Women of Early Canada
The female immigrants of New France were categorized into twogroups. The first group were the religious figures that came to enhance thereligious aspects of new settlers. These women began to arrive in 1639 andcontinued on into the 18th century. The second group were the devotes andthe filles du roi, brought over to marry the settlers and increase the populationof the newly developing nation. They arrived in New France between 1663to 1673. The lives of these women differed greatly to that of the women inthe old country. It is said that the women in New France had many privilegesthat didn't exist in Old France. Jan Noel's article, "New France: Les FemmesFavorisees" and Jacques Mathieu's article, "New France: The French inNorth America, XVI-XVIIITH Century," discuss the role of women in NewFrance and how privileged their lives were. "Many a man, observing the women of New France, was struck by theadvantages they possessed in education, cultivation and that quality calledesprit or wit."1 Historians have found documents that describe the waywomen in New France were seen by men of Old France. "A young womanhad lost her understanding and reason because she had given herself for
"3 Women helped in the fields and managedthe farms, but they also had a role in business operations. The reasoning behind this comfort was that people of society saw themselvesas a group rather than individuals. The majority of the women came from the north ofFrance, where they were more educated, enjoyed fuller legal rights, and weremore involved in commerce. , she had kept herwits, and might have improved them usefully and honourably in the placeGod had sent her. Instead, he discusses the general social structuringof society, without focusing on women. Women of the ancien regime were often generalized as not beingrelegated to the private, domestic sphere of human activity because thatsphere did not yet exist. The new privileges the women of New France obtained were theresult of three factors- the ancien regime, the demographic configuration, andthe colonial economy. Mathieu's article doesn't deny or agree with the assertion of women beingprivileged in New France. Women in New France were involved in all aspects of the colony. They had not yet learned how to separate privateand public life. Secondly, women were in short supply in the early years of the colony'sdevelopment, a situation that worked in their favour. 9 "Comely or homely, strong or weak, any young woman was toovaluable to be overlooked, and most could find a man with prospects. Adultery was a very serious matter and wasn't looked lightlyupon, yet women were often given lesser punishments then their malecounterparts.
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