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New France. History Grade 11. Early French Exploration and Colonization. The British were searching for an Arctic route to Asia, the French tried to find an internal route though the continent. They cultivated a French cultural presence that is still felt today in North America
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New France History Grade 11
Early French Exploration and Colonization • The British were searching for an Arctic route to Asia, the French tried to find an internal route though the continent. • They cultivated a French cultural presence that is still felt today in North America • In order to survive, they needed First Nations help, one of the first to realize this was French explorer, Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier Born in France in 1491, Jacques Cartier is usually acknowledged as the explorer who discovered Canada. He was in fact the one who first used the name Canada, to describe the small area he claimed for France in 1535.
Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier explored the Maritimes and the St. Lawrence River, between 1534 and 1542.
Jacques Cartier - Kanata • Heritage Minute
Jacques Cartier • He tried to establish a colony for France on the St. Lawrence, but ultimately failed. The gold and diamonds Cartier thought he had found turned out to be just iron pyrite and quartz. This eliminated the incentive to establish a colony.
He had destroyed relations with the Iroquois by kidnapping Chief Donnacona and his sons. The Iroquois refused to help the French or trade with them.
Samuel de Champlain • Samuel de Champlain was born circa 1570 in France and died at Québec City 25 Dec 1635 • He was a cartographer and explorer. • He is known as the “Father of New France.“ • There is no authentic portrait of Champlain.
Abitation De Qvebecq • In 1608, Champlain started a new colony at what is now, Quebec City. This habitation became the center of the colony of New France. He chose this location because it was at the top of a cliff that was a good spot for a fortress.
Abitation De Qvebecq • He chose this location because from there he was able to trade with the Algonkians, Montagnais, and Hurons • He allied with these tribes against the Iroquois, who were working with the English • Stadacona was the traditional name for what is now Quebec City.
Ville-Marie ~ Hub for French Fur Trade • Ville-Marie was a noteworthy site for it was the center of defense against the Iroquois, the point of departure for all western and northern journeys, and the meeting point to which the trading First Nations brought their annual furs. This placed Ville-Marie, later known as Montreal, at the forefront against the Iroquois which resulted in its trade being easily and frequently interrupted. The Iroquois were in alliance with the Dutch and English, which allowed them to interrupt the French fur trade and send the furs down the Hudson River to the Dutch and English traders.
Double Standard • Champlain (and France) maintained a strange double standard: • They wanted to have a colony so that wealth could be extracted (in the form of furs), but… • They didn’t want the effort or responsibility of a larger settlement, so they tried to stop people from coming to the colony to work as farmers or anything other than fur traders.
Jesuit Missionaries • He did allow Roman Catholic missionaries to come and to work to Christianize the Natives. Some did become Christians, but others become angry at the French because of the new religion and the new diseases that the missionaries brought. Conflict with the Natives increased because of this.
Settlement • Despite the conflict with Natives and the efforts to restrict colony growth, the colony continued to survive. Not long before Champlain died, The Company of a Hundred Associates took over the colony and was forced, by France, to bring settlers to Canada. It did so, but still reluctantly.
A Slow – Growing Empire • During the reign of King Louis XIV (1643-1715), times were good in France. • Few people were interested in leaving France to live in the wilderness of North America.
Settlement • The reluctance of the leaders of New France to encourage settlement was one of the factors that led to a major population difference with the colonies of the British that eventually led to the fall of New France.
Population Chart comparing New France to the Thirteen American Colonies
Settlement and Colonization • In North America in the 1600s, England and France were both trying to claim land and develop colonies. • The colony of New France had three main groups of people involved in the development of the colony: Fur Traders, Settlers and Missionaries
Fur Traders • The Company of 100 Associates controlled the colony. It was mostly interested in developing the Fur Trade. It had a monopoly on the fur trade. • However, many Frenchmen avoided that monopoly by becoming Coureurs de Bois (runners of the woods). They travelled long distances into the country searching for people to trade furs with and then sneaked these furs back into Montreal.
Settlers • France had told the Company of a Hundred Associates that it had to bring in settlers to develop the colony. • The Company divided the land up into pieces called seigneuries and gave these seigneuries to Nobles who would control them as feudal-style manors. The Seigneurs then rented out land to peasant settlers called Habitants.
Missionaries • The Roman Catholic Church sent many priests and nuns to New France. They were responsible for the souls of the French settlers and fur traders, but they were also supposed to try to save the souls of the Natives.
Missionaries • The best known and most effective of the missionaries were the Jesuits. • They were successful because they were willing to go and live with and like the Natives. • They were able to convince many of the Huron to become Christians, and this caused conflict within the Huron nation.
Established hospital, schools, orphanages • Jeanne Mance - First hospital in Montreal Hotel –Dieu • Taxes were collected to help support them • Sometimes better care than back in France
Question?? • Which do you think had more consequence for the everyday lives of New France colonists – the government or the church ? Why?
The Royal Province of New France • By 1661, it was obvious to the King of France that the current system was not working. The colony was not growing the way that the English colonies were growing. This was a problem to people who believed in mercantilism.
Mercantilism • The theory that there is a limited amount of wealth in the world and therefore the way to become powerful is to control that wealth and keep it away from others. • One way to do this is to obtain raw materials (natural resources) cheaply from colonies and use them to make finished products in the home country that can be sold in both the home country and the colony. The colony will remain poor while the home country becomes rich.
Hierarchy of New France Louis XIV/Colbert (KING)▼ Governor (Military)Intendant(Justice/Finances)▼ Bishop of the Catholic Church▼ Military officers, merchants, church leaders, seigneurs ▼Habitants (Filles de Roi) (96.5-97% of population)▼Engagés/Domestic Servants/Slaves
Life in New France: Seigneurs • Seigneuries • there were 104 seigneuries in 1663 • seigneurs were responsible for: • building a manor house and a mill • attracting settlers • acting as judges in disputes • defence of the seigneury (usually with a militia – an unofficial army) • collecting taxes/rent
Habitants • rented the land from the seigneurs • were required to: • pay rent • provide service • serve in the militia • grind their own grain at the mill • often had second jobs in the fur trade or in industry
Towns • there were several small towns; Quebec was the biggest, most important and best fortified • had schools, hospitals and small industries (businesses where things are made)
