Final answer:
New France made it illegal for independent fur traders to trade with the First Nations to control the fur trade and maximize profits.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary motive for New France to make it illegal for independent fur traders to trade with the First Nations was to control the fur trade and maximize profits. The regulation of trade was vital to maintain the monopoly held by the Company of New France, which the French government had granted exclusive rights to the fur trade.
By centralizing the trade, it was easier to tax and control, ensuring that profits would benefit the French interests. Independent trading could undermine the structured system, leading to decreased revenue as traders sought to bypass the established company and its imposed taxes.
In 1627, the French government took significant steps to solidify their control by granting the monopoly to the Company of New France, and further in 1663, when it was placed under royal control by Louis XIV.
This effectively meant that all fur trappers had to either work for the company directly or sell their furs to it. Competition and smuggling by independent traders threatened the profitability of the fur trade, so legal measures were implemented to discourage such practices.
Through maintaining control of the fur trade, the French could manage their colonial resources more effectively, ensuring the economic success of their North American ventures.