chapter 2 economy &...

Chapter 2 – Economy & Development

Chapter 2 – Economy & Development Section 2: The French Regime (1608-1760)

France’s Economic Policy during the French Regime

• The economy in NF was based on Mercantilism

• An idea Keep the mother country wealthy

• Accumulate precious metals (gold, silver…)

• Exploit the natural resources of the colonies

• Exploit = use/take advantage of

• For our sake:

–Mother country = France

–Colony = New France


• France would take natural resources from NF

– Furs, fish, timber, etc.

• Sell these resources in Europe and/or manufacture goods to sell in Europe AND back to NF in order to make a profit

– Fur clothing, furniture, etc.

Colony (New France)

Furs, fish, timber… Mother Country

(France)

Fur clothing, Furniture…


• NF’s role in Mercantilism: “Supply & Buy”

• Supply the natural resources/raw materials

• Buy the finished products from the Mother Country

• Export furs/ buy fur hats

Fur hats from the late 1700s-early 1800s

Mercantilism & Triangular trade

• NF was not the only colony that was exploited by France

• France had colonies in the Caribbean • These colonies also had to supply NF with

natural resources • NF and the Caribbean colonies also traded

amongst each other • The 3 connecting trade routes formed a

TRIANGLE Triangular Trade • 3 territories involved: France, New France,

Caribbean

Mercantilism & Triangular trade

• The same things were traded back and forth between NF and France

• The Caribbean colonies sent tobacco, sugar cane, rum to France while manufactured goods were sold back to the Caribbean colony

• Meanwhile NF and the Caribbean colonies would trade amongst each other (see diagram on the next slide)

• Keep in mind that the slave trade was also a big part of the system slaves from Africa were used in both the Caribbean colonies and NF

Mercantilism & Triangular Trade

Fish, timber

NF’s Economy… very ‘Furry’

• NF exported many different thing to France – Timber – Fish – Fur

• However, FURS were the main export from NF to France = FUR TRADE IMPORTANT IN NF

• The economy was not diversified (not a lot of economic activities going on)

New France and their exports in 1739

NF’s Economy… very ‘Furry’

• ‘Agents’ involved in the fur trade – FO hunters trap and

process furs to be traded at trading posts

– ‘Coureurs du Bois’ also acquired furs by bartering with FO groups and bring the furs to trading posts

– Merchants wealthy individuals who financed expeditions to get furs

– Fur trading companies developed the market to sell furs (in France)

Where am I gonna get some of that

sweet, sweet corn?

Goods like fur clothing sold back to New France and countries in Europe for profit $$$$$

FURS

Hunters get Furs

Hunters or coureurs du bois trade furs to companies in New France (trading posts)

Factories in France turned the furs into hats, clothing, etc.

How did the fur trade affect the First Occupants?

• The fur trade affected the FO in a few ways: – Alliances were created

• French allied with the Huron group

• The British allied with the Iroquois

– European goods were sought after by the FO

• Metal tools, pots & pans

• Glass beads/ jewelry

• GUNS

• Alcohol

– Negative effects of European goods on FO society

• Alcoholism

• Guns are used to kill a greater number of people with FO society

How did the Fur Trade affect society?

• Remember:

– The fur trade required small amounts of people to operate

– The fur trading companies didn’t want to give up land for settlement

– Women didn’t really work in the fur trade = lack of women in NF

• All of these factors contributed to slow population growth in NF

• Fur trade = slow population growth

How did the Fur Trade affect society?

Too many dudes… A result of the Fur trade

So Lonely….

How did the Fur Trade affect the territory of New France?

• Because of the fur trade:

1. Depletion of animals that provided furs

2. The need for furs grew

3. In order to secure for furs, the territory of NF expanded

4. NF set up trading posts/forts along waterways easy access to trade furs

5. Most of NF’s territory was sparsely settled (small amount of people over a large territory)


• New France’s territory large, but population is mainly concentrated along St. Lawrence river and parts of Louisiana

• New France’s territory is littered with trading posts/forts

How did the Fur Trade affect the relations between the French & British Colonies?

• Both colonies had a claim in the fur trade

– Alliances with rival First Nations groups

– Battled for territory rich in furs

• These elements created a commercial rivalry between the 2 colonies leading to wars between them

Agriculture in New France

• A lot of time, money and energy was put into the Fur Trade

• However, most of the colonists/inhabitants of NF practiced the ‘economic activity’ agriculture

Land being cleared in New France


• If farmers had a SURPLUS of agricultural products could be sold at a local market or market within a city Montreal

• At time, some surplus could be sent to France grains

• Public markets were developed because of the increase in farmers selling the surplus of agricultural goods


Artistic depictions of public markets in New France


• Farming/agriculture in NF wasn’t always about food

• Agricultural products were sometimes made into other products – Grinding grain flour bread

– Hops brewing beer

– Hemp manufacturing clothing, sails and cordage

Floor plan of New France’s first large scale brewery – 1686


• Farming/agriculture had a big effect on the territory of New France

– Increase in cultivated land = increase in settled territory

– More mills were constructed because of the increase in grain production/need for flour

Windmill in Pointe Claire Village

Jean Talon.. Not just populating the colony

• Jean Talon didn’t just have to increase the population after 1663 he had to diversify the economy

• Before 1663 main focus on the fur trade

• Talon made attempts to bring other economic activities to NF – Asked farmers to grow hemp and flax linen,

rope, etc.

– Started up a large scale brewery

– Diversify farms increase in livestock

Other Efforts to Diversify the Economy

• Intendants that followed Jean Talon also tried to diversify the economy:

– Iron ore mining in the Mauricie region

– Shipbuilding and shipyard in Quebec City

• However, many of the efforts to diversify the economy did not work

Above: shipbuilding in Quebec City Left: Canadian stamp with Jean Talon on it


The Iron forges of St. Mauricie Hemp was used to make sails, rope, clothing


• Why did most of these efforts fail?

– Lack of specialized workers for trades (blacksmiths, carpenters, etc.)

– Minimal financial support from France to start up new industries (capital =$$$)

– Major focus on the Fur Trade

– MERCANTILISM didn’t allow colonies to compete with the industries of the mother country

Artisans and the Rise of Cities

• As people in New France became more established financially materialism

• The need for ‘things’

• Start to see the ‘artisan’ class small shops that manufactured goods

• Artisan = make things by hand from start to finish

• Furniture, wigs, jewelry, hats, etc. ‘Craft activities’

• These artisans would usually live in cities like Montreal

• Result = cities would grow in size

Artisans and the Rise of Cities

Above: blacksmith shop Right: Men playing billiards

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