Life in New France

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• Life in New France

Seigneury, The Habitants, Old vs. New France,
Early Towns, Roles of Women
By Esther, Julianna, Robyn, and Katelyn
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Seigneury

• Seigneuries- were land strips along the St.
  Lawrence river. Each piece of land belonged to
  the king of France and was maintained by the
  landlord, or seigneur.
• The seigneurial system was introduced to New
  France in 1627 by Cardinal Richelieu. Under this
  system, the lands were arranged in long narrow
  strips, called seigneuries, along the banks of
  the St. Lawrence River. Each piece of land
  belonged to the king of France and was maintained
  by the landlord, or seigneur.

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Seigneury

• The seigneurial system was introduced because the
  St. Lawrence River was something like the
  "Highway of New France". The river provided water
  and a means of transportation, which enabled
  settlers with land along the St. Lawrence to be
  successful. Land along the river, therefore, was
  much in demand.

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Seigneury

• The seigneur divided the land further among his
  tenants, known as censitaires or habitants, who
  cleared the land, built houses and other
  buildings, and farmed the land.
• The habitants paid taxes to the seigneur called
  cens and another inheritance tax
  called lods and ventes. The habitants would also
  divide their land for their children once they
  had families of their own.

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Seigneury

• Unlike the French feudalism from which it came
  from, the lord of the manor was not granted
  the jurisdiction to impose fines and penalties as
  in Europe. Those powers were given to
  the Intendant of New France, which was a
  commissioner sent by the King.

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Seigneury

• Seigneurs were vassals to the king, who granted
  them the deeds to the seigneuries. The
  seigneurial system differed somewhat from its
  counterpart in France. The seigneurs of New
  France were not always nobles. Seigneuries in
  North America were granted to military officers,
  some were owned by the Catholic clergy and even
  by unions of local inhabitants.

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Seigneury

• There were about 2572 people using the seigneual
  system. There were 3215 people living in new
  France at the time and 80 of all people farmed.
  It rapidly grew later on. In 1712 the population
  had grown to 20000 people.

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Seigneury

• They subdivided the tracts of land into lots or
  censives each measuring approximately 3
  arpents of frontage by 30 arpents in depth (180
  by 1,800 meters).

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Seignuery Map
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Seigneury

• Five things that the Seigneury had to do
• - Clear the land
• - Build church
• - Grant the farm lots
• - Have a court to settle peoples disputes.
• - They had the rights to repossess land if it was
  not being used

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Habitants

• Five things the habitants had to do
• Paid a rent of 2 bushels of wheat, 1 chicken, and
  5 a year
• They provided service for the Seigneur
• Cleared the trees
• Grounded the grain
• Fight in the military

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Habitants

• Young People had jobs also.
• They could work with their father on the farms.
• They were educated and could set up their own
  businesses or inherit/get farm land.

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Habitants

• In 1663, half of the seigneuries of New France
  were managed by women. This situation came to be
  because a woman could inherit her husband's
  property after his death.

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New France Versus Old France
Old France New France
Benefits Already a country You dont have to move (be on a boat for like ever) and sell everything to go You have everything you need around you. More Job opportunities Not as many people New beginning
Down sides Many people were leaving It isnt an adventure You dont get a new start You had to move everything It was across the sea -Extremely cold -Almost starved New diseases New place you don know what you are getting yourself into
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The First Women of New France

• Jeanne Mance was one of the founders of Montreal
  in New France. She also established a hospital.
• Marguerite Bourgeoys initiated the construction
  of the Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. She also
  became the first Canadian Saint.

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The First Women of New France

• Madeleine Jarret de Vercheres was the daughter of
  a seigneur. She is a hero of New France because
  she warned the Fort Vercheres of an Iroquois
  attack.
• Madame d'Youville founded a group of women called
  the Grey Nuns that provided homes for the poor.

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Women

• Women of New France were originally the Filles du
  Roi of France.
• They came to France to marry the men there.
• The women of New France were considered the
  household runners. They also were often put in
  charge of the duties of their husbands and
  brother's while they were away or if anything
  happened to them.

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Women

• These women were well educated as they were often
  put in charge of the children's education. They
  sometimes had duties with military and political
  decisions.
• Women were more knowledgeable than men about the
  business as the men were often on fur routes.
• Women had some of the same duties as men, but men
  were inferior.
• Women were better off in New France than in
  France. They had a chance to be educated. But
  they definitely didnt have the same freedoms as
  today.

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Women

• Women couldnt sue or be sued, They easily carry
  on business, or dispose of own property, without
  the husbands permission.
• Women could carry on their husbands business if
  he died.
• They were able to work in family business and be
  business partners.
• They worked alongside men in the fields.
• Learned skills of buying, selling, investing, and
  bookkeeping
• Some women were sent out by religious leaders to
  convert the native peoples.

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Farm Life

• Life on Seigneuries revolved around the harvest
  seasons.
• Farm products included- grain- wheat- oats-
  corn - barley- tobacco - livestock (pigs,
  cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and poultry)

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Farm Life

• In their spare time, Habitants attended dinners
  and dances.
• Sons and daughters of habitants intermarried with
  people who lived in towns.

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Early Towns

• Towns provided irrigation, drinking water, and
  transportation.
• The towns had small industries, schools,
  hospitals, and other services.
• Merchants, traders, artisans, craftsmen, and
  musicians lived in the towns.

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Early Towns

• Merchants bought the habitants wheat and fur
  then traded them for a profit. The artisans were
  brought from France to paint religious
  decorations in Churches and portraits of wealthy
  people living in towns.
• People who worked Seigneuries didnt have these
  traits.
• Some People preferred starting businesses instead
  of farming.

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Early Towns

• The two largest towns in New France were Quebec
  and Montreal
• Quebec was the capital and later became Quebec
  City.

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Immigration

• Immigration to New France peaked from 1666-1672.
• War in France delayed it for 80 years- colonists
  were forbidden to go to New France.
• In 1752 it picked up again.

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