French settlers brought a huge range of entertainment to North America. From folk music to dance and even festivals, France’s cultural influence on the US is evident, even to this day.
Music, Dance, and Festivals
French settlers introduced many traditional folk songs and ballads to select pockets of North America. Fiddles, accordions, and other instruments were popular in France as throughout Europe, and, combined with the musical traditions of England, Ireland and elsewhere, helped to spark the folk music movement. Folk music has always been a huge part of American culture, dating back to the earliest colonial times. With that said, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the genre really took hold as its own distinct form.
Back in France, it was the trouvères who helped to spread new compositions across the country. These traveling musicians were a huge part of French culture, with records of them dating back to the 12th century. They composed and performed in both langue d’oil and langue d’oc. This helped songs and tunes spread between towns, and, eventually, countries. Square dances and la contredanse, a specific country dance that originated in France, were often performed at gatherings as well. These traditional forms and customs eventually spread to the US. A lot of genres that have classic French roots are still celebrated in Canada and Louisiana. The Festival International de Louisiane, for example, celebrates the French heritage of the region and the huge role that it has played in shaping the state over the years. Then there’s the Festival d’été de Québec and Les Francos de Montréal, two of the largest Francophone music festivals in the world. These don’t lean so much into folk music specifically, but represent more symbolically the culmination of hundreds of years of French culture’s influence on the regions’ music scenes.
France’s Cultural Influence on the US
Even though certain key areas of North America have been heavily influenced by French entertainment, it’s also interesting to see how things have adapted and evolved, even beyond the world of music.
Take poker, for example. This game is believed to have evolved from the French game, Poque, which was first brought to America by French settlers. Soon after, it evolved, with numerous poker variants now available. Poker sites in the US often offer games like Texas Hold’em. This variant has itself managed to spread across the world, with players aiming to create the best five-card hand. You may not think that a seemingly Texas born-and-bred game could owe so much to France, but such is the power of the game, in that its simplicity lends itself to adaptation over time.
You also have Creole and Cajun cuisine. Rooted in French culinary techniques, dishes like this have evolved and become staples of the Louisiana region. With that said, changes have been made to help them gradually pivot to American tastes, and individual dishes have come pretty far over the years. Architecture is another area where France has had a huge influence. If you look at the French Quarter in New Orleans, you’ll see wrought-iron balconies and several distinctive features that are shaped by French designs.
When you break it all down, it’s clear to see that French entertainment, and French cultural movements as a whole, have not only survived in North America, they have evolved significantly over time. As time’s gone on, the US has put its stamp on things to create a unique cultural identity that has been shaped by numerous movements throughout history. France might have been an early influence on colonial America, but it’s just a thread in the fabric, showing how even the smallest of cultural movements can have a widespread and lasting impact on disparate nations.
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