This book surveys the social history of New France. For more than a century; until the British conquest of 1759-60; France held sway over a major portion of the North American continent. In this vast territory several unique colonial societies emerged; societies which in many respects mirrored ancien regime France; but which also incorporated a major Aboriginal component.Whereas earlier works in this field presented pre-conquest Canada as completely white and Catholic; The People of New France looks closely at other members of society as well: black slaves; English captives and Christian Iroquois of the mission villages near Montreal. The artisans and soldiers; the merchants; nobles; and priests who congregated in the towns of Montreal and Quebec are the subject of one chapter. Another chapter examines the special situation of French regime women under a legal system that recognized wives as equal owners of all family property. The author extends his analysis to French settlements around the Great Lakes and down the Mississippi Valley; and to Acadia and Ile Royale.Greer's book; addressed to undergraduate students and general readers; provides a deeper understanding of how people lived their lives in these vanished Old-Regime societies.
#518381 in Books Johns Hopkins University Press 2003-04-08 2003-04-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .48 x 5.50l; .59 #File Name: 0801871379224 pages
Review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A good view of the first wild westBy Jason GWhen an American thinks of the frontier of history; modern day Ohio; Kentucky and the Appalachian mountains are hardly the first thing that comes to mind. When a British subject thinks of the effects of the nation's past in Ireland or Scotland; dealings with Cherokees or Mohawks hardly come to mind. But Professor's Hinderaker and Mancall make the case in their comprehensive yet concise story about the edge of the first British Empire and the first American frontier.The back country of America is often approached from a modern; American standpoint; from the perspective of the early Americans; like Daniel Boone. This book makes the case that the American back country should be instead be likened to the English experience in Ireland and Scotland in the 16th century; rather than being likened to the American experience in western and Rocky Mountain states in the 19th century. Though to a large degree; it is impossible to understand the later American historical experience of the Wild west without understanding the wild mid-west.This book can be understood well from three perspectives: the relationship of the settlers along the American frontier to the native Americans; the relationship of the British Empire to the settlers; the relationship between Britain and France in their longstanding struggle for supremacy. As the 170 years or so of the first British Empire in North America rolled on; the conflicting attitudes; alliances and interests of all the parties involved made the time period one of constant change with at times brutal results in economic deprivation and war. What emerged was perhaps the most unlikely event possible; a continental republic where authority flowed from the bottom up; as much as it has at any point in human history.The authors do a fine job of showing just why the interior of North America was so valuable to all parties involved; and why confusion and misunderstanding often carried the day. The Pennsylvania backcountry is a prime example. Founded by Quaker businessman and pacifists; ruling from far away Philadelphia; they simply had no framework for understanding the disputes; claims and issues involved among the German and Scotch Irish settlers in today's central Pennsylvania. And these decades of misunderstandings often led to unnecessary conflict among the natives; settlers and rising disputes with the ruling class.The familiar events leading to the American Revolution are told from the perspective that disputes in the backcountry largely led to the conflict that founded the United States. Even given several decades to solve the situation politically; the British Empire could never effectively design systems to deal with trade; backcountry political representation and native disputes. The worldview of the day and the distant London government could never quite understand just how complex a situation they were dealing with. How the early American Republic was able to solve the issues that were raised by the backcountry disputes with London so quickly; such as the removal of nearly every colonial capital from the coast to the interior and the means of creating new interior territories; is told well; with the only losers being the native tribes who were seen as a problem to be pushed away until later by the British and a problem to be swept away by the backcountry settlers.This is a short book; worth a reader's time; as it shows just how dramatic and incredible the changes were in eastern North America during the 16th and 17th century. Things that began small: land speculation; Indian conflict; individual settlement apart from an often disinterested justice system grew up into something completely unexpected. Few of the actors of the day escape unscathed from this 170 year time period; and the misunderstandings of the time period often met their end in civil war in the American Revolution.In about a 180 pages; the authors map out a pattern of settlement by Europeans; unlike anything that had happened before; one that was unruly; controlled from the ground up and led to the modern world. This book is highly recommended.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy R. Yerby RayWell written and very informative. Used lots of facts from this book to hit on women with4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Good Book - rehash of old informationBy Carl KramerIn general this is a good book. The problem I have with this book is that it is just a compilation of old information a reader of eighteenth century America can find elsewhere. Another problem with the book I have is that there are no foot notes. There is just a section in the back where the author explains his sources. As a historian; this is a problem because then research done by the authors can not be replicated or be fact checked. I would reccomend this book for someone that is interested in eighteenth century American history and wants something quick to read. For something more in depth read books that are particular to the subject that interests you.
