Military Establishments in New France: A Critical Review
This paper presents a critical review of W.J. Eccles's article on the social, economic, and political significance of military establishments in New France, the French colonial territory in North America spanning from 1534 until its cession to Britain and Spain. The review examines the article's strengths and weaknesses, assessing how effectively it addresses the role of French military forces in securing and sustaining the colony, fostering economic activity such as the fur trade, and managing relations with Indigenous communities like the Iroquois. The paper also situates the article within broader scholarly literature on pre-confederation Canadian history, identifying gaps such as the lack of discussion on Anglo-American imperial rivalry and the circumstances surrounding France's eventual withdrawal from North America.
- Introduction: Purpose and scope of the critical review
- Overview of New France: Geography, treaties, and colonial history of New France
- Critical Review of the Main Theme and Its Relevance to the Colonial History of Canada: Article's treatment of French military and colonial presence
- Military Presence, Economic Activity, and Relations with Indigenous Communities: French troops, fur trade, and Iroquois hostilities
- Structural Weaknesses of the Article: Omissions regarding Anglo-American rivalry and French withdrawal
- Conclusion: Overall assessment of article's strengths and gaps
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper balances praise and criticism, identifying both specific strengths (such as the article's detailed account of military triumphs and economic outcomes) and concrete weaknesses (such as its single-sided focus and omission of France's eventual withdrawal).
- It consistently situates the reviewed article within a broader scholarly context, referencing multiple secondary sources to support evaluative claims about what the article does and does not cover.
- The historical overview of New France at the outset grounds the reader in the subject matter before the critical analysis begins, making the review accessible and well-contextualized.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates source-based critical evaluation — a core skill in historiographical writing. Rather than simply summarizing Eccles's article, the student measures it against other scholarly works, identifying what perspectives are missing and why those omissions matter for understanding pre-confederation Canadian history. This comparative evaluative approach is the defining technique of a literature-based critical review.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief introduction stating its purpose, followed by a historical overview of New France that establishes geographic and political context. The main body then critically evaluates Eccles's article across several dimensions — military significance, economic impact, Indigenous relations, and structural omissions — drawing on multiple secondary sources throughout. A concise conclusion summarizes the article's merits and shortcomings, offering a final evaluative judgment.
Introduction
This paper presents an analytical review of the article titled "Social, Economic and Political Significance of the Military Establishments in New France" by Eccles. It critically examines various aspects of the article, including its strengths and weaknesses in addressing the main issues, and establishes important relationships with other scholarly works in the field. The article begins by exploring the socio-economic landscape of New France, which provided the basis for its military establishments. A general overview of New France is therefore necessary to understand the context of the article.
Overview of New France
New France was an area in North America colonized by the French for over two hundred years, beginning in 1534 when French explorers first traveled the Saint Lawrence River, until the colony was ceded to Britain and Spain in 1763. At around 1710, New France was a vast territory extending from Newfoundland in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south and from the Rocky Mountains to Hudson Bay. Following the Treaty of Utrecht, New France was divided into five independent colonies: Acadia, Canada, Newfoundland, Hudson Bay, and Louisiana. Each had its own system of administration. The treaty resulted in France relinquishing its claims to three of these colonies — Newfoundland, Acadia, and Hudson Bay. A new colony called Cape Breton Island was established as a successor to Acadia (Addall 85).
In the subsequent Treaty of Paris, France agreed to cede the remainder of New France to Spain and Britain in order to end the war between the French and the Indians, which had devastated the colony. Under this arrangement, Britain received the eastern portion of the colony — east of the Mississippi River — including Canada, parts of Louisiana, and Acadia, while Spain received the territory to the west, largely Louisiana.
In 1800, Spain returned its portion to France, which in turn sold it to the United States in the landmark Louisiana Purchase of 1803. This act officially ended French colonial claims to the North American mainland. It is important to note that French efforts to establish colonies in the western hemisphere were fuelled by the imperialist desire to weaken Spain's growing sea and colonial power. To this end, the French relied increasingly on the goodwill of fishermen in the Atlantic Ocean and Channel ports. Later, the fur trade flourished sufficiently to warrant a permanent French establishment in Acadia and Quebec (Boose 67–71).
Following the religious revival in France and parts of Europe at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the French were encouraged to intensify their colonial efforts. Accordingly, the French established a commercial base at Quebec, and the French government subsequently had to consider military action to support the Indians — their main commercial partners — in their war with the Iroquois (Axelrod 101).
Works Cited
Addall, T. Halifax: Warden of the North. McClelland and Stewart, 2003.
Armstrong, Frederick. Handbook of Upper Canadian Chronology. Dundurn Press, 1985.
Axelrod, A. Blooding at Great Meadows: Young George Washington and the Battle That Shaped the Man. Running Press, 2007.
Boose, W. Over the Beach: US Army Amphibious Operations in the Korean War. Combat Studies Institute, 2008.
Grenier, J. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710–1760. University of Oklahoma Press, 2008.
Jobb, D. The Acadians: A People's Story of Exile and Triumph. John Wiley & Sons Canada, 2005.
Marsh, J. "Troyes, Pierre de." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 1988, p. 2196.
Raddall, T. Halifax: Warden of the North. McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1971.
Reid, J. The "Conquest" of Acadia, 1710: Imperial, Colonial, and Aboriginal Constructions. University of Toronto Press, 2004.
Zuehlk, M. Canadian Military Atlas: Four Centuries of Conflict from New France to Kosovo. Douglas & McIntyre, 2006.
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