HIST MIDTERM

1. Why is it reasonable to suggest that the societies of aboriginal peoples in North

America were sophisticated, diverse and dynamic?
They were able to change and successfully adapt to their environment from
one period to another (survived and adapted the cold winters while
Europeans could not)
Sophisticated in the instruments they made and used/ stone tools such as jade
knife, chipped stone, and other artifacts were discovered suggesting this
They migrated seasonally for resources
They lived in groups/bands that determined their social system and were
accustomed to adjusting to change and new opportunities
Aboriginals were very diverse, there were 6 cultural areas of aboriginals each
with different social organizations (complexity of their societies), modes of
subsistence (what they ate/hunted and how they survived), culture and
dialect
Northwest Coast, Plateau, Plains, Subarctic, Arctic, Northeast coast
2. Why were missionaries willing to suffer in the course of their attempts to convert
the aboriginal peoples of North America?
Because of their submission to the will of good
Goal was to establish a French religious society
To ensure their place in heaven was secured they needed to convert natives
To them it was a battle between god and Satan and they thought that the
native people of New France were doomed to everlasting punishment because
they were allied with Satan and were not catholic
Considered punishment on earth was better than punishment after death
They discouraged intermarriage and combined education with aboriginals
Caused a split between people who didnt convert and the ones that did
3. Why were the Mikmaq so important to the European settlement of Acadia in the
early 1600s?
They were willing to convert aboriginals because if not their finances would
dry up and they would not be able to survive
4. Why was 1663 a turning point in the history of New France? What changes were
made after 1663?
The point where the colony stopped being a failure and became more secure
Colony was established along the St Lawrence
New France was to establish France in Canada as the French needed to hold
land in order to claim it
From company of New France to direct control of a king, ministers,
manpower, military talent

Became a sovereign council they had a change in governor (figurehead),

bishop (power curtailed), and intendant (in charge of justice finance, civil
administration)
The civil admin went to New France and stayed for 7 years
Security was established of 1000 men
Started taking steps to increase the population of New France
Started to promote self-sufficiency in the colony
4000 immigrants sent at crowns expense
New reforms in New France couldnt sell job/office, strict regulation of fees
and fines for violation, no lawyers

5. According to Jan Noel, what factors contributed to making the women of New
France remarkable?
Women of New France had more advantages compared to women at other
times and places, they were educated worked in many areas of society and
worked just the way their husbands did if not more
A lot less number of women compared to men- for every 8 marriageable man
there was one woman so more advantages
Considered more intelligent, generous, pretty
Women were in short supply in N.F. they were carefully selected and sent to
colonies to become wives (daughters of the king)
The courts favored the women over men, punishing them less severely than a
man who wouldve committed the same crime
Men were absent either off to war or fur trade so the wives contributed more
to society and managed the farms
They entered heavy trades like stone working and brick laying
No private or public split everything was public
They were crucial for the survival of the colony there had to be a man and
a woman
Having children was also important for the population and families were
given incentives for birth of a child
6. The nature of society of New France has been the subject of historical debate.
Discuss the three main depictions of the society of New France.
Feudal society it was not progressing they thought that change and
capitalism was good in development
Primarily shaped by conditions of north America they were improving to
become a developed society
Geography, climate, fur trade-alternate to agriculture, availability of landindependent land ownership, contact with first nations, had warfare
Distance from France, absence of sustained immigration from Old France
Low immigration rates and lowering of seigniorial dues
New France had seigniorial system, no military but still feudal

 Peasants had to produce enough for seigneurs, church and themselves

7. Discuss the feudal burden on the habitants of New France. Was it heavy or light?
How do R. Cole Harris and Allan Greer differ in their interpretation of the feudal
burden?
Neither light nor heavy there is a difference of opinion
Harris-light not much of a feudal burden
Families did not need much to bare subsistence
No royal taxes, salt tax, head tax
Little for labor tax
Seigniorial charges lower compared to France, some were abandoned
10% PRODUCE!! Thats necessary for subsistence
Greer- heavy burden
Lots of taxes if added up they will be too much
Grain milling, church, fee for pastor, fishing fee, annual fee/rent, land
transfer fee, sugar making fee, seigniorial fee
50% SURPLUS!! Beyond what is necessary for subsistence
Measuring using produce and surplus so we cannot compare the two since
they are 2 different units being measured depends on how one looks at it
Usually payment of crops
8. Why did the British deport the Acadians in 1755 and not before? Discuss at least
4 possible reasons.
Wanted to use them (they supplied the British)
Added strength to the French since they had to swear allegiance to Britain
over the war with France
Acadians were found in the forts
Allied with aboriginals such as mikmaq who were seen as dangerous
9. Account for the takeover of New France by Britain. How did the French colony of
New France become the British colony of Qubec?
By the conquest
The British won in the 7 years war making them superior
After the battle of Quiberon Bay which happened in France, the British royal
navy destroyed the French fleet which led to Quebec giving in to Britain, the
British only allowed them to keep their religion but not the flags or property
The French ceded (gave) New France to Britain and a treaty was signed
ending the war in 1763
It was partially France fault because they were not committed to New France
it was not a good colony no reinforcement, poor civil military relations and
no more use

10. What accounts for the dominance of English Canadian merchants over French
Canadian merchants in Montreal after 1763, according to Jose Igartua?
The change for the French merchants happened too fast they were not able to
adjust/adapt quick enough
European merchants were good at what they did so when they came to New
France, also there were more European merchants compared to French
merchants they created new intense commercial competition
Military officials favored the British over the French
French suffered because of their conservative thinking, the animosity
between both nations and the new political climate (lobbying, petitioning
creates opportunities and Europeans possessed this quality and got changes
that suited them)
The old system the French were familiar with disappeared and a new system
was created
Indians did not acknowledge the price increase of beaver trade which
happened because of the risky shipping
11. Did the European fur traders cheat the aboriginal peoples in fur trade? What
factors must be considered in addressing such a question?
Some Europeans did cheat the aboriginals but most likely not
Aboriginals were accustomed to trade, they knew what they were doing and
they waited for other ships to arrive to ensure they received the best deals
They threatened Europeans that they will go to other posts and trade
elsewhere if they did not received what they wanted
They knew how to bargain with the Europeans and complained if they felt
like they were being cheated with quality of the material
They traded relatively inexpensive European goods for aboriginal goods (like
greasy beaver) which was rare in North America
Europeans also traded alcohol with aboriginals which was a popular trade
item since aboriginals could consume it right away and not need to carry it
around and pay fees for it
12. With the respect to the fur trade, we discussed 3 major questions about which
there has been a good deal of controversy. What are they? What factors need to
be considered with respect to these questions?
Exploitation in fur trade
Relatively inexpensive European trade goods for furs
Used beaver for everything like kettles, hatches, swords, knives,
bread
Native people did not always trade for economically helpful items
They did not understand why Europeans were greedy

Desired unlimited quantities of alcohol and not possible to

separate them from alcohol
Dependency
Quickly became dependent on European goods and lost their skills
and tradition
Native people gradually incorporated European goods and relied
on them static unchanging native society unlike Europeans
Depiction of animal resources
Naturally promoted conservation of animal resources
Fur trade caused a huge depiction of animal resources
Prior to 1763 French traders, after that date the British merchants

13. What advantages and disadvantages lay in marriage to a European fur trader for
Indian women?
They sought relationships
Fur traders thought women enjoyed higher status in fur trader society
It provided them with an easier life regarding European goods their
husbands provided them with, less carrying, no fetching firewood or water
Since they were Indian women married to European men they used a
position of women in between to enhance their and their familys position
and status (daughters of mixed were also seen as desirable/ beneficial since
they were more European and had links to fur traders)
Disadvantages were that they usually had poorer health because of exposure
to European diseases that they were not immune to
Child birth becomes difficult since a female that is in poor health has a
harder chance of conceiving
They had reduced control/authority over upbringing of their children
Less freedom of action in marriage
They were victims of violence in the fur trade rivalry
14. According to Susan Sleeper-Smith, how did aboriginal women in the great lakes
area use Catholicism and kin networks to enhance the positions and life chances
of themselves and their families?
Created affective kin networks through marriages and baptism which they
also would marry daughters off to men to help them gain more business for
themselves and their families
Women served as godmothers and instructors guiding people to convert to
Catholicism
Jesuits favored the women because they were devotees whereas men did not
convert and if they did they were not good catholic men