Final answer:
The French Canadians came to America primarily via ocean-going ships and later on used smaller boats and wagons for inland travel. They established Quebec as a fur-trading outpost and expanded their territories through the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi River in the 17th century.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how the French Canadians came to America is deeply rooted in historical developments in North America. After Jacques Cartier's initial exploration in 1534, France's serious colonization efforts in what we now call Canada began in the early 1600s with Samuel de Champlain's establishment of Quebec as a fur-trading outpost. French colonization centered on lucrative trade networks, particularly in beaver pelts, rather than agrarian settlements like the British. This trade with Native Americans, facilitated by the French adaptation to local customs and alliances, was essential for the survival and prosperity of early French settlers. The French expanded their territories throughout the Great Lakes, the Ohio River Valley, and down the Mississippi River by the end of the 17th century. Furthermore, regarding the transportation method, French settlers traveled by ships across the Atlantic ocean and then would use smaller boats, such as sloops, for river travel, while others traveled by wagons to move inland towards New France's settlements.