Canadian History - Exploration and First Settlement - the Growth of New France

Exploration and first settlement:

-The first people who came to North America arrived during the last ice age which begun about 80 000 years ago and ended 12 000 years ago. These people were native hunters whom crossed from Asia, which is now buried under the sea. The first human to have settled was at the bluefish caves in the Yukon. This is also where artifacts as old as 12 000-17 000 years old was found. These humans obtained there food from hunting, fishing, gathering, and also by farming. But by the time the Europeans came the natives had already developed trading patterns such as arts, crafts, writing, they knew there language and there religious beliefs, laws and government. In 1978, the site in northern Newfoundland was declared a world heritage park by the United Nations. By the 15th and 16th century European exploration took place. In the year 1497 Giovanni Caboto an Italian sailing for England, landed on the Canadian coast and claimed the land for Henry the VII, but he died the next year on his second voyage, but his expedition did open up rich fishing grounds in the grand banks. Jacques Cartier was searching for Asia when he found the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1534. Cartier's discoveries gave France a claim to Canada and led to the first French settlement. By 1605 Sieur de Roberval and Samuel de Chamlain established the colony of Port Royal and what is now Novia Scotia.

The growth of New France:

-In 1627 Cardinal Richelieu granted a fur trading monopoly to the company of one hundred associates, on the condition that it brought out several hundred settlers every year. 1629 war broke out between France and England where Quebec was captured. In 1633 the company of one hundred associates failed to keep there end of the agreement. Montreal was founded in 1642 and soon became the centre of the fur trading business. 1635 there was no more leader because Chamlain died that year.

Royal Government in New France:

-1663 New France became a crown colony according to King Louis XIV. The governor was charged with defense because he was responsible for the fur trade, industry, and administrative affaires. Frontenacs support for the fur trade not only raised profits but encouraged exploration too. In the 18th century there was the loss of the colony due to the series of wars.

The collapse of New France:

-By the 18th century New France stretched as far as the Hudsons Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, and also from Newfoundland to the Great Lakes. In the Atlantic region there were several hundred colonists in Newfoundland and another 1500 in Acadia. In the heartland of New France there was the settlement of about 20 000 colonists in Montreal. Military expenditure was turning the colony into a financial burden for France. A war broke out between the English and the French colonists in the Ohio valley in 1754. 1763, the treaty broke the seven year war. France had fallen because of continues military defeats at Louisburg and Quebec.

The first year of British Rule:

1763 The royal proclamation was imposed by the British Government about the newly acquired territories of New France. Because the French were under British law no Roman Catholic could hold office. Governor James Murray felt that the loyalty of the French colonists would be gained by fair treatment; his sympathies provoked a storm of protest by the British colonists in Quebec that got him recalled. But his successor Guy Carlton advised the government in London to replace the proclamation with more liberal legislation and this resulted in the Quebec act of 1774 which resulted in expanding the borders of the colony to include the rich lands of Ohio valley. However this angered the colonists of the thirteen colonies and there was talk about a revolution, in 1775 an invading American army took over Montreal but not Quebec. New Brunswick was formed when about 30 000 colonist fled from the USA to the Maritimes and Quebec. The coming of 10 000 loyalties into Quebec led to the division of the colony and soon became Upper Canada in 1791. But during these drastic changes fur trading was still an important economic activity in the BNA, and