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| | French Colonial Empire - Introduction |
 | | Note how the flag depicts the vessel on which the settlers arrived, as well as their Basque, Breton and Norman heritage. |
| | From its beginnings in the early 1600s through the great expansion of the late 19th century, the French overseas empire was formed more by the agencies and stimulation of the state, church, and armed forces than by the initiation of the business community. |
| | Merchants, financiers, and manufacturers did engage in and profit from French imperial ventures, but generally they had to be prodded into participation by monarchical or republican officials. |
| www.discoverfrance.net /Colonies/index.shtml (648 words) |
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