Settlers to New France

Jigsaw Summary

Soldiers
 Some of the settlers in New France were soldiers (males) who stayed once their military service
was over.
 The King encouraged soldiers to settle and populate New France, even offering financial
payment to them.
 They added to the strength and optimism of the new colony.

Missionaries

 The missionaries included the Jesuit Priest and the Ursuline Nuns
 They Jesuits arrived in New France with two goals: to spread the Roman Catholic religion to the
First Nations peoples and to establish schools for boys
 They established school in some of the settlements and sent missionaries out to the First
Nations peoples
 Because of hostilities with the Iroquois and Huron, the Jesuits learned that the establishment of
missions would not be easy
 The Ursuline Nuns established convents (schools to become nuns) and schools for girls in New
France

Fur Traders

 Only agents licensed were supposed to trade with the First Nations peoples
 Coureurs des bois were trader who left the company to trade directly with hunters and trappers.
 By the late 1670’s there were about 300-400 coureurs des bois who were out of the colony
trading and trapping. This alarmed the authorities as they worked this was harming the colony.
 They were neglecting their families and land and could not help to defend New France against
enemies.

Seigneurs

 Seigneurs were men who had won the king’s favour. The seigneur was given large sections of
land. They could keep some for themselves, but had to find farm families (habitants) to settle
and work the rest.
Habitants

 Habitant families did not own land, but worked it for the Seigneur
 They had to grow crops and raise animals to support themselves.
 Had to give a portion of their production to the seigneur as rent.
 Worked without pay for 10 days a year planting and harvesting the seigneur’s personal fields
 Provide free labour to build and maintain the church and roadways.

Filles du Roi

 There was a shortage of single women in New France. The explorers, fur traders and soldiers
were mainly single men.
 Single women needed for there to be families and for the colony to grow
 Filles du Roi were imported women, many of whom were orphans.
 They were given free transportation to New France. They also were given settlement expenses
on their arrival and a dowry.
 They were an important part of New France as mainly married. This helped to establish stable
families. Without their hard work and motherly skills, New France would not have grown as fast
as it did.