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Foreword excerpt

"This book contains a summary of what I have taught my history students for more than fifteen years. After a brief review of events, there is a description of the structure of society during the French regime. Although this book has the defects inherent in all works of this kind, I believe, that considering the limited importance history books usually give to institutions, it may be of use to people wishing to have an introduction to a comprehensive study of New France.

Throughout my teaching, I have put students on their guard against the attitude of magister dixit. In history, the teacher must not impose a single, one-sided interpretation because the purpose of historical studies is too complex for anyone to presume that he can encompass it as simply as that. Therefore, I have been careful to get students to verify my statements for themselves, and to reject the ones they discover to be ill-founded. This book is written in the same spirit."