Royal Government of New
France
MERCANTILISM AND FIRST GOVERNMENT
New France
 New France was
established in 1604 and
became a royal province in
the new world in 1663.
 Louis XIV established New
France after declaring war
on the Iroquois.
 New France was in North
America
 It stretched from
Newfoundland to the Gulf
of Mexico when it was at
the height of it’s power.
New France was separated into
five colonies; Canada, Acadia,
Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, and
Louisiana.
Louis XIV
•Also known as the Sun King,
Louis became king when he was
4 years old, and he reigned 72
years, the longest reign of a
French Monarch
•Louis demanded that he take
power from the nobles
•He wanted to make himself
farther and farther away from his
peasants
•Sent the Filles du Roi to
populate New France
Government
 New France was often
called a Royal
Government.
 Overall three
functionaries ran New
France after the King, the
Intendant, Governor,
and the Bishop.
Government
 The Governor and the
Intendant carefully
watched the population
and brought in more
people when needed.
 The King was still under
the control of France.
 But he was more able to
keep things under
control.
Mother Country
 The mother country was
the homeland of a
person.
 To the new citizens of
New France, France was
their homeland.
 The Mother Country was
part of a system called
Mercantilism.
Mercantilism
 Mercantilism was an
economic system that was
used to increase the mother
countries wealth. (France)
 The best way to gain money
was to buy less and sell
more.
 Merchants sold things to
foreign countries.
 They also bought items to
sell within their native
countries.
Mercantilism
 The country would
produce everything it
needed for its people.
 This cut costs down on
imports, while gaining
money on exports.
 Wealth was gained in the
mother country at the
expense of other
countries.
Mercantilism
 That all raw materials made in
the Mother country be used in
domestic manufacture, since
finished goods have a higher
value than raw materials.
 That as much as possible,
imports be confined to raw
materials that can be finished
later. (in the mother country)
 That opportunities be
constantly sought for selling
the mother country's goods to
other countries.
 That no foreign goods come in
if such goods are sufficiently
and suitably supplied at home.
New France need’s help
 In the 1650’s New France
was severely under
populated
 They were at risk of falling
prey to hostile Iroquois.
 In 1660, settler Adam
Dollard des Ormeaux led a
band of men against a
much larger Iroquois force;
none of the Canadians
survived, but they
succeeded in turning back
the Iroquois invasion.
France sends help
 Therefore Louis XIV
made France a royal
province in 1663.
 Now New France could
have supplies sent from
France and could have a
larger military force.
 New leaders were
appointed and a
government established.
 Jean Talon was also sent
as First Intendant.
Jean Talon
 Jean Talon was the First




Intendant of New France.
He encouraged agriculture,
fishing, lumbering, and
industry, as well as fur
trade.
His mission was to boost
the population, and make it
self supportive.
He also worked to cause
the surrender of the
Iroquois.
He worked to help improve
the royal French army.
Jean Talon
 He established
Mercatilism with three
levels: nobles, clergy,
people.
 Jean Talon was like a
prime minister but he
served Louis XIV back in
France.
 He brought around 900
Filles de Roi to new
France.
Filles de Roi
 The Filles du Roi (King’s
Daughters) were not very
attractive, widowed, old, or
they could not get married.
 They were sent to New
France in order to help
repopulate there.
 The men would marry, and
build a family.
 Then they would not leave
France because they had
responsibilities to their
family there.
Iroquois Rivalry
•Not all times in New France
was good.
•The Iroquois were
attacking them.
•Fighting was sporadic .
•Never open warfare,
guerrilla.
•Louis de Frontenac tried to
establish peace with them,
couldn’t.
Marquis De Tracy
 Tracy was an aristocrat a
states man and a military
leader
 Tracy was the first
governor of New France
 He claimed war against
the Iroquois
 Tracy and Jean also
worked together to
repopulate New France
Marquis De Tracy
 After Tracy conquered
the Iroquois, the natives
learned the French
language
 This helped their trade
 They were also forced to
convert to be Roman
Catholics.
Francois de Laval
• In 1658, de Laval was made Bishop
of Quebec
•Louis XIV sent him to New France
and appointed him as Vicar
Apostolic
•He founded the Séminaire de
Québec, a society of Jesuit priests
•This Seminary was to be the training
ground for future priests
•“ There is not a friend better than
Jesus Christ ”
The Seigneurial System
 The Seigneurial System
was introduced to New
France in 1627
 15km Plots that usually
ran along the river side.
 They were divided into
smaller plots, but were
still long.
The Seigneurial System
 The habitants would pay
taxes to use the land.
 The Seigneurial System
was brought to New
France because of the St.
Lawrence River.
 It was a source of water,
and a means of
transportation.