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  1. Sep 2018
    1. The evidence strongly suggests that the Canadiens adopted a casual attitude toward the clergy, which could (and did) sometimes express itself as contempt

      I wonder if this contrasts with early settlers in the American colonies. and if there was some sort of historical reason why contemporary Canada is a more secular country, while the USA is still largely religious.

    1. The effects were remarkable: by the middle of the 18th century, completed family size averaged between six and eight children, despite high infant mortality rates.

      That is actually quite an extraordinary feat, considering the infant mortality rate was something like 20% in Europe at the (if I'm remembering correctly). And given that these settlers had less medical resources than their counterparts in Europe, their infant mortality rate was likely lower.