contrast, the English focused more on their conflicts with European powers like the Dutch and engaged less positively with Native Americans, often causing friction over issues such as land and trade.
Ultimately, French interests and diplomatic strategies in the New World encouraged a more symbiotic relationship with Native Americans than the often exploitative tendencies of English colonization.