Welcome!

Enter a player name to begin or load your saved progress.

Engagé Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge

Study Hints Create Teach
Global Score: 0
Trophies: 0 🏆

‹ Back

Score: 0 / 100

Study Guide: The Engagé System: Indentured Servitude and Forced Labor in French Colonial History

Cheat Sheet:
The Engagé System: Indentured Servitude and Forced Labor in French Colonial History Study Guide

I. The Engagé System: Definition and Historical Context

The *engagé* system was a form of indentured servitude primarily implemented in New France, the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the French West Indies during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Answer: True

Explanation: The *engagé* system is defined as a form of indentured servitude implemented in New France, Louisiana, and the French West Indies during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Return to Game

The *engagé* system is categorized as a form of voluntary, paid labor, distinct from forced labor or slavery.

Answer: False

Explanation: The *engagé* system is categorized as a form of forced labor and slavery, specifically indentured servitude, which involved contractual obligations often leading to exploitative conditions.

Return to Game

*Engagés* were brought to New France by France primarily to serve as a labor force for colonial endeavors, including the fur trade.

Answer: True

Explanation: *Engagés* were brought to New France by the French government to serve as a labor force for various colonial endeavors, including the fur trade, as part of a broader development strategy.

Return to Game

Which of the following regions was NOT a primary location for the implementation of the *engagé* system of indentured servitude during the 18th and 19th centuries?

Answer: British North American colonies

Explanation: The *engagé* system was primarily implemented in New France, the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the French West Indies, not British North American colonies.

Return to Game

What broader category of labor does the *engagé* system fall under?

Answer: Forced labor and slavery, specifically indentured servitude

Explanation: The *engagé* system is categorized as a form of forced labor and slavery, specifically indentured servitude, due to its contractual obligations and often exploitative conditions.

Return to Game

II. Engagés in Colonial North America: Fur Trade and Exploration

In the 18th century Canadian fur trade, *engagés* were independent merchants who traded furs without official licenses, similar to *coureurs des bois*.

Answer: False

Explanation: In the 18th-century Canadian fur trade, *engagés* were indentured servants bound by contract, distinct from *coureurs des bois* who were independent merchants trading without licenses.

Return to Game

The Lewis and Clark Expedition utilized *engagés* to staff their pirogues for transportation across the western United States.

Answer: True

Explanation: The Lewis and Clark Expedition employed *engagés* to staff their pirogues, which were essential for transportation during their exploration of the western United States.

Return to Game

By the 19th century, the term *engagé* in Canada exclusively referred to French-Canadian men employed in the fur trade.

Answer: False

Explanation: By the 19th century, the term *engagé* in Canada broadened to include all employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, regardless of their nationality, not exclusively French-Canadian men.

Return to Game

What was the primary role of an *engagé* in the Canadian fur trade during the 18th century?

Answer: Transporting goods by canoe and performing all aspects of frontier river travel

Explanation: In the 18th-century Canadian fur trade, the primary role of an *engagé* was to transport goods by canoe and manage all aspects of frontier river and lake travel as an indentured servant.

Return to Game

How did *engagés* differ from *voyageurs* in the fur trade?

Answer: *Engagés* were indentured servants bound by contract, while *voyageurs* were free, licensed individuals.

Explanation: *Engagés* were indentured servants bound by contract, whereas *voyageurs* were free, licensed individuals in the fur trade.

Return to Game

Which famous American expedition utilized *engagés* to staff their pirogues?

Answer: The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Explanation: The Lewis and Clark Expedition utilized *engagés* to staff their pirogues for transportation during their exploration.

Return to Game

By the 19th century, the term *engagé* in Canada evolved to refer to:

Answer: Employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, regardless of nationality

Explanation: By the 19th century, the term *engagé* in Canada broadened to refer to all employees of the Hudson's Bay Company, irrespective of their nationality.

Return to Game

III. Indentured Labor in Saint-Domingue: Economic Pressures and Social Dynamics

After the 1760s, Saint-Domingue's plantation economy strengthened, marked by a decrease in slave prices and a rapid increase in the profitability of coffee.

Answer: False

Explanation: After the 1760s, Saint-Domingue's plantation economy weakened, characterized by doubling slave prices and a collapse in coffee profitability, leading many planters into debt.

Return to Game

To counteract the high cost of slave labor, Saint-Domingue planters began importing white indentured servants.

Answer: True

Explanation: Saint-Domingue planters began importing white indentured servants to mitigate the high cost of acquiring and maintaining enslaved labor, which was approximately 300 Spanish dollars per slave.

Return to Game

White indentured servants in Saint-Domingue, known as *petits blanchets* or *engagés*, typically worked for ten years, receiving only housing.

Answer: False

Explanation: White indentured servants in Saint-Domingue typically worked for five to seven years, receiving housing, food, and clothing from their masters, not ten years with only housing.

Return to Game

By 1789, approximately 6 percent of all white St. Dominicans were employed as *engagés* or indentured servants on plantations.

Answer: True

Explanation: By 1789, approximately 6 percent of the white population in Saint-Domingue was employed as *engagés* or indentured servants on plantations, indicating their significant presence in the labor force.

Return to Game

Many indentured servants in Saint-Domingue included German settlers and Acadian refugees deported by the British.

Answer: True

Explanation: Indentured servants in Saint-Domingue included German settlers and Acadian refugees who had been deported by the British during the French and Indian War.

Return to Game

Hundreds of Acadian refugees voluntarily constructed a military base for the French government in Saint-Domingue.

Answer: False

Explanation: Hundreds of Acadian refugees perished while forcibly constructing a jungle military base for the French government in Saint-Domingue, indicating their labor was coerced and deadly.

Return to Game

Despite economic challenges, Saint-Domingue produced less sugar than any single British Caribbean island.

Answer: False

Explanation: Despite economic challenges, Saint-Domingue produced more sugar than all of the British Caribbean islands combined, highlighting its immense productivity.

Return to Game

What economic trend characterized Saint-Domingue after the 1760s?

Answer: A weakening plantation economy with doubling slave prices and collapsing coffee profitability.

Explanation: After the 1760s, Saint-Domingue experienced a weakening plantation economy marked by doubling slave prices, tripling land prices, and a collapse in coffee profitability.

Return to Game

What was the approximate cost of a slave in Saint-Domingue, and how did planters respond to this expense?

Answer: 300 Spanish dollars; they began importing white indentured servants.

Explanation: A slave in Saint-Domingue cost approximately 300 Spanish dollars, leading planters to import white indentured servants to offset this high expense.

Return to Game

What were the typical terms of service for white indentured servants (*petits blanchets* or *engagés*) in Saint-Domingue?

Answer: Five to seven years, with housing, food, and clothing provided.

Explanation: White indentured servants in Saint-Domingue typically served for five to seven years, receiving housing, food, and clothing from their masters.

Return to Game

By 1789, what percentage of white St. Dominicans were employed as *engagés* on plantations?

Answer: Approximately 6 percent

Explanation: By 1789, approximately 6 percent of all white St. Dominicans were employed as *engagés* or indentured servants on plantations.

Return to Game

Which groups comprised some of the indentured servants in Saint-Domingue?

Answer: German settlers and Acadian refugees deported by the British.

Explanation: Indentured servants in Saint-Domingue included German settlers and Acadian refugees who had been deported by the British.

Return to Game

What was the fate of hundreds of Acadian refugees forced to build a military base in Saint-Domingue?

Answer: They perished while forcibly constructing a jungle military base for the French government.

Explanation: Hundreds of Acadian refugees perished while forcibly constructing a jungle military base for the French government in Saint-Domingue.

Return to Game

Despite economic challenges, how did Saint-Domingue's sugar production compare to British Caribbean islands?

Answer: It produced more sugar than all of the British Caribbean islands combined.

Explanation: Despite economic challenges, Saint-Domingue produced more sugar than all of the British Caribbean islands combined.

Return to Game

IV. Louisiana's Complex Labor Landscape: Engagés, Slavery, and Social Hierarchy

Louisiana's pattern of slavery was distinct from other Southern states due to its Louisiana Creole heritage, which led to supplementing slave labor with *petits habitants* and immigrant indentured servitude.

Answer: True

Explanation: Louisiana's unique pattern of slavery, influenced by its Creole heritage, involved supplementing enslaved labor with *petits habitants* and immigrant indentured servitude due to a scarcity of enslaved people.

Return to Game

On many Louisiana plantations, only enslaved people performed manual labor, maintaining a rigid racial hierarchy.

Answer: False

Explanation: On many Louisiana plantations, free people of color and white laborers worked alongside enslaved people, creating a multi-class labor system that differed from rigid racial hierarchies.

Return to Game

Creoles in Louisiana sometimes referred to *engagés*, particularly Germans, as 'white slaves,' and they were commonly sold under this designation.

Answer: True

Explanation: Creoles in Louisiana often referred to *engagés*, especially Germans, as 'white slaves,' and they were indeed commonly sold under this designation, reflecting their harsh conditions.

Return to Game

German *engagés* who eventually gained their freedom were known as 'Redemptioners'.

Answer: True

Explanation: German *engagés* who successfully completed their indenture contracts and gained freedom were known as 'Redemptioners'.

Return to Game

The children of *engagés* or *petits habitants* in Louisiana were always guaranteed freedom and protection from forced labor.

Answer: False

Explanation: In some cases, the children of *engagés* or *petits habitants* in Louisiana were abandoned and subsequently sold into slavery as 'white slaves,' indicating a lack of guaranteed freedom.

Return to Game

Sally Miller's story is significant because she was a free woman who advocated for the rights of indentured servants in Louisiana.

Answer: False

Explanation: Sally Miller's story is significant for illustrating the extreme exploitation faced by some indentured servants and their descendants, as she was sold into slavery despite being born to German *engagé* parents, not because she was a free advocate.

Return to Game

Abolitionist Parker Pillsbury warned in 1853 that a 'white skin is no security whatsoever' against being subjected to forms of servitude or slavery.

Answer: True

Explanation: Abolitionist Parker Pillsbury issued a warning in 1853 that 'A white skin is no security whatsoever' against being subjected to forms of servitude or slavery, highlighting the vulnerability of some white individuals.

Return to Game

What characterized Louisiana's pattern of slavery compared to other American Southern states?

Answer: It had a distinct pattern due to its Creole heritage, supplementing slave labor with *petits habitants* and immigrant indentured servitude.

Explanation: Louisiana's pattern of slavery was distinct due to its Creole heritage, which led to supplementing slave labor with *petits habitants* and immigrant indentured servitude.

Return to Game

What was the social composition of labor on many Louisiana plantations?

Answer: Free people of color and white laborers worked alongside enslaved people.

Explanation: On many Louisiana plantations, free people of color and white laborers worked alongside enslaved people, creating a multi-class labor system.

Return to Game

How did Creoles in Louisiana sometimes refer to *engagés*, particularly Germans?

Answer: White slaves

Explanation: Creoles in Louisiana sometimes referred to *engagés*, particularly Germans, as 'white slaves,' reflecting the harsh conditions of their servitude.

Return to Game

What term was used for German *engagés* who eventually gained their freedom?

Answer: Redemptioners

Explanation: German *engagés* who eventually gained their freedom were known as 'Redemptioners'.

Return to Game

What sometimes happened to the children of *engagés* or *petits habitants* in Louisiana?

Answer: They were abandoned and subsequently sold into slavery as 'white slaves'.

Explanation: In some cases, the children of *engagés* or *petits habitants* in Louisiana were abandoned and subsequently sold into slavery as 'white slaves'.

Return to Game

What was the significance of Sally Miller's story in the context of Louisiana's indentured servitude?

Answer: Her story, documented in *The Lost German Slave Girl*, illustrates the extreme exploitation faced by some indentured servants and their descendants.

Explanation: Sally Miller's story, documented in *The Lost German Slave Girl*, is significant for illustrating the extreme exploitation faced by some indentured servants and their descendants, as she was sold into slavery despite being born to German *engagé* parents.

Return to Game

What warning did abolitionist Parker Pillsbury issue in 1853 regarding the safety of white children?

Answer: That a 'white skin is no security whatsoever' against being subjected to forms of servitude or slavery.

Explanation: Abolitionist Parker Pillsbury warned in 1853 that 'A white skin is no security whatsoever' against being subjected to forms of servitude or slavery, highlighting the vulnerability of white children.

Return to Game

V. The New Orleans Canal: A Case Study in Indentured Servitude and Human Cost

The construction of the New Orleans Canal in 1831 primarily relied on enslaved labor due to its availability and low cost.

Answer: False

Explanation: The construction of the New Orleans Canal in 1831 primarily relied on indentured servitude because enslaved labor was considered too valuable to be subjected to the project's dangerous and deadly conditions.

Return to Game

Irish *engagés* who worked on the New Orleans Canal died in large numbers due to harsh conditions, but replacements were difficult to find.

Answer: False

Explanation: While Irish *engagés* died in horrific numbers during the New Orleans Canal construction, replacements were readily available as continuous boatloads of impoverished Irish *engagés* arrived, desperate for work.

Return to Game

Historical estimates for Irish *engagés* who died during the New Orleans Canal construction range between 8,000 and 20,000.

Answer: True

Explanation: Historical estimates for the Irish *engagés* who perished during the construction of the New Orleans Canal range between 8,000 and 20,000, although no official count was kept.

Return to Game

Many deceased *engagés* during the New Orleans Canal construction were given proper burials with individual grave markers.

Answer: False

Explanation: Many deceased *engagés* were buried without grave markers in the levee or had their bodies dumped into roadway-fill, reflecting a lack of respectful burial practices.

Return to Game

The Irish Cultural Society of New Orleans dedicated a Celtic cross in 1990 to commemorate the Irish workers who died building the New Orleans Canal.

Answer: True

Explanation: In 1990, the Irish Cultural Society of New Orleans dedicated a Kilkenny marble Celtic cross in New Basin Canal Park to commemorate the Irish workers who perished during the canal's construction.

Return to Game

Which major public works project in Louisiana in 1831 heavily relied on indentured servitude?

Answer: The building of the New Orleans Canal

Explanation: The construction of the New Orleans Canal in 1831 was a major public works project that relied almost exclusively on indentured servitude.

Return to Game

Why were *engagés* primarily used for the New Orleans Canal construction instead of enslaved labor?

Answer: Enslaved labor was considered too valuable to be subjected to the dangerous and deadly conditions.

Explanation: *Engagés* were primarily used for the New Orleans Canal construction because enslaved labor was deemed too valuable to be exposed to the project's dangerous and deadly conditions.

Return to Game

What was the estimated death toll for Irish *engagés* during the construction of the New Orleans Canal?

Answer: Between 8,000 and 20,000

Explanation: Historical estimates for Irish *engagés* who died during the New Orleans Canal construction range between 8,000 and 20,000.

Return to Game

How were the bodies of many deceased *engagés* handled during the New Orleans Canal construction?

Answer: They were buried without grave markers in the levee or dumped into roadway-fill.

Explanation: Many deceased *engagés* were buried without grave markers in the levee or dumped into roadway-fill, reflecting the dehumanizing treatment of these laborers.

Return to Game

VI. Broader Debates: Labor Efficiency, Social Status, and Abolitionist Discourse

French economists and abolitionist movements argued that paid labor or indentured servitude was more cost-effective than slave labor in Saint-Domingue.

Answer: True

Explanation: French economists and abolitionist movements, such as the Société des amis des Noirs, argued that paid labor or indentured servitude was more cost-effective and could achieve the same output as slave labor.

Return to Game

King Louis XVI opposed changing the labor system in French colonies because he believed slave labor was morally indefensible.

Answer: False

Explanation: King Louis XVI opposed changing the labor system because slave labor was directly responsible for enabling France to surpass Britain in trade, indicating an economic rather than moral justification.

Return to Game

The multi-class labor system in Louisiana, involving free people of color and white laborers alongside enslaved people, contributed to a shift in perspectives towards abolishing slavery.

Answer: True

Explanation: The multi-class labor system in Louisiana, which included free people of color and white laborers alongside enslaved individuals, contributed to a shift in perspectives, converting many to the idea of abolishing slavery.

Return to Game

Observations on Creole plantations indicated that paid employees produced work of inferior quality compared to slave workers.

Answer: False

Explanation: Observations on Creole plantations indicated that enslaved workers produced work of inferior quality compared to paid employees, suggesting inefficiency in slave labor.

Return to Game

The primary justification for maintaining expensive slave labor, despite its inefficiency, was the social status it conferred upon the proprietary planter.

Answer: True

Explanation: The primary justification for maintaining expensive slave labor, despite its inefficiency, was the social status and power it conferred upon the proprietary planter within society.

Return to Game

Mr. Melvil believed that emancipated enslaved people would be inherently lazy and unable to cultivate land for a wage.

Answer: False

Explanation: Mr. Melvil countered the assertion that freed enslaved people would be lazy, arguing that their perceived laziness would cease once they became familiar with civilization and developed new needs, motivating them to work for a wage.

Return to Game

What argument did French economists and abolitionist movements like the Société des amis des Noirs put forth regarding labor in Saint-Domingue?

Answer: Paid labor or indentured servitude was more cost-effective than slave labor.

Explanation: French economists and abolitionist movements argued that paid labor or indentured servitude was more cost-effective than slave labor and could achieve comparable output on plantations.

Return to Game

Why did King Louis XVI resist changing the labor system in French colonies despite economic arguments for paid labor?

Answer: Slave labor was directly responsible for enabling France to surpass Britain in trade.

Explanation: King Louis XVI resisted changing the labor system because slave labor was crucial for France's economic dominance over Britain in trade.

Return to Game

How did the multi-class labor system in Louisiana influence views on the abolition of slavery?

Answer: It contributed to a shift in perspectives, converting many minds to the idea of abolishing slavery.

Explanation: The multi-class labor system in Louisiana contributed to a shift in perspectives, converting many minds to the idea of abolishing slavery.

Return to Game

What observation was made about the quality of work between slave labor and paid labor on Creole plantations?

Answer: Slave workers produced work of inferior quality compared to paid employees.

Explanation: Observations on Creole plantations indicated that enslaved workers produced work of inferior quality compared to paid employees.

Return to Game

According to the text, what was the primary justification for maintaining expensive slave labor despite its inefficiency?

Answer: The social status it conferred upon the proprietary planter.

Explanation: The primary justification for maintaining expensive slave labor, despite its inefficiency, was the social status it conferred upon the proprietary planter.

Return to Game

How did Mr. Melvil respond to the Creole planter's concern about plantations without enslaved people?

Answer: He stated that the *affranchis*, or freedmen, would cultivate the land for a wage.

Explanation: Mr. Melvil responded to the Creole planter's concern by stating that *affranchis*, or freedmen, would cultivate the land for a wage, suggesting a viable alternative to enslaved labor.

Return to Game

What was Mr. Melvil's counter-argument regarding the laziness of freed enslaved people as workers?

Answer: He argued they would cease to be lazy once familiarized with civilization and new needs.

Explanation: Mr. Melvil argued that freed enslaved people would cease to be lazy once familiarized with civilization and new needs, which would motivate them to work more effectively.

Return to Game