1. Economic Diversification Chart

2. Causes of Diversification
Economic Difficulty: New France’s economy was based primarily on the fur trade
“The colony had no other object but the trade of skins. The previous leaders had cared little for all else, making no room for diversity.”

3. Attempts at Diversification
Michel Begon & Gilles Hocquart attempted to diversify the economy – create many industries
Many attempts were made to diversify:
Hemp was manufactured into rope
Flax was made into cloth
Shipyards were built
Michel Begon
Iron was exploited and manufacture
Hemp
Flax

4. Results of Diversification
Attempts at diversification failed
Evidence: The economy of New France is still primarily based on the fur trade
Reason for failure: The mother country provided little support due to its strict mercantilist policy
Evidence
Reason
“His majesty is very pleased to learn that hemp production has been as successful as we had hoped, but He must explain to them His intention was never that cloth be produced in Canada in order to bypass that produced in France. Thus, no weavers shall be sent over. His majesty only intended that the inhabitants would send hemp to France for it to be sold either to his majesty for his ships or to individuals in order to avoid procuring hemp from foreign countries”