Who held authority to grant parcels of land to settlers under the seigneurial system?

• A. Seigneurs
• B. Crown officials
• C. Indigenous leaders
• D. Merchants

Answer: (A)

In the seigneurial system of New France, the person who could grant parcels of land to settlers was the seigneur. The Crown granted large tracts of land to seigneurs, who then parceled out portions to habitant settlers within their seigneurie and held the legal authority to grant those parcels. Crown officials did not directly issue individual land grants to settlers, Indigenous leaders did not govern European land distribution under this system, and merchants did not have the authority to grant land.