Research Question: How did the society of New France impact the Filles du Roi?
Who were the Filles du Roi?
The Filles du Roi or the King's Daughters were young women that were sent over from France to New France by the king. These women were usually orphans. They were sent over to New France because the population wasn't growing. The Filles du Roi had one job and that was to get married and have children. The king gave them free transportation, settlement expenses and a dowry. A dowry is a sum of money or personal property that women take into their marriage.
Challenges for the Filles Du Roi
When the Filles du Roi first arrived in New France they had to adapt. The Filles du Roi had to change their clothes so they were more durable and warmer because they were not used to the cold winters. Many of the men in New France thought they were witty. The Filles du Roi were judged for how they dressed, that they powdered their hair everyday, and for the songs they sang. In addition, men from the colony thought it was bad that they came over and got married while barely knowing the man. The Filles du Roi sometimes found it hard because their husband basically had complete control over them. She must obey every word he said, by law. They were not allowed to have many jobs. Their job was to be in charge of the household. Everyone knew that if the male did not have the female, he would go hungry. The Jesuits tried to promote “humiliating rebellious wives”. If her husband was violent to her, the law was on his side. They often said “he did what he had to do”. The Filles du Roi were forced to have a child every two years until they were too old. Their job was to grow the population and that is what they did. If their husband died they were expected to re-marry and if she was young enough have more children. A lot of the time the wife had to run the family business or farm because their husband was away for a long period of time in war or trading. It was all about growing the population.
Why was New France better for women?
New France was better for the Filles du Roi because there were less restrictions. Education was not restricted to the wealthy. This would help the economy because there would be more people who are educated and looking for a better job. Women could own property. If a women’s husband died she automatically inherited half of his estate. She was also responsible for the other half until their children were old enough to manage it. Since there were such few women in New France, compared to the number of men it could improve their position in the colony. It was common that a lady took over her husband’s business if he died. This is why many young women wanted to travel to New France from France, but the king only let her go if she was Catholic.
The Marriage
As soon as the Filles du Roi arrived in New France they were sent to places to meet single men. The men would ask the women questions to see if they would be a good mate. Priests and Notaries would stand-by ready to marry people immediately. If a man proposed it was rare that a women would say no. When a women was married she automatically became the husband’s property. If a lady wanted to get a divorce the law stated that she could not unless her husband “beat her with a stick thicker that his wrist.” It was often challenging for the Filles du Roi, but they worked hard and got through it.
How did the society of New France impact the Filles du Roi?
The society of New France impacted the Filles du Roi in many ways. Society was hard on the Filles du Roi, but that gave them challenges. If they didn't have challenges life would be boring. The Filles du Roi had to adapt from life in France and learn how to live in New France. The society of New France also helped the Filles du Roi because there were less women in New France than France. All in all, I think that the society of New France helped the Filles du Roi.