Immigration to New France

The Census of 1666The goal of the first census was to

count the population in order to plan for the settlement, economc activities and defence of the territory.

Jean Talon was given the task of going « door to door in order to count the exact number of people. »

He recorded the name, age, marital status and occupation of each person in the colony.

Census resultsPopulation of New France Total

Sexes

M F

Married

M F

Widowed

M F

Children and unmarriedM F

3215 2034 1181

528 491

13 29

1493 661What do you notice about the number of men and women?

What does that tell you about the immigration needs of the colony?

EngagésAn engagé was a colonist who agreed to work

for a period of three years for an employer in the colony who, in return, paid for his return trip, supported him, and paid him a salary.

To encourage growth in the colony, ship captains had to transport a number of engagés proportional to the size of their ship.

Filles du RoyTo increase the birth rate in the colony, the state

encouraged the emigration of young French women. These women were mostly orphans under the age of 25.

They arrived in the colony between 1663 and 1673.

Young single men in the colony were expected to marry these young women within 15 days following their arrival, or risk losing their hunting, fishing and trading rights.

Officers of the Carignan-Salière regimentThe King encouraged

millitary officers to move to the colony by offering them seigneuries.

They were sent there to defend the colony during wars with the Iroquois between 1665 and 1667.

Encouraging births and marriagesRead document 52 on page 33 of your textbook.

Financial incentives for families with 10 living children.

Financial incentives for men who are married by 20 and women who are married by 16.

Fines for fathers whose children are not married by that age.

ImmigrationIt is believed that during the French regime,

27 000 to 35 000 people, mainly single men, immigrated to the colony.

Only 250 families arrived in Quebec City.

Companies, the Church and the administration favoured the arrival of single men: transportation costs were lower and the men’s labour contributed to clearing and defending the land.

1681 censusDespite the arrival of 800 Filles du Roy, the

1681 census showed that more than 90% of men between the age of 15 and 29 were still single.

The composition of Canadian immigration before 1760

Soldiers Prisonners, de-portees, refugees, slaves

Nobles, officers, of -ficials, male clerks, merchants

Workers and engages

Single women OtherWives and children of workers

Document 53, page 34.

45%

16%

15%

15%

4%

3.5%

2.5%

Immigration to the St. Lawrence Valley under the French régime

Departures from the colony (after a stay of at least one win-ter)

Colonists established by marriages

Single people permanently set-tled

Deaths at sea

Document 54, page 34.What is one reason for the low population in the colony?

41%

37%

15%

7%

In your opinion, were the measures taken by the King of France effective in increasing the population of the colony?

Low level of French and Catholic immigration The immigrants who came to Canada were a

small number compared to the more than 900 000 Europeans and Africans who arrived in the 13 Colonies (future United States).

Estimated population 1740

Factors for low immigrationHarsh climateIroquois warsFur trade provided a limited number of jobsKing put a stop to Protestants immigrating

Only 1/3 of the Carignan-Salieres regiment stayed in the colony