Research Comparisons on Social Relations in New France
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Research Comparisons on Social Relations in New France
Throughout history, the primary aim of the researchers has been to establish a solution for a particular problem or the causes of a given societal problem. Besides, social researchers continue to develop various strategies and approaches that individuals lived or ought to live in the modern world. This paper compares two different articles with the view to determine their focus and areas of interest concerning social relations in New France. This document compares the article “Slaves and their Owners in Île Royale, 1713–1760,” by Kenneth Donovan and the article “Violence, Marriage, and Family Honour: Aspects of the Legal Regulation of Marriage in New France” by André Lachance and Sylvie Savoie.
Differences between the two researches
The research by Donovan focused on the population and the development of the slavery institution when the slave trade was prominent across Europe, American, and Africa. On the other hand, the research by Lachance and Sylvie focuses on family life encounters in New France. It is noteworthy that most of the societies were patriarchal, and hence women played minimal tasks in the community. However, the research by Donovan establishes that employers in New France, notably “women hired handsome servants including strong men, to serve as pages and lackeys.[1]” The primary distinction in these two researches is that while Donovan presents the central role of women, and how they managed to hire their desired men workers, Lachance and Sylvie emphasizes on the part of man in the society. While Donovan depicts females as persons with some degrees of liberty, Lachance and Sylvie present females as weaker family members and thus played some specific roles, mainly confined within the house, including washing of utensils and cooking. Donovan realizes that women could own slaves and control slaves. As such, the lifestyle of a different gender was somewhat improved.
Another difference that is apparent in the two researches is equality and inequality observations. For example, Donovan shows that there were some levels of equality. On the contrary, Lachance and Sylvie demonstrate that New France’s social relations were poor as women lived in fear of men in a patriarchal society. As such, the two scholars depict some degree of respect and desire to be led or influenced by other people’s control. While Slaveholding in Ile Royale was just a portion of the earlier established phenomena, the institution expanded to break the social norms and cultural practices[2]. On Ile Royale, for example, slaves were made gardeners, laundry workers, ferrymen, servants, hospital workers, and bakers as well as tavern keepers and soldiers, among others. Most of the slaves originated from West Africa. These slaves were part of the growing French men.
Similarities
One of the significant similarities between the two researches in the presence of discrimination against each other. While the study by Lachance and Sylvie establishes the extent of the female of misuse and abuse of a specific population. For example, the research by Donovan found that the people of Ile Royale desired to own and control at least a slave. Notably, slaves are a group of people that suffer from mistreatment by others. Similarly, the research by Lachance and Sylvie demonstrates that their male counterpart mistreats women. For example, Donovan asserts that those individuals who bought “young children believed that they were making long-term investment[3]” Similarly, Lachance and Sylvie realized that fathers forced young girls into marriages while searching for husbands. The latter depicts a high level of both abuse and misuse.
Another similarity occurring in the two articles is communal life in New France. Both researches established that people lived in communal settings. For example, Donovan asserts that “tens of slaves, perhaps hundreds were port of call.[4]” The researcher continues to mention that the slaves worked as personal slaves, merchant ships crew members, or the king’s slaves. It is significant to note that “slaves in Cape Breton were baptized and acquired Christian names from the master’s family.” In this statement, Donovan tries to demonstrate that the slaves could congregate on some occasions, including baptism.
However, the two articles demonstrate the heightened levels of violence. The research by Lachance and Sylvie shows that many families engaged in family conflicts because of poor understanding of the family demands and the need for family. Similarly, Donovan notes that some mischievous acts, especially when buying and selling of slaves, some slaveholders often disagreed and conflicts could emerge. Likewise, husbands and wives engaged in disputes because of various reasons, including unhealthy communication or communication breakdown. Also, parents conflicted with their children. Although the slaves tried to remain calm and obedient to their masters at all times, sometimes they could differ with one another. These conflicts are social relation concerns that need to be addressed.
The implementation of the black code in the French Indies in 1685, was a great move as it allowed the slaves to be baptized and recognized as Christian families. The latter acted as a policy just like the case of reconciliation and restoration of peace in the family after conflicts. According to Donovan, more than “120, 000 slaves were sent to North America by 1750[5].” However, only a small population of about 1400 individuals settled in New France. New France comprised of the area extending from Michilimackinac and Detroit up to the Gaspé Peninsula. As such, the implementation of this code helped some individuals in the entire region.
In conclusion, the authors of these two articles had some differences as well as similarities. As demonstrated above, conflict was one of the significant similarities in the materials. However, one of the items depicted an influential or respected female figure that can own slaves while the other material described man as the central and influential male figure in the family.
References
Donovan, Kenneth. “Slaves and their Owners in Île Royale, 1713–1760,” Acadiensis 25, no.1 (Autumn 1995): 3–32, http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/french_colonial_history/v005/5.1donovan.html.
Lachance, André, and Sylvie Savoie. “Violence, Marriage, and Family Honour: Aspects of the Legal Regulation of Marriage in New France,” in Essays in the History of Canadian Law, Volume V: Crime and Criminal Justice, eds. Jim Phillips, Tina Loo, and Susan Lewthwaite, 143–173. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1994.
[1] Donovan, Kenneth. “Slaves and their Owners in Île Royale, 1713–1760,”
[2]. Donovan, Kenneth. “Slaves and their Owners in Île Royale, 1713–1760,”
[3] Donovan, Kenneth. “Slaves and their Owners in Île Royale, 1713–1760,”
[4] Lachance, André, and Sylvie Savoie. “Violence, Marriage, and Family Honour: Aspects of the Legal Regulation of Marriage in New France,”
[5] Lachance, André and Sylvie Savoie. “Violence, Marriage, and Family Honour: Aspects of the Legal Regulation of Marriage in New France,”