Corvée | The Canadian Encyclopedia

article

Corvée

Corvée, required labour. Labour demanded of HABITANTS in NEW FRANCE by seigneurs in addition to rent or for pasture rights was illegal and was suppressed by the INTENDANTS.

Corvée

Corvée, required labour. Labour demanded of HABITANTS in NEW FRANCE by seigneurs in addition to rent or for pasture rights was illegal and was suppressed by the INTENDANTS. As militiamen, all habitants were required to work on roads, bridges, fortifications and transport; this enforcement of labour was legal and of indeterminate duration and, though resented, it continued after the French regime. By mid-19th century the term had come to mean voluntary help from the community for building a church, erecting a barn, etc.

Donate to The Canadian Encyclopedia this Giving Tuesday!

A donation to The Canadian Encyclopedia today will have an even greater impact due to a generous matching gift from an anonymous donor. Starting November 28 until December 5, 2023, all donations will be matched up to $10,000! All donations above $3 will receive a tax receipt. Thank you for your support of The Canadian Encyclopedia, a project of Historica Canada.

Donate