Canadian History Before 1700

Study Notes

Vikings traveled in wooden boats and landed in Newfoundland, considered the first European settlers to find Canada.
Similarities to Ireland, England, and Wales were observed.

Europeans from Spain, France, and England came to explore, find a new route to Asia, and engage in the fur trade.
Spanish settlers stayed in southern sections like the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America.
English settlers came due to religious upheaval in England, with the church splitting into Catholic and Protestant.

French established Quebec, known as "New France," with Quebec City founded around 1600.
Samuel de Champlain, the "Father of New France," made alliances with Indigenous peoples and facilitated trading, ensuring European survival through interdependence and teamwork.
In 1608, Champlain established settlements in Quebec City and Port Royal, setting up a system with:
- A leader providing direction and encouragement
- Rules for safety, trade, and protection
- Clearly defined roles (e.g., priest, nuns, intendent, habitants, seigneurs)

The "long-lots system" or "seigneurial system" was used, where each plot of land was owned by a seigneur, who offered sections to habitants (farmers) in exchange for taxes and feudal obligations.

Intendent: Main Boss, in touch with France
Seigneur: Landlord, involved in supervising farms, collecting rent, and observing activities
Habitants/Farmers: Farmed, lived traditional lives, and had large families
Roman Catholic was the dominant religion
Filles du roi: Young women brought from France to populate the colony, often orphans

Farms grew corn and potatoes
Fish was plentiful
Dairy industry was significant
Fur trade generated significant income, with furs used to line top hats sent to France
Pros: Good leadership, clear roles, good routines, good food, physical labor, established religion
Cons: Survival was hard, limited social mobility, few lifestyle choices, and many rules to follow

They saw each other as competitors, both seeking access to the fur trade
The English built trading posts around James Bay, making it easier to trade with First Nations
New France built the Fortress of Louisbourg to defend against Britain and protect fisheries
1756: The Seven Years War began
1759: The Battle of the Plains of Abraham (France vs Britain) lasted 30 minutes, with many leaders killed
The Treaty of Utrecht stated that France no longer owned Quebec, Ontario, and part of the US, retaining only Quebec along the St. Lawrence River
By 1763, thousands of Canadians were under British rule
1763: The Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War, and the Royal Proclamation established French, English, and Indigenous lands.