New France

In this episode, we explore New France, the vast French colonial territory in North America that lasted until 1763. The episode focuses on how France built its colonies through the fur trade, resource extraction, Catholic missionary work, and institutions such as the Sovereign Council and the Custom of Paris. It also examines the growth of settler society through programs like the Filles du Roi, the role of the Church in education and health care, and the military conflicts that eventually led to the collapse of French rule after the Seven Years’ War. Though New France came under British and Spanish control, its cultural and linguistic influence endured, especially in Quebec and across North America.