1. Missionaries in New France

2. The Récollets
The Récollets came to New France in and were present at various times in Acadia, Newfoundland, and Québec
They attempted to convert Aboriginal peoples to the French way of life by having them adopt the French language and style of dress but failed

3. The Jesuit Mission
The Society of Jesus was founded in Paris in 1534 by Saint Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish soldier who underwent a profound religious experience while recovering from serious wounds
The Jesuits' mission was to teach people "the way into heaven" and they declared themselves "ready to die for the honour of ...our good Lord and for the salvation of these poor people.“
Missionaries were establish around the world including China and the newly discovered New World

4. The Jesuit Mission
In 1615, France’s Catholic leaders saw an opportunity to stem the Reformation and bring the Catholic faith to the New World
In the New World, their goal was to bring lost souls to Christianity
They were willing to endure hardships and to shed their blood to succeed
Jean de Brébeuf is brutally killed at St-Ignace 16 March 1649 after being captured by invading Iroquois at the St-Louis mission

5. The Jesuit Missions
Referred to as Black Robes by Aboriginals

6. The First Jesuit Missions
The Jesuits first came to New France as missionaries in 1611
Pierre Biard and Enemond Massé arrived at Port-Royal on 22 May 1611 but was driven out of Acadia by the English in 1613
He was among the first group of Jesuits who arrived at Québec to begin a new mission in June 1625 but this mission also failed in when the English took over Quebec

7. The Huron Mission
The Jesuit established a mission in Huron territory under the direction of Jean de Brébeuf in 1634
The Mission de Sainte-Marie was quite successful, and considered as "the jewel of the Jesuit mission in New France.“
More than a decade later, it was destroyed by traditional Huron enemies, the Iroquois, first in and again in 1649
The Jesuits were killed along with the Huron, including Jean de Brébeuf

8. The Huron Mission
Iroquois attacking Father Jogues and Huron converts

9. The Iroquois Mission
Beginning in 1654, attempts were made to establish mission amongst the Iroquois Confederacy
Within thirteen years, the Jesuits had missions among all five Iroquois nations, in part imposed by French attacks against their villages
Relations between the French and the Iroquois were tense however; the missions were all abandoned by 1708

10. New France and the Jesuit Missions
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11. Methods
The Jesuits in New France used methods which were comparatively respectful of the traditional way of life of Aboriginals
They learned Aboriginal languages and customs, developed dictionaries and grammars, translated and preserved much of the history and traditions in their documents
Those who converted were given preferred trading status and were given the opportunity to buy guns
However, in order to be baptized, coverts had to make a complete break from their traditional customs and rituals; creating a social rift in First Nation socities

12. Full Assimilation
Eventually more drastic approaches were used, well into the 20th century
During the 19th and 20th centuries children were taken from their homes and placed into Residential schools where they received a ‘proper’ education