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After the Ice Age, the water melted.
The water melting opened up a bridge of land between Siberia and North America.
The first occupants of North America originated from Africa. They traveled along the border of Asia until reaching the Bering Sea.
Due to the Land Bridge, the humans were capable of crossing the Bering Sea from Siberia to North America, and eventually populate North America. -
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Alliances between the French and the native aboriginal population were formed over trade.
The Europeans learned how to survive winter, and how to eat foods such as corn and pumpkins.
The natives were introduced to weapons and iron tools, as well as foods like salt and bread.
The natives suffered due to alcohol and diseases brought in by the Europeans. The aboriginal population decimated, and there was a change of the territory they occupied. -
The vast majority of New France’s population were men, because they were required in the fur trade.
The population of New France consisted of Europeans, Aboriginals, Métis and slaves.
The social classes corresponded to a social pyramid. Nobility/Elite, was at the top. This was the Governor. The Middle Class/Bourgeoisie were the Seigneurs, in the middle. The Peasants/Habitants were the censitaries, and were at the bottom of the pyramid. -
In 1535 (his second trip), Jacques Cartier sailed up the St-Lawrence, reached Stadacona (Quebec).
In 1541(his third trip), he unsuccessfully attempted to set up a colony. Missionaries attempted to convert natives.
Jacques Cartier went on three trips to North America in total.
France did not attempt to populate North America for another 60 years. -
Jacques Cartier was a European explorer who traveled to North America.
His original goal was to:
- Find a route to Asia.
- Bring back gold and other riches.
- Claim land for the king of France.
As he did none of the above, Jacques Cartier's voyage was deemed unsuccessful.
In 1534 (his first trip), Jacques Cartier explored and mapped the Gulf of St-Lawrence, reported what he thought was gold but lots of fish, timber, and furs. Jacques Cartier went on 3 trips to North America in total. -
The king of France sent a voyage in 1605 to establish a settlement in Nova Scotia. It would be called Port Royal.
Samuel de Champlain was a part of Port Royal.
Port Royal failed because of its position.
In 1608-09, Champlain returned to North Americato establish a trading post near Stadacona (Quebec). This trading post would be called New France,
Because of the Fur Trade, New France grew quickly. -
The seigniorial system was a method of land division that helped cultivate the new colony.
The kind granted pieces of land to rich French men. These men were called Seigneurs or Lords. The seigneurs developed the land. The peasants, called censitaires, lived on the land and paid rent to the seigneurs. The purpose of this system was to help persuade new settlers to come to New France. -
The king of France put an intendant named Jean Talon in charge of New France to encourage settlement.
Jean Talon created several measures to help populate New France.
- He brought in the Files du roi, orphan girls from France to get married.
- Payments were given to couples who married young.
- Fathers of unmarried girls paid fines.
- Bachelors over 21 paid fines.
Jean Talon's effort to populate New France was successful. -
The vast majority of New France’s population were men, because they were required in the fur trade.
The population of New France consisted of Europeans, Aboriginals, Métis and slaves.
The social classes corresponded to a social pyramid. Nobility/Elite, was at the top. This was the Governor. The Middle Class/Bourgeoisie were the Seigneurs, in the middle. The Peasants/Habitants were the censitaries, and were at the bottom of the pyramid. -
When the British took control of New France, 99% of New France’s population was French. 1% of it was English. They were all British Subjects.
The first to immigrate to New france were the wealthy businessmen looking to take over.
From 1791, immigration was encouraged.
In 1812, there were laws discouraging American immigration in Upper Canada.
In 1840, there was a permanent immigration office in London.
There was a lot of propaganda to encourage immigration. -
Emigration to the United States and the west:
36,000 loyalists came to Canada, and 6,000 loyalistes came to Quebec. The English population in Quebec went from 1% to 10%.
The seigneuries were overpopulated, so there was emigration to the forest regions of Quebec. There was also emigration to the United States as there were more opportunities there. -
Colonization of new regions:
The seigneuries were overpopulated, so there was emigration to the forest regions of Quebec. There was also emigration to the United States as there were more opportunities there.
The overpopulation and exploitation of forests leads to the opening up of new areas: Saguenay, Laurentides, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Mauricie and Outaouais. Moving there was encouraged by the church, as they were not successful unless some natural resources were present. -
Relations with the Native population:
There are business alliances for the fur trade between the Native population and the British. From 1850, there was a designation of land reserved for indigenous people.
Composition of the population:
The majority of the population is still French-Canadian, due to the high birth rate.
The English-speaking population is growing due to waves of immigration.
There is territorial groupement of different ethnic groups in cities. -
After 1815, there were waves of Irish immigration due to the Irish Potato famine. There were also waves of Scottish and English immigration but most settled in cities.
The conditions during the voyage to Canada were difficult, and disease spread. There was the Cholera epidemic. People affected by the Cholera epidemic were sent to a quarantine station at Grosse-Ile. -
Policies to promote immigration:
Sharing federal-provincial powers that have to do with immigration, under the British North-America Act (1867)
The National Policy in 1878 involves immigrant recruitment to populate Canada, land grants, and handing over land to rail companies settling in the west.
Waves of immigration follow international events.
There were discriminatory immigration policies until the end of the Second World War.
Since 1945, there is the diversification of immigration. -
The Indian Act was a law adopted by the federal government in 1876. Its objective was to abolish the tribal system and assimilate the Indian populations.
In 1990, Mohawk warriors established road blocks on the borders to their reserves in Oka just outside Montreal, when a golf course wanted to expand onto native land. The Oka Crisis lasted 78 days, when it came to an end without armed conflict. However, the issues remained. -
The James Bay Cree and the Innu of the North Shore expressed their discontent through demonstrations, speeches, meetings, films and books. The government of Quebec negotiated agreements with the Native people to compensate them for exploiting their territory. This recognition of treaty rights was in the James Bay Agreement in 1975 and in the Peace of the Braves in 2002.
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The people who lived in rural areas moved to urban areas. This is called rural exodus. The cause of this was that, since the rural areas were so overpopulated, there were less jobs available. So, the solution to that was to move to urban areas as there were more job opportunities (such as working in factories).
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The urban and rural populations completely reversed: There were now a larger urban population than rural population. Since the urban population increased, there was a spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centres) on undeveloped land near a city.
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Emigration to the United States and the West became popular due to the lack of employment in the agricultural sector, industrialization, and the “Brain Drain”: When educated and skilled workers leave to seek better opportunities.
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To counter emigration towards the United States, there was an opening up of outlying regions such as Côte-Nord, Abitibi, and Gaspésie, and the territory grew and became more occupied. There were creations of new communities.
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The majority of the population consists of French Canadians. However, the province becomes more diverse over time. In the 20th century, pluriculturalism increases in the big cities. There has been diversification in the population since 1945.
