The 19th century but also the beginning of the 20th century,
in Quebec, are marked by significant migratory movements.
On one hand, there are many immigrants who come to the country to build themselves a better life: Irish,
Jews, Russians, Polish, Italians and Chinese, among others.
And then, on the other hand, thousands of French Canadians,
but also some English Canadians, will decide to leave the Quebec
to settle in the United States, they too in the hope of building a better future.
The numbers are impressive. From 1840 to 1930, over a period of 90 years, nearly
900 000 French Canadians - that's almost a million! - will move main
in New England, but also in the American Midwest and further west,
to work mainly in textile factories.
In a Quebec which in 1871 had only 1 200 000 citizens,
do you imagine what that represents as a loss?
Lets' go, today at the History will tell us,
the emigration of French Canadians to the United States.
We can ask ourselves the question: why leave? Because the living conditions
of the inhabitants of the time are very difficult. The Quebec is living,
like other regions in the world, a profound transformation of its economy
at a time of industrialization, which developed from the 1850s.
In those years, 85% of the Quebec population lives in the countryside,
but more and more, cities are starting to attract inhabitants who hope to improve
their fate by working in factories and manufactories in Montreal or Quebec city.
Let's also remember that there is an agricultural crisis raging in the countryside. Fertile lands
have become rare and the lack of knowledge in agronomy does not allow us to improve
the yield from the land, which would eventually have helped large families to survive.
The inhabitants are also heavily indebted and the roads, in the countryside, in a very bad state,
which makes transport and trade difficult. So, in summary, things are bad.
The countryside of the St.Lawrence Valley is emptying, in favor of the big cities which,
cannot absorb this massive increase in population.
In an attempt to curb the phenomenon of urbanization, that is to say the
transfer of populations to cities, political and religious authorities
will promote the colonization of certain more remote regions.
You have already heard of the famous priest “Le curé Labelle”,
the emblematic figure of the colonization of the Laurentians? Other people
will try to do the same in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, in Gaspésie,
and later in Abitibi. But it will work moderately well: Quebecers will be a lot
more to leave the country for the United States than settling in these regions.
We're off to New England.
In a first phase, which runs from 1840 to 1880, those who leave hope to return
They were thinking I'm going to go make some money in Uncle Sam’s country for a few years and
we will then return to find back the family, expand the farm or buy better land.
And that's what will happen in many cases. With the development of networks of
railroads in the mid-1800s, transportation is easier. At their return,
people often came back with nice clothes and a luxury item or two
to cause a sensation! And there everyone was impressed
and they were like: "hmm ... It's true, me too I could go and make
big bucks a year or two in the States and come back with some beautiful gold rings! ".
Thus, they made others want to leave and try their luck as well in the neighboring country.
And then there is the second phase which runs from 1880 to 1930. This time, the French Canadians
who emigrated settled in the United States for good and built their new lives there.
It is these generations of immigrants who became Franco-Americans over time.
While rural regions of the Quebec were experiencing very difficult conditions,
New England was benefiting from impressive economic development,
thanks to the contribution of technology, significant economic investments
and, it must be said, cheap labor that was coming from different countries.
Considered both as good workers and as a docile workforce, notably
because they respected the established order, did not participate in the many strikes,
French Canadians were heavily targeted by factories and manufactories in Massachusetts,
Rhode Island and New Hampshire but of course also other states which were sending
their recruiting agents to roam the various regions of Quebec to seduce the inhabitants.
For French Canadians, most of whom had no education,
the textile factories had the advantage of not requiring to speak English and
no prerequisites. They didn't need to have done
long studies to operate the machines which required above all repetitive gestures.
It was long, sometimes dangerous, but the men,
women and children were able to reproduce them.
But the working conditions were very harsh in these factories.
The noise there was deafening and the heat and humidity were suffocating!
In addition, the wages were very low,
the lowest of all New England manufacturing industries,
what prompted families to send their children to work; some were very
young. It was not uncommon to see children aged 10-11 at work and sometimes even younger.
Under these conditions, you then ask yourself: why were they staying in the United States?
Because despite the low wages, they could benefit from regular remuneration,
something that farm work did not give them.
And then the employees had Sunday off. You will tell me that it is not much a single
day off per week, but it was better than farm work 7 days a week.
As immigrants often do when arriving in Canada, Canadians
French who settled in the United States moved to the same areas of cities,
which allowed them to meet each other and to be able to discuss in French.
Parishes were then founded, they were called "Little Canada";
they became the heart of the social and religious life of French Canadians. With time,
priests and nuns also settled there and built churches and
schools so that people would keep their Catholic religion and their language.
Even though those people were living in the United States, for a long time,
Canadian history was taught so they would preserve their attachment to
their roots. In 1900, French Canadians in New England,
who were very religious, had a hundred churches: that is a lot!
Sometimes parish priests were even sent by parents to go and watch their daughters,
that were settled in boarding houses, which were living alone.
You imagine ... We had to make sure that they continued to respect Christian morals ...
And those who allowed themselves a little too much freedom were sent back home
immediately. The parents were very happy to receive
a little money in the mail, but not at the cost of the virtue of their daughters!
There is a whole life that was created in these “Little Canadas”. French newspapers were
founded, as well as associations. Gradually, a French-Canadian elite also began to
settle there: doctors, journalists and entrepreneurs soon joined the workers.
And all these people were celebrating, like their family back in Quebec, the holiday
of Saint-Jean-Baptiste with parades that included marching bands and banners.
Fun fact: they also kept the tradition
of tales and legends but adapting them to their new reality.
For example, the Franco-Americans continued to tell the legend
of “La chasse galerie” (hunting-gallery) but swapping the bark canoe for a convertible bus.
You may also be familiar with the myth of Jos Montferrand? This is the lumberjack and
French Canadian raftman who really existed and whose exploits and herculean strength
have become legendary. His myth also developped in the United States,
except that they changed his name and shape. Over time, Montferrand became Mouffreau,
then Murphy, a more Irish name. And the colossus took the form of a short, hairy, stocky man.
Gradually, Franco-Americans were using French less and less,
especially the younger generations and lost part of their culture.
But if you want to dive into novels that illustrate life in these “Little Canadas”,
I recommend you the books of Jack Kerouac, an author who has had an overwhelming success in
1957 with his novel “Sur la route” (On the road). Son of French Canadians, he grew up in Lowell
in a French neighborhood. Several of his books describe the atmosphere that ruled there.
As for the emigration of Canadians to the United States,
it stopped in 1929 with the economic crisis, when the American government
decided to close the border with Canada to prevent immigration.
So, it's over for today. Thanks to Myriam Wojcik who contributed to this capsule.
If you like, don’t hesitate to say so. And I make a call to everyone - I take this opportunity - those
who would like to have fun making subtitles, go ahead, or again to translate the subtitles
that I put just below, do yourself a favor - English works well as always -
Then, as this capsule is dedicated among others to our American friends, it could be useful to them.
So, I'm Laurent Turcot from History will tell us and I'm telling you see you next time.
So, bye!