groups. The first group were the religious figures that came to enhance the

religious aspects of new settlers. These women began to arrive in 1639 and

continued on into the 18th century. The second group were the devotes and

the filles du roi, brought over to marry the settlers and increase the population

of the newly developing nation. They arrived in New France between 1663

to 1673. The lives of these women differed greatly to that of the women in

the old country. It is said that the women in New France had many privileges

that didn't exist in Old France. Jan Noel's article, "New France: Les Femmes

Favorisees" and Jacques Mathieu's article, "New France: The French in

North America, XVI-XVIIITH Century," discuss the role of women in New

France and how privileged their lives were.

"Many a man, observing the women of New France, was struck by the

advantages they possessed in education, cultivation and that quality called

esprit or wit."1 Historians have found documents that describe the way

women in New France were seen by men of Old France. "A young woman

had lost her understanding and reason because she had given herself for

" Historians' accounts of society in New France offer ample evidence

Women in New France were pressured into marriage more so than in

yet common and people lived in manor homes. Manor homes were made up

relegated to the private, domestic sphere of human activity because that

France were more of a commodity than anything else. The daughters of

of no more than one long hallway, not allowing any form of privacy. Eating,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Louise Dechene, Women France, St Pere, XVI-XVIIITH Century, Marguerite Leboeuf, France Instead, , Jacques Mathieu, Paris French, women france, France France, ancien regime, mathieu's article, discuss role women, manor homes, arrived france, women played, jobs common, du roi, role women, marry settlers, filles du roi,
Approximate Word count = 1341
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)