Growth of New France

1
Growth of New France

• How did France encourage population growth in New
  France?
• Immigration Policies Three types of immigrants
  settled in New France
• Les filles du roi about 900 orphan girls sent
  over by the King because of the shortage of women
  in the colony. In 1666, when the first census was
  taken, there was one woman for every sixteen men
  in the colony.
• Soldiers who came with the Carignan-Salières
  Regiment were offered free land after having
  completed their military service.
• Les engagés(hired workers) who agreed to come and
  work in New France for 3 years.
• Between 1663 and 1670, about 2500 immigrants
  settled in New France.  However, New France did
  not attract many immigrants because of the cold
  climate, fear of Iroquois attacks and a long,
  difficult trip from France. Furthermore, France
  was not interested in depopulating her own
  population in order to populate the colony.
  Therefore, most of New France's population growth
  stemmed from a high birth rate.                   
                                                    
                             

2
Growth of New France

• Jean Talon was appointed Intendant of New France
  (1665-l672) by King Louis XIV. During this
  period, the population of the colony doubled from
  3215 in 1666 to more than 7000 in 1672.
• New France's population increased through
  immigration and a high birth rate.
• To increase the birth rate in the colony
  Intendant Talon initiated a series of measures to
  encourage large families and rapid population
  growth.  
• men and women were encouraged to marry young and
  have large families
• fathers were fined if children did not  marry
  before a certain age
• family allowances were paid to families with over
  10 children
• payments were made to couples who married young
• bachelors were fined and not allowed to take part
  in the fur trade
• Result
• In 1681, New France's population was 10,000. By
  l760, it had increased to 70,000.