The Colony under Louis XIV

Reorganization of New France

starting 1663

1663-King Louis XIV decided to
reorganized his colonial empire
The governing of the NF was entrusted
to a Governor and an Intendant
Jean Talon was chosen as the first
Intendant
Plus, France wanted to create a market
for its goods

Intendant job: settlement and
organization of territory (granting
land, roads, increasing settlements
and exploiting the natural resources
for France)

Arrival also of the Carigan-Salires
regiment numbering 1200 officers
Their mission was to protect NF from
Iroquois attacks
Show of force encouraged the Iroquois
to make peace
1667 peace established with the
Mohawks

To take full advantage of territory more
settlers were needed
Plus, France wanted to create a market for its
goods
Engags were encouraged

Officers of Carigan-Salires were encouraged
to stay
400 settled and were granted Seigneuries
Men outnumbered Women in NF to fix this
problem Les Filles du Roi were brought from
France

Les Filles du Roi
Young French women, either orphans or
beggars who were sent to the colony at
the states expense in order to marry
colonists so to increase the population
Filles du Roi were given a dowry
Single men had to marry these women
within 15 days or risk losing hunting,
fishing and trading rights
1663-73: Population of NF grew from
3500 to 7400
Immigration from was still low
At the end of the 17
th
century the
number of men to women had
drastically improved
The population doubled every 30 yrs

Ensuring the colonists subsistence

Jean Talon wished that the colony did not
need France to survive
He wanted to increase agriculture
Animals and seeds were brought from
France
He hoped to export agricultural products to
France
Seigneurs had to develop their land or risk
losing it

The economy had to be diversified
A shipyard was created to build ships
in QC
A leather factory (tannery) was built
in QC
A brewery was created

West India Company

1664 the West India Company was
created
It was granted trade monopoly in New
France, the Caribbean and West Africa
Slaves were brought back from Africa
Although a big and rich company, it
went bankrupt in 1674

Trade in New France was a challenge as
the peasants were too busy clearing the
land and providing for their own needs
Plus the winter put a stop to many
activities
Fur trade and fisheries remained the
main economic activities