The French Regime: Economy

Question 1

What is the colonial system?

Answer 1

The mother country obtained resources from the colony

Question 2

What was their economy based on?

Answer 2

Mercantilism

Question 3

What became the basis of the economy in New France?

Answer 3

The fur trade

Question 4

What is mercantilism?

Answer 4

1. Economic policy designed to enrich the mother country

2. The more wealth a country has the more powerful it will be

Question 5

How do you become more powerful?

Answer 5

1. claim colonies to obtain their natural resources
2. transform raw materials from colonies into manufactured goods
3. sell them to other countries/colonies

Question 6

What were some consequences of the fur trade on society and territory?

Answer 6

1. trading posts were established
2. settlement of the colony was slow
3. territory expanded
4. led to rivalry with 13 colonies over control of fur

Question 7

What became the most popular economic activity in New France?

Answer 7

agriculture

Question 8

What were some agricultural related processing activities?

Answer 8

1. grinding grain
2. brewing beer
3. manufacturing canvas and rigging

Question 9

What was agriculture’s effect on the territory?

Answer 9

More land is cultivated, mills and markets established

Question 10

After 1663, the intedants attempted to diversify the economy, but their measures failed. Why?

Answer 10

1. lack of capital (money)
2. scarcity of specialized labour
3. not profitable like the fur trade

Question 11

Why didn’t the mother country support economic diversification in the colony?

Answer 11

France not interested in developping the colony (mercantilism is an obstacle to diversification)

Question 12

What did craft activities lead to?

Answer 12

growth cities since crafts people started to settle in cities in the 17th century