1534 : Jacques Cartier leaves Saint-Malo for his first voyage towards the west. He finds himself in the Gulf of the Saint-Laurent. In Gaspé, he takes possession of these lands in the name of France, by planting a big wooden cross bearing three fleur de lys, the arms of France. In 1541, Cartier founds Charlesbourg-Royal, the first French settlement in the New World. 1537 : Pope Paul III proclaims the Sublimis Deus accroding to which the Savages «being truly men, are apt to receive Christian faith.» |
Jacques Cartier in Gaspé |
1663: Louis XIV cancels the contract of the Compagnie des Cent Associés since it had failed to transport thousands of settlers to New France. The king thus takes direct control of the colony and establishes a Royal Government, composed of a gouverneur, an intendant and the Conseil Souverain. Louis XIV's most important minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, is to see to the well-being of the colony through the Ministère de la Marine. 1663: Arrival of the «filles du roi» (the King's daughters, approximately 775 women). The majority of them will establish themselves in the city of Québec and about half of them will marry there. 1665: Jean Talon becomes the intendant of New France and the colony knows a great period of growth and prosperity. On that same year, Louis XIV send the Carignan-Salières regiment to counter the Iroquois threat. Of the 1300 soldiers who set foot in the colony, about 400 will choose to stay and found families. |
Jean Talon |
1701: The Great Peace of Montréal is finally signed between the French and the Iroquois. This treaty allows the development of new parishes and villages on the island of Montréal. Lamothe-Cadillac founds Détroit, a western military outpost. 1711: The British mount an invasion of Québec and Hovender Walker is named Commander-in-chief. As the impressive fleet penetrates the Saint-Laurent river, eight ships hit reefs and sink, causing the death of 900 people. The war council decides to turn back. 1713: Acadie is now definitely British. It becomes quickly apparent that the new British masters have no intention to respect the liberties of the Acadien population. They are forbidden to leave the colony, thus ensuring that they will not reinforce the militias of New France. They are also needed to provide food to the British troops. In 1730, lieutenant Lawrence Armstrong begins to distribute lands to Boston colonists but refuses to do the same for the Acadiens whose population is growing quickly. 1713: With the signature of the Utrecht treaty, France must abandon Newfoundland and the Hudson Bay to the British. New France is now strategically surrounded by British territories. 1718 : Foundation of Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans). 1734: A terrible fire in Montréal destroys 46 houses an an old historical church. A young black slave called Marie-Joseph-Angélique is found guilty of lighting the blaze and is hanged. After this disaster, the intendant Bégon orders that all houses will from now on be built of stones. |
French soldier |
1759 : The English attack Québec city once more, under the orders of general James Wolfe. The marquis de Montcalm defends Québec. After a long conflict that leaves the city in ruins and the entire region devastated, the city falls to the English. 1760: France sends no reinforcements to the colony, and the betrayed Canadiens inhabitants refuse to take up arms. Montréal surrenders to the enemy. The English refuse the honors of war to the French troops. Chevalier de Lévis chooses to break his sword and burn his flags rather than surrender them to the invader. These events mark the end of New France, as les Canadiens become subjects of the British crown. |