Download or read book Archipelago of Justice written by Laurie M. Wood and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An examination of France’s Atlantic and Indian Ocean empires through the stories of the little-known people who built it This book is a groundbreaking evaluation of the interwoven trajectories of the people, such as itinerant ship-workers and colonial magistrates, who built France’s first empire between 1680 and 1780 in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These imperial subjects sought political and legal influence via law courts, with strategies that reflected local and regional priorities, particularly regarding slavery, war, and trade. Through court records and legal documents, Wood reveals how courts became liaisons between France and new colonial possessions.