To each his chores
Teamwork was essential for survival in New France. In the city and in the countryside, everyone had to do their work to ensure everything got done.
The men were responsible for providing a home for their families. They took care of building and maintaining their home. Often, the men even had to make their own tools. They were also responsible for clearing the land and doing all the hard work in the fields. In this way, they played an important role in feeding their families. Men who lived in the city had to earn enough money to support their families.
Women also played an important role in feeding the family. They were responsible for tending to the vegetable garden and preparing meals. They took care of the animals and raised the children, kept the house, spun the wool and made the clothes.
Even the children played an important role. From a young age, children had to help out with the daily chores. Girls helped their mothers make meals, sew, tend the garden and watch their younger brothers and sisters, while boys tended to imitate their fathers. In the countryside, boys worked in the fields, helped to clear the land and took care of the farm animals. Boys who lived in town helped their father in his shop or worked for an artisan.
When harvest time came, everyone had to work in the fields. Men, women and children all worked together.
The artisans worked in their shop, making the orders they received. For example, the shoemaker had to work the leather, cutting and sewing it into boots or shoes.
Author: Service national du Récit de l’univers social
See also – Traces of the past: