In his book "The Canadian Frontier," W. J. Eccles describes New France as a "free, prosperous, and open handed society with no want or repression." This is an accurate statement in the fact that the people of New France were completely content with who they were and staying as that way. The citizens of New France had established a life and lifestyle. They were in no way ready or about to change that. The French, for the most part, had quite a prosperous trade going on with the native peoples of Canada. They had fairly sizeable, comfortable settlements. For the French, life seemed to be fine just the way it was. It is completely justifiable to say that the settlers of New France were "free" or "prosperous" because they were. The citizens of New France had established a very comfortable lifestyle. The first French came to Canada with the explorations of Jacques Cartier in 1534. Most of Canada was occupied by the French for over two hundred years, until France ceded the territory to the British after the French and Indian War, in accordance with the Treaty of Paris. In that two hundred twenty nine year history, and after it, the settlers of New France built and maintained a comfortable life. To say that they were "free  would be accurate. They were free to farm, fish, trade, etc. They were free to maintain a living in any way they chose. They were free to worship in pretty much any way they saw fit. Jesuit priests and missionaries came over to preach the gospel of the catholic church to the natives and the inhabitants of New France. Unlike in England, where one had to be a member of the Church of England to hold any kind of vote or political power, and where the Church of England was the church of the state, the Catholic church was recognized in New France, and as most of the settlers were French, most of the population of New France was catholic. The settlers of New France lived calm, uninterrupted lifestyles. The lifestyle o