Key Terms
Define "colony."
Answer: A region dominated by another country.
What was traded during the fur trade?
Answer: Furs, especially beaver pelts, for European goods like tools and weapons.
What was a "habitant"?
Answer: A farmer who worked on seigneurial land in New France.
Name one disease brought by Europeans.
Answer: Smallpox (also acceptable: measles, influenza).
Why did France send the filles du roi?
Answer: To increase the population of New France by marrying settlers.
What is mercantilism?
Answer: A regulated economic system enriching the parent country through colonies.
Who were the "voyageurs"?
Answer: People who transported goods between merchants and fur trade posts.
What did habitants owe their seigneurs?
Answer: Rent, labor, or a portion of their crops.
What impact did the Beaver Wars have on First Nations?
Answer: They caused conflict and displacement among Indigenous groups.
What role did the Catholic Church play?
Answer: Provided moral guidance, education, and healthcare.
Explain a monopoly.
Answer: Exclusive control of a resource by one entity.
Who were the "coureurs de bois"?
Answer: Independent fur traders who often worked in the forests.
Who represented the Catholic Church in New France?
Answer: Priests and missionaries.
Compare the French and British approaches to First Nations.
Answer: The French formed alliances and traded, while the British focused on land acquisition.
Who held the most power in New France?
Answer: The governor, appointed by the king.
What is a "seigneur"?
Answer: A landowner given large plots by the king.
How did the fur trade shape New France’s economy?
Answer: It became the colony’s economic foundation and linked it to European markets.
What was the role of a governor in New France?
Answer: To control military and diplomatic relations.
Answer: To control military and diplomatic relations.
How did colonization affect First Nations?
Answer: Loss of land, exposure to diseases, and cultural disruption.
What were the main challenges of being a habitant?
Answer: Harsh winters, manual labor, and heavy obligations to seigneurs.
Who were the "filles du roi"?
Answer: Young French women were sent to New France to marry settlers.
Why were beaver pelts so valuable in Europe?
Answer: They were used to make fashionable felt hats.
Who was Pierre-Esprit Radisson?
Answer: A French explorer and fur trader who worked for both France and Britain.
What role did First Nations play in the fur trade?
Answer: They trapped furs and acted as guides and trading partners.
How did New France’s society differ from the 13 Colonies?
Answer: New France focused on trade and alliances, while the 13 Colonies emphasized agriculture and settlement.