An Influential Church

In New France
The Catholic Church was very influential in
New France
The Church was a gathering place for social
events
Sunday masse played a central role in the
peoples life
People had to go to masse
Children had to be baptized
The Church also continued to evangelized to
the Aboriginals
The Church played a role in the economic
development of New France

The richest and largest seigneuries belonged
to the Church
For Example the entire Island of Montreal was
given to Sulpicians Order in 1663
They owned a quarter of all seigneuries and a
third of the population lived on them

They also collect tithe (money) from the
peasants who worked their land
The Catholic Church also had political power
A Bishop also sat in Sovereign Council
(Government)

The clergy who worked as missionaries to the
natives knew their language so they played a
political role in negotiations
Priest worked on behalf of the government to
promote the Government interest to the
settlers
The Priest maintained the register of acts of
civil status (births, deaths, and marriages)

Canadien Culture

Over time the colonists developed a culture
different than that of France
The colonists called themselves habitants
instead of paysans a word used in France
Contrary to the nobles, the habitants
appeared to have little connection to France

From French To Canadien

Settlers in New France found their economic,
political social structure similar to that of
France
The territory was different so they had to
adjust which changed them
Contact with the aboriginals also helped
changed the lives of the colonists

Life in a New Setting

Settlers had to adapt quickly to their new
environment
Settlers had to learn to survive on their own as
people lived far apart
They to adapt to long cold winters
They used the cold to preserve food

Homes were built similar to homes in France
The abundance of meat and fish meant they
ate better than in France
Colonists traded with the Aboriginals
Some colonists marry Aboriginals women

Aboriginals helped the settlers adjust to the
new territory
Colonists adapted Aboriginals clothing (fur
coats and moccasins) to protect against the
cold
Colonists also adapted bark canoe, toboggans
and snowshoe

The habitants had cleared and worked the
land so they felt a connection to it. Plus they
had their own way of life and culture distinct
from France
Their everyday language had evolved to
reflect their new reality
They were Canadiens, not French