First Contact

Early Settlement

Of Canada

Ms. RossName: ______

Socials 9Block: _____

FIRST CONTACT AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

The First Nations of Canada first came into contact with Europeans who were fishing in the Grand Banks off the coast of Newfoundland. Their daily lives and activities brought them into contact. When two cultures share and borrow ideas, as well as influence each other, this is known as cultural exchange. The change that results in both cultures is called acculturation.

The First Nations influenced the Europeans in the following ways:

  • Taught Europeans survival skills such as hunting, trapping, snowshoeing, canoeing
  • Provided Europeans with remedies for illness such as scurvy
  • Provided Europeans with food and showed them where important resources were located

The Europeans influenced the First Nations in the following ways:

  • Supplied the First Nations with goods made out of iron, such as tools and cooking utensils
  • Supplied the First Nations with guns and alcohol
  • Attempted to “civilize” the First Nations and convert them to Catholicism

When two cultures meet, there is often misunderstanding: some of this is due to the language barrier, but it can also result from a lack of knowledge about the beliefs and values of each culture. When people have lived in their culture all their life, they may believe that their culture is the best because it meets their needs and they are used to it: why would anyone do things differently? The belief that one culture is better than others is known as ethnocentrism.

Europeans can definitely be described as ethnocentric during early contact. They believed their way of doing things was better than those who lived here before them. This would lead to conflict and domination.

Use “Focus On: Points of View – Cultural Differences” p. 25 in Canada Revisited to learn the viewpoints of each culture on the provided topics.

French Viewpoint / Aboriginal Viewpoint
Social Organization
Land Ownership
Settlement
Governance
Production and Ownership of Wealth
Rule of Law
Religion

JACQUES CARTIER CLAIMS CANADA

Use pp. 16 - 19 in Crossroads 2nd edition e-text to complete the following summary.

In 1534, Jacques Cartier set sail to find the fabled ______. Instead, he sailed into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River. He claimed the area in the name of France by erecting a cross on the Gaspe Peninsula. Before leaving, he kidnapped 2 of Iroquois Chief Donnacona’s sons – ______and ______– and took them back to France.

In 1535, Cartier returned with the 2 Iroquois men who saw the possibility of trade alliances forming with the French. Instead of staying at the Iroquois village of Stadacona, Cartier preceded to sail upriver to ______. When he arrived, he realized the St. Lawrence River was not the Northwest Passage to Asia.

Cartier and his crew had to spend the winter in ______amongst the Iroquois. The kidnapping of 2 of their people plus the refusal to follow their advice led to a strained relationship between the two groups. The French were not prepared for winter and many began dying of ______. Even though the Iroquois had been mistreated by the French, they shared their knowledge of how to make a vitamin C rich tea that saved many lives.

How did Cartier show his thanks? When the weather improved, he sailed back to France, taking with him ______, his sons and 7 other Iroquois who could tell the King of France about all the riches in the New World. Cartier believed there was gold and diamonds to be found. The 10 kidnapped Iroquois would never return to their homeland.

The Iroquois became suspicious of the French and their opinion of them didn’t improve when they saw Cartier defy orders in 1542 and leave his countrymen to spend the winter in this new world. The Iroquois refused to trade ______and threatened ______on the French. Once Cartier returned home he discovered his “riches” were worthless.

This was not the end of French voyages to the New Land. Continued expeditions would focus on acquiring other riches such as fish and fur. It would not be until the early 17th century that France would make a second attempt at establishing permanent settlements.

CREATING A ROYAL COLONY

Initially, France was not interested in colonizing Canada because the country was able to make profit without having to live here permanently. Plus, France was too busy fighting wars in Europe to invest money in colonization (settling and controlling other lands). However, in the 1600sthe King of France and the Roman Catholic Church both became interested in creating permanent settlements in the New World, but for very different reasons. The Royal Colony began!

First Attempt at Colonization

Use pp. 20-21 in Crossroads 2nd Edition e-text to answer the following questions.

  1. Who was given the responsibility of establishing the first permanent colony?
  1. What does it mean to have a “monopoly”? How would this benefit the colony?
  1. The first location of settlement was Ste. Croix Island but this was soon abandoned for another location, ______, in 1605.
  1. What was Samuel de Champlain’s main job?
  1. Why was this colony abandoned in 1607?
  1. Where should the French have established their first colony? Why? (*critical thinking)

LIFE IN ACADIA

Acadia was one of two permanent settlements in the Royal Colony. This settlement spanned the areas of present day New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI. Acadia was an attractive place for settlement because of its mild climate, fertile land, wealth of timber, access to harbours, and close location to the Grand Banks for fishing. By 1640, a small, successful farming settlement had developed in the region.

Use pp. 34-35 in Canada Revisited to learn more about life in Acadia.

  1. Britain and France both wanted to occupy and control Acadia. Use the map on p. 34 to help you, explain this statement: “If you controlled Acadia, you controlled North America and the fur trade.”
  1. What was the primary occupation of settlers in Acadia?
  1. Identify the invention that allowed Acadians to grow food on the marshy plains and explain how it worked.
  1. Describe a typical Acadian family and their daily activities.
  1. Who did the Acadians trade with? What items were traded between the two groups?
  1. What Aboriginal group originally inhabited the land? How do you think the Acadian settlement affected their ways of life? (* critical thinking question – use your brain, not the book!)

SECOND ATTEMPT AT COLONIZATION

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain established a permanent settlement in the St. Lawrence River Valley. He believed this was a better location than Port Royal to maintain a monopoly because it was in the heart of fur trade territory. A habitation in this area would provide the opportunity to establish strong trading alliances with the Aboriginals and provide better access to furs.

This habitation was located along the St. Lawrence River in present day Quebec City. He picked this site because the land is located on top of towering cliffs – the geography of the region could provide natural fortifications from any invaders. The habitation would be both a living and working space. The buildings and surrounding lands would create the colony of New France.

Trading companies were supposed to bring settlers to the region; however, they were more interested in making profits from the fur trade than building a colony. One company that did fulfill its mandate was the Company of 100 Associates, led by Cardinal Richelieu. In 1627, they were given a monopoly on the fur trade in New France and in return promised to bring 4,000 settlers to New France.

Life for Champlain was not easy. He was constantly worried about attacks by the British from the south and his separate trade alliance with the Huron (Wendat) made the Algonkians and Montagnais (Innu) suspicious of his motives. When Champlain’s colony was attacked by the British in 1629, the Algonkians actually sided with the British and refused to help the French!

Champlain established new trading posts at locations along the St. Lawrence for the Company of 100 Associates in order to reclaim control of New France: these included Montreal and Trois Rivieres. While the company was successful in bringing settlers to the region, it was a business failure. The company lost its monopoly and eventually went bankrupt.

Samuel de Champlain died on Christmas Day, 1635. His efforts in the royal colony earned him the titles “Father of New France” and “Father of Canada”.

GOVERNING THE ROYAL COLONY

Originally, the colony of New France was governed by the trading companies. But they were more interested in making profit from the fur trade, not establishing settlements and all the elements that come with it (government, churches, schools, roads, etc.)

Louis XIV (aka “the Sun King”) appointed Jean-Baptiste Colbert to run the colony, establish a form of government in the region, and make the colony profitable for France. The Royal Government was both inexpensive and efficient and would govern the region for over 100 years. Interestingly, Colbert was the Chief Official of New France but never visited the colony!

The first problem they had to solve was populating the colony: the few settlers that lived in New France were constantly being attacked by the Iroquois. There needed to be a stronger presence in the region. While Champlain wanted the coureur de bois (“runner of the woods”)fur traders to marry First Nations women and create one nation as a way to maintain control, the French government decided that sending French immigrants to the region was a better idea.

  • Immigration grants were given to families with over 10 children
  • 4,000 settlers were brought to New France at the expense of the government between 1666-1676
  • One third were retired soldiers
  • 1000 were single women, known as filles du roi, sent to marry single men in the royal colony and begin families

The government of New France was called the Sovereign Council. Government officials were appointed by the King to carry out his orders for governing the colony. In reality, with the large distance and harsh winters, it was difficult for the mother country and colony to communicate; so, the government officials in New France actually had more power to govern than was originally intended.

Appointed

Governor General Intendant Bishop

Sovereign Council

For the settlers of New France, this government was just like the one they had left back home: the people did not have any power over the Sovereign Council, could not pick who would hold each position, and could not change any decision made by the Sovereign Council. Thus, the people had little influence over government and government was not always responsible or accountable to the citizens of the colony.

PORTRAIT OF AN IMMIGRANT TO NEW FRANCE

Who came?

Entrepreneurs, merchants, missionaries, government officials, orphans, single women, soldiers, criminals, farmers, lower class who couldn’t afford land in France

Why did they travel to New France?

Push Factors

  • In France there was unemployment, oppressive taxes, famine, absolute monarchy. There is a connection between hard times in France and peaks of immigration.

Pull Factors

  • New land, new opportunity, adventure, independence, break the social class system

How did they get to New France?

  • Boat fare (the cost of a craftman’s annual income)
  • Sign a contract to be an indentured labourer and you would work off your fee
  • Recruited by the government

What did they think when they arrived?

  • France was successful at sending immigrants to New France, but were unable to keep them there: 1/3 to 2/3 of colonists didn’t want to stay after they realized how much political, social, and economic building had to be done to make New France anything remotely similar to the mother country.
  • Immigrants were greeted with rough living conditions, threats from First Nations, few marriageable women.
  • Those who benefitted from the old class system in France discovered the “rules” didn’t necessarily apply here in New France.

Brainstorm the challenges an immigrant would have had when he/she moved to New France.

______

______

______

LIFE IN NEW FRANCE

Use pp. 34-35 and 38-40 in Crossroads 2nd Edition e-text to learn more about life in New France.

  1. ______owned the land in New France and ______farmed the land.
  1. Describewhat type of pattern a seigneurial system makes on the landscape.
  1. Describe the responsibilities of both the seigneur and the habitant.
  1. Habitant life was centered around the ______, the ______, and the ______.
  1. Why would a habitant prefer to work land in the first row than the second row? (critical thinking question!)
  1. What types of food did they eat?
  1. Who were the first women to populate New France? Why did they come?
  1. What types of roles did women have in New France?

FINDING SALVATION: THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES AND URSULINE NUNS

Jesuit Missionaries – The Black Robes

The Company of 100 Associates, led by Cardinal Richelieu, was given a monopoly over the fur trade in the royal colony in exchange for bringing settlers to the region. Jesuit missionaries (Roman Catholic priests) were partners with Richelieu. These men, nicknamed the “Black Robes”, were brought to New France to spread Christianity. The French were very ethnocentric and believed the First Nations were ‘uncivilized savages’. It was thought that if they followed Catholicism, this would bring them salvation and civilization.

While other missionaries were unsuccessful in converting Aboriginals to their religion, the Jesuits were different. They actually went to live amongst the First Nations, learned the language, and adapted to the culture: this allowed them to learn more about the First Nations, develop trust, and successfully communicate their message. One of the biggest missionaries was Saint Marie Among the Hurons in Huronia.

The Jesuit missionaries had both success and failure. They were able to convert some First Nations to Catholicism and limited the sale of alcohol in the fur trade. Many First Nations were suspicious of the Black Robes and did not see why they should convert to another religion when they already had their own. In addition, during this time period Aboriginal communities were infected with devastating epidemics like smallpox and measles. These European diseases were unknowingly brought by the missionaries and rapidly spread amongst the Aboriginal population: wherever the Black Robes went soon came disease and death. For example, within 6 years of coming to Huronia, almost half of the population died. Aboriginal communities started to believe that the Jesuits were practicing witchcraft. The Jesuits tried to convince Aboriginals to convert to Catholicism while on their death bed: the sick were told if they didn’t convert, they would not go to heaven. So one has to wonder how many of the conversions were “true” conversions to the faith or last ditched attempts at survival.

In some instances, there was division within Aboriginal communities amongst those who converted to Catholicism and those who did not. The French gave “perks” to those who converted, such as guns and privileges in the fur trade. The Huron (Wendat) was one such nation negatively impacted by the actions of the French and Jesuits: they became weak and vulnerable and could not withstand attacks by the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee)

The Ursuline Nuns

Men were not the only ones who came to New France to spread the Roman Catholic faith. The Ursuline Nuns established religious settlements where they spread the word of God, ran schools for girls, created hospitals to help the sick and dying, and helped new female immigrants find a husband.

Here are three important Ursuline Nuns and their contributions to the colony:

Marie de l’IncarnationMarguerite Bourgeoys Marguerite d’Youville

Educated girls and her lettersSet up a school and cared Dedicated her life to helping

home to France were for the poor and sick. She the poor and homeless. She

important descriptorswas canonized in 1982 & was canonized in 1990 and

of life in New Franceis Canada’s 1st female saint is the 1st person born in

Canada to become a saint

THE ROLE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW FRANCE

Use pp. 54-55 in Canada Revisited to learn more the role of the Catholic Church in New France.

  1. In what way did the Church hold influential power in the colony?
  1. Conversely, how was the power of the church limited?
  1. Describe the services performed by priests on seigneuries.
  1. Compare and contrast the education of boys and girls in New France under the Catholic Church.
  1. Why was the Catholic Church, especially the Ursuline Nuns, given the responsibility of providing health care? (*critical thinking question)

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