The Jesuit Relations document discusses the missionary work of Jesuits in New France (Canada) from the 1600s-1700s. The Jesuits struggled to adapt their European religious teachings to the native populations in New France who had very different customs related to health, medicine, warfare, and views of the natural world. Over nearly two centuries, the Jesuits interacted with many native nations, learning about their cultures while also trying to convert them to Christianity. The document also describes some of the early European explorations of areas like the Mississippi River valley and interactions with tribes like the Illinois.