🍁History of Canada – Before 1867 Unit 2 – European Colonization in Early Canada

Key Players and Motivations

• European powers (France, England, Spain, Portugal) sought to expand their influence and wealth through colonization
• Monarchs and governments sponsored expeditions to claim new territories and resources
• Merchants and investors financed voyages in pursuit of profitable trade opportunities
• Explorers and navigators (Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain) embarked on journeys to discover new lands and trade routes
• Missionaries (Jesuits, Récollets) aimed to spread Christianity and convert Indigenous peoples
• Fur traders and coureurs des bois ventured into the interior to establish trading relationships with Indigenous nations
• Indigenous leaders and communities responded to European presence with a range of strategies (cooperation, resistance, adaptation)
• Competing colonial interests led to rivalries and conflicts between European powers

Early Exploration and Contact

• Viking expeditions reached L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland around 1000 CE, establishing short-lived settlements
• John Cabot's voyage in 1497 marked the beginning of British exploration and claims in North America
• Jacques Cartier's expeditions (1534-1542) explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and established French presence in Canada
  • Cartier's first voyage discovered Prince Edward Island, the Magdalen Islands, and the Gaspé Peninsula
  • His second voyage reached Stadacona (Quebec City) and Hochelaga (Montreal)
• Samuel de Champlain's explorations (1603-1635) laid the foundation for French colonization in New France
  • Champlain established settlements in Acadia (Port-Royal) and Quebec (Quebec City)
  • He forged alliances with Indigenous nations (Huron-Wendat, Algonquin) against the Iroquois Confederacy
• Early contact between Europeans and Indigenous peoples led to cultural exchanges, trade relationships, and the spread of diseases

Settlement Patterns and Strategies

• French settlements focused on the St. Lawrence Valley (Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Montreal) and Acadia
  • Seigneurial system divided land into long, narrow strips (seigneuries) granted to seigneurs who recruited settlers (habitants)
  • Settlements were often located near rivers for transportation and trade
• British settlements initially concentrated in Newfoundland for fishing and later expanded to the Thirteen Colonies
• Fur trade posts and missions were established in the interior to facilitate trade and convert Indigenous peoples
• Indigenous settlement patterns were influenced by traditional land use, seasonal migrations, and responses to European presence
• Métis communities emerged from the intermarriage of European fur traders and Indigenous women
• Fortified towns and military outposts were built to defend colonial interests and control key waterways

Economic Activities and Resource Exploitation

• Fur trade became the dominant economic activity in early colonial Canada
  • Beaver pelts were highly valued in Europe for making felt hats
  • Trading posts and alliances with Indigenous nations were established to secure fur supplies
• Fishing industry thrived in the Atlantic region, particularly cod fishing in Newfoundland
• Whaling and sealing provided additional marine resources for export
• Timber and lumber industries developed to meet the demand for shipbuilding and construction materials
• Agricultural activities included subsistence farming and the cultivation of crops (wheat, maize, peas) for local consumption
• Mining operations extracted resources such as iron ore and copper for export
• Indigenous peoples participated in the fur trade as suppliers, middlemen, and consumers of European goods

Indigenous-European Relations

• Early encounters ranged from cooperation and trade to conflict and displacement
• Indigenous nations played a crucial role in the fur trade as suppliers, guides, and military allies
  • Huron-Wendat and Algonquin allied with the French against the Iroquois Confederacy
  • Iroquois Confederacy initially traded with the Dutch and later the British
• Missionaries sought to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity and establish mission communities
  • Jesuit missions among the Huron-Wendat (Sainte-Marie among the Hurons) aimed to create self-sufficient Christian communities
• Intermarriage between European men and Indigenous women (country marriages) created kinship ties and facilitated trade
• Diseases introduced by Europeans (smallpox, measles, influenza) devastated Indigenous populations
• Land disputes and competition for resources led to conflicts and the displacement of Indigenous communities

Colonial Governance and Institutions

• French colonial administration was centralized under the authority of the King and his appointed officials
  • Governor oversaw military and diplomatic affairs
  • Intendant managed civil administration, justice, and economic development
  • Catholic Church played a significant role in education, healthcare, and missionary work
• British colonies were initially governed by joint-stock companies (London and Bristol Company in Newfoundland) and later by appointed governors
• Sovereign Council (Conseil Souverain) served as the governing body in New France, composed of the Governor, the Bishop, and the Intendant
• Seigneurial system in New France granted land and privileges to seigneurs in exchange for their loyalty and military service
• Fur trade companies (Company of One Hundred Associates, Hudson's Bay Company) were granted monopolies and responsible for colonization efforts
• Indigenous systems of governance, such as the Iroquois Confederacy and the Huron-Wendat Confederacy, continued to function alongside colonial institutions

Cultural and Social Impacts

• European colonization introduced new languages (French, English), religions (Catholicism, Anglicanism), and cultural practices to Canada
• Missionaries established schools and hospitals, aiming to assimilate Indigenous children into European culture
• Intermarriage between Europeans and Indigenous peoples gave rise to the Métis culture and identity
• Colonial society was hierarchical, with a small elite of administrators, clergy, and wealthy merchants at the top
• Habitants in New France lived as tenant farmers under the seigneurial system, with obligations to their seigneur
• Indigenous societies experienced significant disruptions to their traditional ways of life, including loss of land, forced relocation, and cultural suppression
• Artistic and literary expressions emerged, reflecting the experiences and perspectives of colonial life (journals, maps, drawings)
• Foodways and culinary traditions blended Indigenous and European influences (maple syrup, pemmican, tourtière)

Conflicts and Power Struggles

• Rivalry between France and Britain for colonial dominance led to a series of wars (Beaver Wars, King William's War, Queen Anne's War)
  • Iroquois Confederacy played a key role in these conflicts, shifting alliances between the French and British
• Fur trade competition fueled conflicts between colonial powers and Indigenous nations
  • French-allied Huron-Wendat were decimated by Iroquois attacks in the 1640s
  • British-allied Iroquois Confederacy sought to control the fur trade and expand their territory
• Acadian Expulsion (1755-1764) saw the forced removal of Acadians by the British during the French and Indian War
• Fall of New France in 1760 marked the end of French colonial rule and the beginning of British dominance in Canada
  • Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759) and the capitulation of Montreal (1760) sealed the fate of New France
• Royal Proclamation of 1763 reorganized the British colonies and aimed to regulate relations with Indigenous peoples
• Pontiac's War (1763-1766) was an Indigenous resistance movement against British colonial policies and expansion