Question

France and England colonized different parts of North America at virtually the same time. Yet there were significant differences in how each ruled over their possessions abroad. Identify the statements that describe the ways in which the French king Louis XIV ruled New France?

1) Louis XIV ruled New France with a centralized and authoritarian system of government.
2) Louis XIV allowed the colonists in New France to have a significant degree of self-governance.
3) Louis XIV encouraged religious freedom and tolerance in New France.
4) Louis XIV implemented policies that promoted economic growth and development in New France.

Answer 1

King Louis XIV ruled New France with a centralized authoritarian system, and there was little self-governance for colonists. The French crown promoted mercantilism, but not religious freedom, as part of its colony management strategy.

Step-by-step explanation:

To understand how King Louis XIV ruled New France, we should look into the absolute monarchy of France during his reign. The first statement is correct; Louis XIV ruled New France with a centralized and authoritarian system of government, reflective of his absolute monarchy in France. This centralized control extended across the ocean, meaning that New France had a highly structured, royal colony status with limited self-governance for colonists. Therefore, the second statement is incorrect; the colonists did not have a significant degree of self-governance.

While Louis XIV was a Catholic monarch intent on furthering Catholicism, the third statement's claim about religious freedom does not align with the overarching goal of spreading Catholic influence, so religious tolerance was limited. Lastly, the fourth statement is correct: under Louis XIV and his finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, policies were implemented to foster economic growth and development, emphasizing mercantilism in New France.