Contributions of women in the development of New France
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In the modern world, it is appears challenging to understand that the massive areas of the continent of Northern America were initially claimed and practically controlled by France. France is found to have claimed land that includes the present-day 15 states such as Michigan. The North American early history includes a story representing struggles for the control of resources and land by the French settlers, especially in Nouvelle France, Native individuals, and the English settlers found in the thirteen colonies.
In the modern world, we know little regarding the lives of people, including women in New France. Native women ranging from various countries lived in Northern America for many years before the coming of the French explorer. The region was also characterized by a vast population of Indians, although the Native women were living a more independent life when compared to their European fellows. In some societies, besides the typical rearing of children and the practices of the household economy, the Native women possessed the real power of politics. They were in a position to elect tribal and village leaders. This paper will discuss the most significant contributions that women made to the development of New France.
Arts
Women in new France were to learn needle arts and sewing. This was because people ordered ready-made garments from toilers in the towns of Quebec and Montreal or from Europe. Most of the women at home usually made children’s clothing, household linen, and embellished dress with beading, embroidery, and quilting. Due to the high cost of fabric and clothes, a large number of ordinary people preferred to repair clothing they owned. Nevertheless, they also remade clothes to reflect the new European fashions[1].
Moreover, women in New France would knit mitts, stockings which were braided into the finger-woven saches and yarn hats mainly to the residents of Native Americans and New France. Girls at a younger age learned how to sew by hamming sheets and pillowcases as the first stage of their learning. Later on, they discovered other skills, such as lace making, quilting, and embroider most casual clothes made from wool and linen as compared to silk and cotton. The daily activities of the woman in New France can be proved by the remains which were discovered by archaeologists at fort St. Joseph sites such as thimbles, pins, needles, scissors, and beads. The art of painting later developed in the 1870s among the female students in Paris, especially those who were aspiring to became artists like Rosa Bonheur, who emerged as the most successful French artist in that era.
Dressing
In the 18th century, all the woman of European origin were generally wearing similar garments. This dressing code was influenced by regional preference and fashion, which affected their look. For example, during Sunday’s women in France desired to dress more fashionabl[2]. At times the catholic priests would decry women wearing expensive and modest clothing in styles beyond their status. Lastly, many people recommended jackets and short skirts to be worn by women rather than the gowns that were worn by habitant women.
Moreover, women wore
Dresses which were made with a simple chemise as an undergarment and a nightdress .on top of it, they also wore petticoats that were tied around the waist. Nevertheless, the foundation of the gown was clearly provided by the whalebone stays and which gave it an upright posture and rounded fashionable shape. While in the cities of dishabille, women at times would prefer to wear a less formal dress rather than stays. Pockets were not sewn into the women’s clothing, but instead, they were tied around the waist under the top petticoat, and which allowed easy access due to the slits on it. Something else most probably a gown or a jacket went again over the stays. Finally, women wore a neckerchief around their shoulders and then tucked it into the front of the dress.
Women in the new French they also wore shoes and which was determined by their localities or seasons of the year, for instance, brocade or elegant leather shoes and which was over high thigh stockings were worn on Sundays or in the cities. In contrast, wooden shoes (sabots) or moccasins were worn by habitant women while working. They often went barefooted during the summer period. Besides, women of both New France and France wore crosses around their necks, rings on fingers, and medallions as a pendant.
Women in the fur trade
Native women in new French played an essential role in the development of the fur trade; for instance, they acted as primary producers, interpreters, guides, and traders. Thus the economic success and survival mainly depended upon the participation and labor of the native women. A fur trade later was strengthened by the marriages between the white men and the Indian women as it encouraged social, political, and economic alliances within the fur trade systems. They further contributed to the success of the trade through trapping the smaller marten for its fur, made snowshoes, moccasins, and other necessary equipment for travel on winter hunts. Lastly, native women actively participated as observers of the American fur trade, for example, Eliza Spaulding and Narcissa Whitman they accompanied a caravan across the plains and attended rendezvous in 1836.
Woman and slavery
Slaves were designated as property, but in ile Royale, a large number of slaves were for domestic, performing work to support the functioning of households; they became nursemaids, servants, gardeners, and did most of the daily chores. Female slaves in isle Royale removed the burden of heavy domestic work and thus, in effect, supported the French women in bearing more children than they would have done. Female slaves, therefore, helped in bringing up those children
. It is highlighted that these slaves were not treated humanly, but instead, most of them were forced to work. Later, some of these slaves, such as Marie joseph Angelique who was twenty-nine years old, led other slaves to rebel against bondage and revenge for all their mistreatment they were undergoing through. This rebellion marked a turning point were slaves rights were understood and finally respected but after many slaves like Angelique had lost their lives
Education and Literacy
The first school to educate French girls was established in 1639 by three Ursaline nuns who had sailed from France to Quebec under the leadership of mother Marie de I’icarnation and who had learned Montagnais, Huron, Iroquois, and Algonquian tongues. She went further and composed grammar, dictionary, and Christian books in the native languages[3]. A second school was opened in Trios Rivieres in 1697, and a third school was founded in 1670 by the sisters of the congregation’s de Notre-Dame, and by 1731, twelve schools were maintained for the education of habitant girls.
Literacy levels in New France were low, but they were later boosted by Canadians who came and possessed substantial libraries, moreover written communications assisted the residents of Fort St. Joseph as they connected them with the outside world. They also benefitted locals as writing was required in military orders, priests baptismal registers, and fur business letters, initially there were very few people who could sign their names at the fort, but the only exception was the commandants who produced business-related correspondence. Most documents were produced by government officials, and a large number of women except nuns were illiterate. According to Monseigneur de saint Vallier, 1689 most girls were mainly taken by the sister between the age of eleven and twelve years to learn the necessary skills, acquire manual skills such as sewing, exquisite knitting embroidery, and spinning.
Women in Trade and Diplomacy
European cultural mediators and Native Americans who were referred to as “go-between” and who carried messages and negotiated on behalf of their cultures mainly comprised of men who were seen as intercultural diplomats[4]. Later several women in new France who changed the indigenous, colonial interactions translated documents and carried messages in the process of maintaining peace and building diplomatic gaps between cultures.
Madame Montour was a woman from Quebec, and who was born in 1667, in the 1690s and joined a family in Michigan where she started serving as an interpreter, later on, she joined her brother in New York and also served as an interpreter for new York governor Robert hunter and emerged as the most visible native woman in new York and later in Pennsylvania. In New York, she also interpreted during various political negations which were carried out in between delegates from five nations Iroquois and governor of New York, in conclusion, we can say that Madame Montour played a very crucial role in Indian-white relations.
Women and Servitude
There were various categories of women in the new French, that is, married French women, female slaves, servants, and wealthy women. Many Young women served as servants after being contracted to work for a family for a period of time, and this advantaged their families as it relieved them the burden of providing for them, and it also provided for them an opportunity to acquire education if they were lucky[5].
Conclusion
In conclusion, this has discussed the various contributions that women made during the development of New France. It has been shown that women had defined roles that were categorized as needle arts, clothing, and dressing, dance, music and diversions, cooking, literacy, and education as well as diplomacy and trade participation. Women also played their key role in developing New France while serving as slaves for their masters. The overall contribution of women was significant, and their roles were witnessed to change throughout history.
Biography
Moore, Stacey. “Women of New France 5: Music, Dance, and Diversions.” (2010).
Moore, Stacey. “Women of New France 8: Women and Servitude.” (2010).
Mori, Jennifer. “How Women Make Diplomacy: The British Embassy in Paris, 1815–1841.” Journal of Women’s History 27, no. 4 (2015): 137-159.
Tilly, Louise A., and Joan W. Scott. Women, work, and family. Routledge, 2016.
Welton, Michael. “A Country at the End of the World”: Living and Learning in New France, 1608-1760.” The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education (Online) 23, no. 1 (2010): 55.
[1] Tilly, Louise A., and Joan W. Scott. Women, work, and family. Routledge, 2016.
[2]y Tilly, Louise A., and Joan W. Scott. Women, work, and family. Routledge, 2016.
[3] Welton, Michael. “A Country at the End of the World”: Living and Learning in New France, 1608-1760.” The Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education (Online) 23, no. 1 (2010): 55.
[4] Mori, Jennifer. “How Women Make Diplomacy: The British Embassy in Paris, 1815–1841.” Journal of Women’s History 27, no. 4 (2015): 137-159.
[5] Moore, Stacey. “Women of New France 8: Women and Servitude.” (2010).