Culture and Currents of Thought

1. Culture and Currents of Thought History of Quebec and Canada

2. The First Occupants – Around 1500 • Native groups occupied the territory of Quebec thousands of years before the Europeans arrived: • Their culture was related to their environment, their understanding of the world and their values • Contact with Europeans would eventually decrease the numbers of aboriginals and force changes for some aspects of their culture

3. The First Occupants – Around 1500 • The native group that occupied the Saint Lawrence Valley were the Iroquois: • Sedentary farmers and gatherers • The native group that occupied the land directly to the North and South of the Saint Lawrence Valley were the Algonquians: • Nomadic hunters

4. Native American Territory – Pre-Contact

5. The First Occupants – Social Relationships • Chieftainship: • Representative of the qualities a tribe valued • Chiefs were considered spokesmen for their tribes rather than ultimate rulers Algonquian: most eloquent and/or best hunter would be the chief Iroquois: most eloquent and/or best warrior would be the chief and had more decision making powers that the Algonquian chiefs

6. The First Occupants – Social Relationships • Gift Giving and Reciprocal Relations: • Reciprocity: a gift had to be given for every gift received • Generosity was a highly valued quality for all members of native communities • Villagers lived together in long-houses (Iroquois), shared food and helped each other with chores • The giving of gifts kept harmonious relations between the tribes (ceremonies and feast were held, chiefs gave speeches, and people danced and sang)

7. The First Occupants – Spirituality • Animism: • Natives believed that every living or inanimate object had a spirit or soul that could live immortally outside of the object • These beliefs were reflected in the ways the natives hunted and fished • They believed the reason they caught the animal was because it had given itself to them • They sacrificed some of what they caught to ensure that the spirits would favour them

8. The First Occupants – Spirituality • Animism: • Natives believed that some spirits were evil and could harm humans • To avoid displeasing these spirits, native peoples exercised extra caution • Some groups made offerings of food and tobacco to the spirits they feared • Others made sure not to allow the spirits of the dead to escape their bodies

9. The First Occupants – Spirituality • Dreams and Smoke: • Natives believed they could communicate with spirits • Tobacco smoke was one way they believed they could do this • Believed that their power to communicate with the spirits was dependant on the smoke (this is why the peace pipe is so important) • Natives also believed that spirits showed themselves in dreams: • Dreams could tell the future

10. The First Occupants – Spirituality • The Shaman: • Spiritual connector between the human and spirit worlds • Shamans acted as dream interpreters, had healing powers and prophetic dreams. • The Shaman would use music and dance to drive away the evil spirits that caused sickness • His ability to make predictions that actually came true, secured his position in the tribe

11. The First Occupants – European Contact • In the 16th century, native peoples came into contact with Europeans: • Natives were interested in some of the material goods brought by the European explorers and settlers (including iron, steel and brass materials that soon became integrated into native culture – ie: brass pots that were stronger than native clay) • Wool and cotton were adopted for native clothing (previously they had only used fur and animal pelts) • Sedentary native groups grew Europeans foods such as cucumbers, onions, and apple orchards • Domestic animals became more common for natives

12. The First Occupants – European Contact • Other consequences were more detrimental to native culture: • Firearms replaced bows, knives and clubs, which made native wars much more deadly • European epidemics and diseases had a significant affect on native populations (ie: small pox and tuberculosis) • The natives had never come into contact with these diseases before the Europeans arrived, so their immune systems were not able to fight off the infections

13. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • With the establishment of Quebec City the French settled permanently in the Saint Lawrence Valley: • Climate and Geographic conditions forced the French to adopt some native practices • But Europeans also imported many elements of their own culture, including the Catholic Church

14. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • Imports and Adaptations: • Clothing: The French brought with them their own European style, but quickly learned that they needed to adopt some native styles in order to survive the harsh winters • The capot – a winter fur coat with a hood that prevented the cold air from touching the skin • Moccasins – replaced shoes and clogs which were not warm enough for Canadian winters • Mitasses – thick leggings that replaced stockings • Caps and Tuques – with flaps to cover the ears

15. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • Imports and Adaptations: • Travel:The French used native means of travel including snowshoes, sleds, and canoes (These were particularly useful for navigating through the thick woods during the fur trade) • Diet: The French also introduced native produce into their diet including squash, corn and maple syrup • Customs: The French adopted the native custom of smoking the tobacco pipe

16. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • Settlements and Housing: • First major settlements were mainly trading posts • Groups of buildings and warehouses surrounded by palisades • Settlers depended largely on supplies from France • The Seigneurial system was introduced in 1627 • Settlers were given areas of land that had to be cleared • Started with basic dwellings, then houses of wood • The had only one room, which made them easier to heat in Winter • Windows were made of paper or leather because glass was expensive • Furniture was very plain and functional

17. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • Settlements and Housing: • By the 18th century, comfort levels increased • Cast iron stoves replaced tin or brick stoves and improved heating in houses • Larger living spaces and separate rooms appeared though they remained small • Roofs were made steeper to prevent snow from accumulating • Stone houses start to appear in Quebec City and Montreal • Furniture remained modest and was made by the people • Higher class imported their furniture from France

18. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • The Catholic Church & Natives: • First objective of the church was to convert the natives • Missionaries settled in some native villages • In order to spread the religion they had to learn native languages • The city of Montreal, Ville-Marie, was established by religious orders seeking to convert the natives. • Iroquois were more hostile to these attempts and attacked Montreal

19. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • The Catholic Church & the people: • Religious orders also took of control of educating the people • Education focused mainly on religion • Basic reading, as well as arithmetic and writing were also important • But few children actually went to school on a regular basis, especially in very rural areas

20. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • The Catholic Church & the people: • Hospitals were also founded by religious orders • Hotel-Dieu de Quebec in 1639 • Hotel Dieu de Montreal in 1642

21. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • The Catholic Church & the people: • Each Parish would have its own church and Parish priest • This was the best way for the church to maintain control over the colony • The priest made sure that the instructions of the church were obeyed: • No working on Sundays and religious holidays • All colonists had to receive communion once a year • Records were kept of the people who attended mass • The Bishop could tell the priest to refuse those who did not follow these obligations • The mass also acted as a social event: people would gather after mass to hear decrees or public speeches (since there were no newspapers)

22. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • The Catholic Church & the people: Resistance • Church also banned people from participating in acts which it felt were immoral • Certain clothes could not be worn by women • Consumption of alcohol was also condemned by the church • Church also oversaw the dances and balls held by the upper class • Some people began to get fed up with the church’s ultimate control

23. The French Regime – 1608-1760 • Absolutism in the colony: • Before 1663, control was executed by the King through the chartered companies. • The power of the King was represented by the coats of arms that decorated imposing structures and public places within the colony • Demonstrations showed the power of the King: ceremonies for the arrival of a new Governor or Intendant, births, weddings and deaths of members of the Royal family were also celebrated in the colony