History of New France

Newcomers to New France

• Fur traders, farmers, and women were among the early newcomers to New France
• The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) was established
• The company's goal was to control trade in the fur resources and to find a route through the Arctic to Asia

Previous Explorers, Soldiers, and Religious Figures

• Explorers like Cartier and Champlain (1534 and 1608) were part of early exploration
• Soldiers and religious figures accompanied settlers
• Religious figures' goals included spreading Christianity and converting Indigenous people

Back Story of New France

• The goal to secure the land for the control of the New World for France
• It was crucial to better than England or the Netherlands (in terms of acquiring territory and resources)
• The goal to gain control of the resources of the New World
• Control of New World resources and financial gain were motivations

The Fur Traders: Company of 100 Associates

• The Company of 100 Associates (established in 1627) held a monopoly on fur trade in the St. Lawrence area
• The company was replaced in 1663 by King Louis XIV, who turned New France into a Crown colony
• Control of New France went from 100 Associates to the Crown colony of New France

The Trading Companies and the Hudson's Bay Company

• Radisson and Groseilliers left the colony to establish their own fur trade (1659)
• They made a pact with England, establishing the beginning of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1670
• The HBC had three goals: fur trade, mineral exploration, and discovering a route from Asia through the Arctic
• The HBC still operates (with its stores like The Bay and Zeller's) today

The Coureurs du Bois

• The Coureurs du Bois were unlicensed fur trappers and traders
• They bypassed the middleman to connect hunters to buyers directly
• They established strong connections with Indigenous communities, which increased territory for settlement in North America
• They were ended in 1696 by the king

The Goods of the Fur Trade

• Beaver pelts were highly desirable for making hats in France
• Trappers traded furs for goods like clothing, books, sewing needles, and tools
• This overhunting led to the depletion of beavers

The Consquences of Fur Trade

• The fur trade had many aspects that affected Indigenous peoples such as the goal to get Europeans goods like tools, food and weapons instead of traditional skills and routines
• Many new technologies came that made life easier but also caused many deaths due to over-hunting and new deadly diseases
• Competition became more territorial among Indigenous groups due to resources being sought after

The Farmers and Seigneurial System

• Seigneurial system was in place from 1627 to 1854
• Seigneurs (men awarded land by the king) controlled large pieces of land (5km by 10km)
• Seigneurs kept part of land, and farmers had to develop the rest
• Farmers (Habitants) had small plots along rivers with access to water

Jobs of Habitants

• Clearing land
• Farming crops
• Raising animals
• Paying rent to seigneur
• Volunteering 10 days per year to help with planting and harvesting
• Maintaining the church and roads
• Paying taxes to the church and government

Seigneuries

• Seigneuries were set up alongside rivers for easier access
• They consisted of long, narrow farmland sections
• Seigneurs had large central sections which included a church and a common area

Filles du Roi

• The king funded a program to bring young women to New France (16–40)
• These women were orphans, widows, or others without ties to France
• Women were interviewed and evaluated as "good" candidates
• Women were given funding, clothing and supplies so that they could start a new life in New France
• Incentives were offered to have children
• The program's goal was to populate and encourage the growth of New France