The Royal Colony Student Activities

As a map exercise, compare the New France of the time of the establishment of Royal Government with the Quebec of today.

Draw a diagram indicating the new Royal Government in 1663.

List Jean Talon's innovations.

Research the exploits of the explorers of the seventeenth century. On a map, indicate where they explored. You might use a different colour code for each country.

What significant conclusions did Talon derive from the first census conducted in Canada? What programs did he institute in order to address them?

Assess Louis XIV's impact on New France.

Conduct a meeting of the Sovereign Council as it discusses the issue of maintaining security with the aboriginal threat.

Immigrants come either due to 'push' or 'pull' factors. Define the two terms. Then, make a list of factors under both categories explaining why immigrants came to New France. Examine the two lists and write a conclusion as to which set of factors was more important.

Louis XIV was an absolutist monarch. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of an absolutist system?

Put yourself in the position of a fille de roi. Write a journal entry on the eve of your departure for New France expressing your feelings at that moment. Then write a letter from New France after having been there for six months. Point out what your new life is like and again indicate what your feelings are.

Put yourself in the role of the governor. You are concerned about the increasing number and lawlessness with the coureur de bois. Write a new law that would curb their activities.

Research the role played by fourteen-year old Madeleine de Vercheres.

Role-play the arrival of les filles de roi as they are met on the dock of Quebec.

The 1666 census revealed that out of a total population of 3 215, 2 034 were male and 1 181 were female. Draw a pie graph indicating this gender breakdown. Suggest reasons for the discrepancy between men and women in New France.

What was the agreement that was entered into between the fur trading companies and France? Who do you think got the better of the deal? Why?

Which type of immigrant, indentured servant, coureur de bois, filles de roi, missionary, soldier, or farmer had the most problems with adjusting to the new lifestyle in New France? Which had the easiest time? Provide reasons in both cases.

Along a timeline, indicate the respective degree of power held by the three major officials on the Sovereign Council. Who became more important and who became less powerful? Can you suggest reasons in both cases?

Negotiate and write an official treaty of peace between the French and the Iroquois.

While only four people counted in Jean Talon's census were over the age of 81, 1 250 were under sixteen years of age. Can you suggest reasons in both cases?

Why did Colbert think that New France was going to make France wealthy and powerful?

Write a letter that Colbert might have written to the fur trading companies explaining his disappointment in their actions?

Analyze why Louis XIV decided to take over the direct administration of the colony of New France.

Compare Royal Government with aboriginal government. Did they arrive at decisions in similar or different ways? Which system do you think was more 'democratic?' Why?

How successful do you think Talon's plan to diversify the economy of New France was?

In groups of three, one being Governor Frontenac, one being Bishop Laval, and one being Intendant Talon, debate the use of brandy in the fur trade.

Compare the lives of les filles du roi with the war brides of the twentieth century.

Research the various fur trading companies (using HCO and other sources). Does any one of them stand out as superior to the others? If so, which one? Can you suggest reasons for that situation?

What is mercantilism? How did it affect New France?

Why did France opt initially to hand over the administration of New France to the fur trading companies?

Write a eulogy for Frontenac, Laval, or Intendant.

Write a newspaper article, complete with headline that might have appeared in a Paris paper about the start of Royal Government.