HISTORY OF QUEBEC AND CANADA
MODULE 2
CANADIAN SOCIETY DURING THE FRENCH REGIME
(SUMMATIVE TEST)
 
 

 
1. WHICH  STATEMENT DESCRIBES THE SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM IN NEW FRANCE ? 

A) It was intended to help the chartered companies carry on the fur trade. 

B) It was intended to help develop trade between the seigneurs and the governor of the colony. 

C) It was intended to help establish powerful seigneurs who had the right to control the colonists. 

D) It was intended to help the settlement of colonists by determining in advance the rights and duties of the seigneurs and the censitaires. 
 
 

2. WHICH TWO OF THE FOLLOWING MEASURES WERE TAKEN BY JEAN TALON TO INCREASE NEW FRANCE'S POPULATION BETWEEN 1663 AND 1675 ? 

    1. The opening up of new fur-trading territories 
    2. The adoption of policies that promoted a higher birth rate 
    3. The establishment of new fur-trading companies 
    4. The arrival of the Loyalists at the end of the American Revolution 
    5. The implementation of policies that promoted immigration 
A) 1 and 3                                             C) 2 and 5 
B) 2 and 4                                              D) 3 and 5 
 

 
3. UNDER ROYAL GOVERNMENT WHICH TASKS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE INTENDANT ? 

    1. Training of the militia 
    2. Management of finances 
    3. Administration of justice 
    4. External relations 
    5. Military affairs 
A) 1 and 3                                        C) 2 and 4 
B) 2 and 3                                        D) 4 and 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

4. During the French Regime, France changed the direction of its colony's development. The documents below illustrate three changes which came about as a result. 

WHICH LETTER ON THE TIME LINE DESIGNATES THIS PERIOD OF CHANGE ? 

Document 1 
France changed the colony's administration. From then on, the king's new representatives such as the governor and the intendant had specific powers and the Sovereign Council was the highest court in the colony. 

Document 2 
Shipbuilding emerged. Small vessels for coastal trade and larger ocean-going ships were built at Quebec City. 

Document 3 
Under Talon's admininstration, 2542 colonists were brought to New France. Among them were hired workers, soldiers, filles du roi and poor families. 

                             A)                                 B)                             C)                               D) 
               /______________/______________/_______________/______________/ 

        1640                         1660                          1680                          1700                         1720 
 

 
5. WHICH TWO STATEMENTS EXPLAIN NEW FRANCE'S SLOW INCREASE IN POPULATION  GROWTH ? 

    1. Epidemics reduced New France's population. 
    2. The birth rate in New France was one of the lowest in the world. 
    3. New France's slow industrial development provided little attraction for French immigrants. 
    4. Catholics were forbidden to immigrate to New France. 
    5. Chartered companies, to whom France had entrusted settlement, failed in their obligations. 
A) 1 and 2                          C) 3 and 4 
B) 1 and 5                          D) 3 and 5 
 

6. WHICH TWO OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS CHARACTERIZE THE SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM ? 

Document 1 
Most of the land fronted on a river (the rivers being the only reliable highways) and land was divided into long, narrow strips running back from the river. Homes clustered together at the river's edge. 

Document 2 
He had certain responsibilities towards his colonists and government but at the same time he enjoyed certain privileges. As well, he was expected to fulfill certain obligations towards his censitaires. 

Document 3 
Land was divided into townships consisting of ten concessions, each concession having 28 lots. 

Document 4 
There were a few company agents, some interpreters and some soldiers. The few buildings were used for storage, trading centres and living quarters. 

Document 5 
Along the river banks there appeared numerous sawmills, where logs carried down by the current were cut into boards and beams. 

A) 1 and 2                                  C) 3 and 4 
B) 1 and 3                                  D) 4 and 5 
 

7. The seigneurial system played a major role in the settlement of New France. 

WHICH SET CORRECTLY DESCRIBES THE ECONOMIC, GEOGRAPHIC  AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THIS ROLE ? 

Under the seigneurial system, 

    1. the farms were rectangular in shape and perpendicular to the river; 
    2. the people put their efforts into developing agriculture; 
    3. the corvées (free labour) promoted the exchange of services. 
               Economic                Geographic              Social  
               Aspect                      Aspect                      Aspect  

A)                 1                               2                               3 
B)                 2                                1                               3 
C)                 3                                1                               2 
D)                 3                                2                               1 
 

8. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING EXPLAINS NEW FRANCE'S LOW POPULATION BY 1760 ? 

A) After fulfilling their contract, the hired workers were  free to return to France. If they chose to stay in Canada, the seigneur would help them start a farm. 

B) New France offered hardly any commercial outlets. The fur trade, which was the basis of the colony's economy, required only a small number of European traders. 

C) The government of France sent  a number of carefully selected young women of marriageable age, les filles du roi. Through the offer of free land many disbanded soldiers were encouraged to settle in Canada. 

D) During the eighteenth century,the Canadian birth rate remained stable at about 55 births per 1000 population, one of the highest in the world.  The average family had seven children. 
 

9. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS REFLECTS THE NEW APPROACH OF THE KING OF FRANCE TOWARDS NEW FRANCE FROM 1663 ONWARD? 

A) The King governed the colony through a governor and an intendant. 

B) The King left the development of the colony to the chartered companies. 

C) The King left the responsibility of governing the colony to the Canadiens themselves. 

D) The King was concerned only with the colony's external affairs and showed no interest in its internal policies. 
 

10. FROM THE LIST BELOW, SELECT TWO AIMS OF THE SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM. 

    1. To strengthen New France's system of defence. 
    2. To rapidly increase the wealth of the colonists. 
    3. To allow for a better distribution of land. 
    4. To facilitate the organization of trading companies. 
    5. To encourage settlement. 
A) 1 and 2                                                  C) 3 and 4 
B) 2 and 5                                                  D) 3 and 5 
 
 

11. The Catholic Church played various important roles in the development of the society of New France. 

WHICH SET LISTS THE ROLES OF THE CHURCH UNDER THE FRENCH REGIME? 

A)  Converting the Amerindians to Christianity 
      Educating the young 
      Trading in brandy 

B)  Administering the townships 
      Participating in trading companies 
      Caring for the sick 

C)  Educating the young 
      Caring for the sick 
      Administering the chartered companies 

D)  Converting the Amerindians to Christianity 
       Educating the young 
       Caring for the elderly 
 

12. FROM EACH OF THE SETS BELOW, SELECT THE STATEMENT THAT DESCRIBES NEW FRANCE TOWARD THE END OF THE FRENCH REGIME. 

POLITICAL ASPECTS  
1. The colony was governed by a chartered company. 
2. The colony was administered by the Governor, the Intendant and the other members of the Sovereign Council. 
3. The colony had a legislative assembly. 

ECONOMIC ASPECTS  
4. Fishing was the only profitable activity. 
5. The fur trade, fishing, agriculture and a few crafts occupied most of the colony's labour force. 
6. The timber industry replaced the fur trade as the colony's principal economic activity. 

SOCIAL ASPECTS  
7. The majority of the population was made up of adventurers who were seeking fame and fortune. 
8. The population lived primarily in towns. 
9. The population had adapted successfully and developed a sense of belonging to the colony. 

A) 1, 5, 8                                               C) 2, 6, 7 
B) 2, 5, 9                                                D) 3, 4, 9 
 

13. WHICH THREE STATEMENTS BELOW DESCRIBE NEW FRANCE IN THE MID-18TH CENTURY? 

    1. Poor economic development affected the settlement of New France. 
    2. The large supply of furs attracted many colonists to New France. 
    3. New France's political system was based on democratic principles. 
    4. The king ruled the colony through the governor and intendant. 
    5. The Church in New France played a role in almost all aspects of daily life. 
    6. New France was safe from the threat of an English attack. 
A) 1, 2, 6                                             C) 2, 3, 5 
B) 1, 4, 5                                              D) 3, 4, 6 
 
 
 
 

14. WHICH THREE CHARACTERISTICS DESCRIBE THE SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM DURING THE FRENCH REGIME? CHOOSE ONE CHARACTERISRIC FROM EACH OF THE THREE CATEGORIES PRESENTED. 

 PURPOSE 
1. To promote the fur trade. 
2. To promote settlement. 

LAND DIVISION 
3. Long, narrow strips of land perpendicular  to the river. 
4. Square plots of land, some of which were reserved for the clergy. 

DUTY 
5. Farmers who lived on and farmed the land had to pay an annual rent, called the cens et rentes. 
6. Farmers who farmed the land had to give part of their harvest to the governor. 
. 
A) 1, 3, 5                                          C) 2, 3, 5 
B) 1, 4, 6                                          D) 2,4, 6 
 

15. In New France, around 1750, almost 75 percent of the population lived in the country. Life in the city and in the country differed in many ways. 

WHICH THREE OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE USUALLY LIVED IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THEIR OCCUPATION? 

          1. Innkeeper                                                         4. Intendant 
          2. Censitaire                                                         5. Miller 
          3. Governor                                                          6. Seigneur 

A) 1, 2, 3                                                C) 2, 5, 6 
B) 1, 4, 5                                                 D) 3, 4, 6 
 

16. WHAT TWO FACTORS PROMOTED THE SETTLEMENT OF NEW FRANCE? 

    1. Mercantilism did not allow colonial industries to compete with those of the mother country. 
    2. The king's advisors did not want  to populate New France at France's expense. 
    3. By establishing the seigneurial system, the king encouraged the distribution of land. 
    4. The fur trade promoted a nomadic way of life rather than a sedentary one. 
    5. The granting of land to members of the military encouraged them to settle in the colony. 
A) 1 and 3                                                 C) 2 and 5 
B) 2 and 4                                                 D) 3 and 5 
 

17. The following four events occurred during a specific period in the history of New France. 

  • The establishment of Royal Government 
  • The arrival of the filles du roi 
  • The exploration of the Mississippi by Jolliet, Marquette and La Salle 
WITH WHAT PERIOD IN HISTORY ARE THESE EVENTS ASSOCIATED ? 
 

                           A)                                 B)                             C)                               D) 
               /______________/______________/_______________/______________/ 

        1600                         1630                          1660                          1690                         1720 

 

18. WHICH TWO STATEMENTS DESCRIBE THE NOBILITY OF NEW FRANCE ? 

    1. The intendant and his officials administered financial affairs and economic development in the colony. 
    2. Priests were close to their parishioners and had considerable influence over them. 
    3. Skilled in the life of the wilderness, the coureurs de bois were the backbone of the fur trade. 
    4.The  bishop who was both French and an aristocrat who answered to the pope. 
    5.The censitaire lived in a frame house with a straw-thatched, peaked, wooden roof. 
A) 1 and 2                                                        C) 2 and 4 
B) 1 and 4                                                        D) 3 and 5 
 

19. WHY DID FRANCE INTRODUCE THE SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM IN NEW FRANCE? 

    1. To establish a trading colony. 
     2. To help the Amerindians learn about farming. 
    3. To attract as many colonists as possible. 
    4. To prevent English colonists from settling on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. 
    5. To develop the land along the St. Lawrence River in an organized manner. 
A) 1 and 3                                                           C) 2 and 5 
B) 2 and 4                                                           D) 3 and 5 
 

20. WHICH TWO TEXTS BELOW ILLUSTRATE THE DESIRE TO INCREASE THE POPULATION IN NEW FRANCE AFTER 1663 ? 

Item 1 
Jean Alain wanted to become a priest. He wished to enroll in the seminary in Quebec City where he would be able to study theology. His older sister had been an Ursuline nun for 10 years. 

Item 2 
Joseph Richard was a coureur de bois for the Company of One Hundred Associates. He explored new regions by canoe. His contact with the Amerindians led him to adopt their customs. 

Item 3 
Marie left the port of La Rochelle in France with 90 other young women. After a difficult voyage, they arrived at Quebec City during the summer; 84 of them were married by mid-November. 

Item 4 
Gaspard Courtemanche had been living in the Beauport seigneurie for the past 12 years. Uninterested in farming, his son became a shoemaker and opened a shop in Quebec City. 

Item 5 
Pierre de Saurel, officer in the Carignan Salières Regiment, was sent to New France by Minister Colbert to impose peace on the Iroquois nations. Once peace was established, the regiment's soldiers were invited to settle in the colony. Over 400 of them accepted. 

A) 1 and 3                                                  C) 2 and 5 
B) 2 and 4                                                  D) 3 and 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

21. WHICH TWO FACTORS DISCOURAGED SETTLEMENT OF THE COLONY ? 

    1. Royal Government 
    2. French mercantilism 
    3. The seigneurial system 
    4. The fur trade 
    5. The Church 
A) 1 and 2                                                 C) 3 and 4 
B) 2 and 4                                                  D) 3 and 5 
 

22. The texts below characterize a period in the history of New France. 

ROYAL GOVERNMENT  
Dissatisfied with the government of his colony, Louis XIV decided to take control of New France. He created new political and administrative structures. A sovereign council made up of a governor, an intendant and a bishop would oversee the colony. 

POPULATION  
The French minister Colbert appointed Talon intendant of New France. Upon arrival in Quebec City, Talon carried out a census. The results underlined the small population of the colony. Within seven years, the intendant had succeeded in more than doubling the population from 3215 to 6700. 

EXPLORATION  
Exploration was strongly encouraged by Intendant Talon. Wishing to explore the continent, to occupy the main access routes to the interior and to control the fur supply, the intendant sent explorers out in every direction. Albanel, Jolliet and Marquette were among these explorers. 
 

WITH WHAT PERIOD IN HISTORY ARE THESE EVENTS ASSOCIATED ? 
 

                               A)                               B)                             C)                               D) 
               /______________/______________/_______________/______________/ 

        1640                         1660                          1860                          1700                         1720 

 
23. The social structure of New France was quite simple.  It consisted of the following social groups. 

     a) Nobility 
     b) Bourgeoisie 
     c) Common people
 MATCH EACH OF THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS WITH ONE OF THESE  SOCIAL GROUPS. 
    1. I run a large import-export business in Quebec City. 
    2. At the request of the King, I have come to New France to become governor. 
    3. I am a peasant; my two sons have left home. One works in the shipyard and one is a coureurs des bois. 
    4. As bishop, I am head of the Catholic Church in New France.
 A) 1a,    2b,    3c,   4b                       C) 1b,    2c,    3a,    4a 
 B) 1b,    2a,    3c,   4a                        D) 1c,    2c,    3b,    4c 
 
 
 
 
 
 

24. Colonial authorities experienced great difficulty in settling New France. To make their task easier, they granted a piece of land to a seigneur who was to recruit colonists and help them getsettled. 

 WHAT WERE TWO ADVANTAGES OF BEING A SEIGNEUR IN NEW FRANCE? 

    1. Controlling all the wealth from his land 
    2. Sitting on the Sovereign Council 
    3. Becoming an army officer 
    4. Collecting rent and other revenues for the land concessions 
    5. Benefiting from the free labour of his tenants
A) 1 and 2                             C) 3 and 5 
B) 2 and 3                              D) 4 and 5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

MODULE 2 

CORRECTION KEY 
 

  1. D                      13. B 

  2. C                      14. C 

  3. B                      15. C 

  4. B                      16. D 

  5. D                      17. C 

  6. A                      18. B 

  7. B                      19. D 

  8. B                      20. D 
  
  9. A                     21. B 

  10. D                   22. B 

  11. D                   23. B 

  12. B                   24. D