Article Review- The Social, Economic, and Political Significance of the Military Establishment in New France

Article Review- The Social, Economic, and Political Significance of the Military Establishment in New France

Introduction

This paper presents a review of an article based on the military establishments in New France. The article focuses particularly on the social, political and economical aspect during that tenure. The history of the presence of France as a colonial power in North America extends from the early sixteenth century. It is the Age of Discovery and fishing trips, until the early nineteenth century when Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States of America (Greer, 2010). In fact, many Indian nations have lived for centuries on the territory. However, it is especially the founding of Quebec in 1608 until the surrender of Canada to England in 1763 that France permeates the history of a continent from which it comes to control three quarters of land.

Article Review

The article starts with reviewing the early tenure of 1600 century. From 1608 to 1663, the administration of the colony is given to trading companies formed of merchants from various cities of France. Companies that succeed are committed to populate and develop the French Soil in America, in return for the exclusive privilege to exploit its resources. During its first half century of existence, New France had a real missionary epic as evidenced by the number and zeal of apostles inspired by the Catholic reform-cons(Williamson, 1832). In 1632 the Jesuits founded the mission of Sainte-Marie in the heart of savagery.

Several political and military events have hindered colonization efforts. In 1663, Quebec was still considered as a trading post. The French population was very small. The administration of the colony by operators was a failure. The company puts the fate of New France in the hands of the king.

The emergence of Louis XIV promotes the growth of the colony He adopts a hierarchical administrative organization, previous settlement, extending its territorial hold and allows the growth of economic enterprises. Previously, however, it was necessary to ensure peace (Fry, 2001).

Under the command of the Marquis de Tracy, the regiment of Carignan-Salières erected forts, ravaging villages and showed French military power. Four hundred soldiers remain in the country to colonize it. The monarchy also facilitates the migration of some 850 girls to marry, mostly orphans of soldiers. It promotes quick marriage and birth rates. When the descendants of these isolated people reach at the age to settle, twenty years later, the demographic structure was changed.

Louis XIV set up an administrative structure similar to that established in other colonies and provinces of the kingdom. Under the authority of the Controller General of Finance, management of the colony is entrusted to a Governor responsible for military matters and foreign affairs. That person is also responsible for Justice, Police and Finance, in sum of all civilian aspects of the colonial administration. The imperialist will of Louis XIV, the pacification of the Iroquois and the need to rebuild the network of fur ...