Final answer:
The French engaged in lucrative fur trade with Native American tribes, forming alliances through marriage and trade, and recognizing them as equal members of society, leading to friendlier relations compared to the land-encroaching and displacing practices of the British.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Native Americans were friendlier towards the French than the British in colonial America due in large part to the French's approach to the New World. The French colonizers sought to exploit the lucrative fur trade, requiring the expertise and cooperation of Native American tribes well-acquainted with the land. Unlike the British agricultural pursuits, which often led to land disputes and displacement of Native populations, the French allied with Native Americans, many times through intermarriage, leading to a multiracial society known as the métis. Furthermore, the French welcomed Native Americans as equal members of society through policies like the Ordonnance, built strong relationships by providing military support, and engaged in trade of valuable goods and cultural exchange without aggressive efforts to assimilate the Indigenous population.