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Around 3 million years ago a route of land formed connecting Asia and North America. Because the animals crossed the Land Bridge, our ancestors followed them, bringing them to North America.
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Jacques Cartier was born on December 31, 1491. In 1534, he was hired by the King of France to find a new route to Asia because Constantinople was taken over by The Ottoman Turks.
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In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored and mapped the Gulf of St.Lawrence, reported what he thought was gold but instead he found lots of fish, timber and furs.
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In 1535, Jacques Cartier sailed up the Saint.Lawrence and reached Stadacona (modern day Quebec). The welcoming natives showed the Europeans how to survive winter and scurvy. In return, the Europeans returned with native captains (for example, Chief Donacona).
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In 1541, Jacques Cartier attempted to set up a colony and did not suceed due to the lack of interest in joining the colony. Missionaries attempted to convert the natives. The French lost interest in trying to set up a colony for 60 years.
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In 1605, the king sent the Port.Royal to create a settlement in Nova.Scotia. Samuel de Champlain was a part of the Port.Royal. Port.Royal failed because of its position.
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Champlain returned in 1608.1609 to establish a trading post near Stadacona (Quebec) a point where the river narrows. This became New.France.
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Europeans: learned how to survive winter: they got new clothing
How to eat: Corn, Pumpkins, maple syrup. Natives: Got new weapons, iron tools, foods like salt, bread.
Got introduced to alcohol which they consumed without moderation.
New diseases brought from the Europeans which killed the natives -
The population of New France was on the decline, with about 90% of the population being males. In order to populate New France, the King of France hired Jean Talon. Jean Talon created policies which offered soldiers free land if they agreed to stay in New France after their service was done. Also minor criminals were allowed a pardon for their crimes if they move to New France. The most efficient method though, was the Filles du roi. Rumored to be orphans, these girls were quickly married.
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Jean Talon was put as an Intendant of Canada by the King of France. He found ways to increase the population of New.France with methods such as "The filles du roi".
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Girls from France brought to populate New-France because there was a lack of females and the population was quite small (95% men and 5% women) with less than 10,000 citizens. The consequence of the arrival of the filles du roi caused a massive increase on the population of New-France (70,000 people in 1760).
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In order to cultivate the new colony, a method to divide the land was created.The King of France granted pieces of land to French men (Seigneurs or Lords). The land would be developped and they would receive rent from peasants (censitaire) in exchange for rent and usage of things such as the wind mill.
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Close to St.Lawrence River: First Quebec, Trois.Rivieres and then Montreal were created. Even though these towns and vilalges were created the way of life was still mostly rural with these few exceptions being urban.
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After the British took over, they imposed their laws on the French. Those who wanted to leave New.France to return to France could leave. The population was around 99 % French and 1% English. Immigration policies favor British men to immigrate since the first to immigrate would be the first to become rich. In 1791, measures to encourage immigration (granting of land to shipping and railroad companies, immigration agents coming to aid of immigrants in 1828).
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Payments were given to couples who married young and fathers of unmarried girls were fined. Bachelors over 21 paid fines. From 1663 to 1760, the population increased from 3,000 people to around 70,000 people
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After the Americans won their independence, Loyalists (those loyal to the British) and certain Americans moves to Quebec. 36,000 Loyalists came to Canada and of those 36,000, 6,000 moves to Quebec (in the West of Montreal). This increased the English population in Quebec to 10% from 1%.
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In 1791, measures to encourage immigration were put in place.
In 1812, laws were made which discouraged American immigration
In 1840, Colonial Land and Emigration Commission and permanent immigration office in London. It was the beginning of the use of propaganda to increase immigration -
Overpopulation in the seigneuries leads to:
Emigration to the forest regions of Quebec (Outaouais-Temiscamingue and Western Canada)
Emigration to the United States (the reason for this was because there were more oppurtunities in the United States) -
In 1867, policies to populate Canada are put in place. Land is granted to immigrants and rail companies give loans to those who want to settle. This causes waves of immigration following international events such as economic crisis and wars. Up until 1945, discriminatory immigration policies were present and they were removed at the end of the Second World War.
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Due to the the development of working class neighborhoods, a rural exodus happens. Urban population increases and rural population decreases. The urban sprawl causes more undeveloped land near a city.
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Lack of employment in the agricultural sector (end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century)
Brain drain: when your most educated and skilled workers leave to seek better opportunities.
