
Why was Quebec founded?
Why was Quebec founded? In 1608 Samuel de Champlain installed the first permanent base in Canada at Quebec, which grew as a fortified fur-trading post .Lawrence and its tributaries gave the French the best access to the interior of North America and control over the fur trade, an advantage that the British wanted to gain.
When was Quebec colonized?
The origins of Quebec go back to 1534–35, when the French explorer Jacques Cartier landed at present-day Gaspé and took possession of the land in the name of the king of France.
What French explorer founded Quebec?
Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer, cartographer, scientist, and diplomat. He founded the city of Quebec, and was hugely influential in the early French colonization of Canada. He is known as the “Father of New France”. Sources indicate Samuel de Champlain attempted to establish positive relationships with the Native population, and worked to develop close bonds and cooperation between the settlers and the tribes.
Who was the founder of Quebec?
The city of Quebec was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. He began a trading post there. During the 17th century and the early 18th century, Quebec grew slowly. The Maison Chevalier was built in 1752. In 1759 it was the scene of a decisive battle when it was captured by General Wolfe.

Who were the first people to settle in Quebec?
The first settlers of the region were the Iroquois, who spent time in what's now called Québec long before the Europeans arrived. The Vikings landed in Canada more than 1,000 years ago, probably followed by Irish and Basque fishermen.
What was the first permanent Canadian settlement?
Samuel de Champlain's Settlement Samuel de Champlain's impressive settlement was the first permanent European settlement built in Canada. July 1608: Samuel de Champlain arrives near what is now Quebec City. He has been entrusted by the King of France to create a permanent trade settlement and a new nation: New France.
Who established the first permanent settlements in Canada?
Samuel de ChamplainIn 1604, the first European settlement north of Florida was established by French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain, first on St. Croix Island (in present-day Maine), then at Port-Royal, in Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia). In 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City.
Why was Quebec founded?
In 1608 Samuel de Champlain installed the first permanent base in Canada at Quebec, which grew as a fortified fur-trading post. The St. Lawrence and its tributaries gave the French the best access to the interior of North America and control over the fur trade, an advantage that the British wanted to gain.
What was Quebec in 1608?
Permanent European settlement of the region began only in 1608, when Samuel de Champlain established a fort at Cape Diamond, the site of present-day Quebec city, then called Stadacona. A half century later the French settlement had a meagre population of some 3,200 people.
Was Quebec City the first permanent settlement in Canada?
Quebec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. Some other towns were founded before, most famously Tadoussac in 1604 which still exists today, but Quebec was the first to be meant as a permanent settlement and not a simple trading post. Over time, it became a province of Canada and all of New France.
Who passed the Quebec Act of 1774?
the British ParliamentThe Quebec Act of 1774, a law passed by the British Parliament impacting the Canadian province of Quebec, contained several provisions related to religious freedom.
Who named Canada?
According to the Government of Canada website, the name “Canada” likely comes from the Huron-Iroquois word “kanata,” meaning “village” or “settlement.” In 1535, two Aboriginal youths told French explorer Jacques Cartier about the route to kanata; they were actually referring to the village of Stadacona, the site of the ...
When did Christopher Columbus discover Canada?
In 1492 Columbus reached land in the Bahamas. Almost 500 years after the Norse, John Cabot explored the east coast of what would become Canada in 1497. Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the East Coast of North America from Florida to presumably Newfoundland in 1524.
How did Quebec get its name?
The name “Quebec” comes from the Algonquin word for “narrow passage” or “strait”. It was first used to describe the narrowing of the St. Lawrence River near what is now the City of Québec. Quebec has had several names throughout its history: Canada, New France, Lower Canada and Canada East.
What is Quebec known for?
Quebec is well known for producing maple syrup, for its comedy, and for making hockey one of the most popular sports in Canada. It is also renowned for its culture; the province produces literature, music, films, TV shows, festivals, folklore, and more.
Why Quebec is French?
In 1763, following the Seven Years' War, France ceded to Britain all of its territories in mainland North America. Once within the British Empire, Québec became isolated from the rest of the Francophone world. As a result, the French spoken in Québec followed its own unique trajectory.
What was Canada before 1867?
Canada became a country, the Dominion of Canada, in 1867. Before that, British North America was made up of a few provinces, the vast area of Rupert's Land (privately owned by the Hudson's Bay Company), and the North-Western Territory. By 1864, many leaders felt that it would be good to join into one country.
What was Canada called before Canada?
the North-Western TerritoryPrior to 1870, it was known as the North-Western Territory. The name has always been a description of the location of the territory.
Where did the British First settle in Canada?
NewfoundlandIn 1610, British explorer Henry Hudson made his way into the inland sea and claimed the area on the bay that now bears his name. Newfoundland was the site of the first English colony and was settled by fishermen who arrived from Devon in 1611 and put down roots in Conception Bay.
Who were the first immigrants to Canada?
Although the first migration of people to North America came from Asia 20,000-40,000 years ago, we tend to begin the history of Canadian immigration when Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain established a settlement at Île St. Croix in 1604, and at Port-Royal, Acadia, in 1605.
What is the history of Quebec City?
The history of Quebec City extends back thousands of years, with its first inhabitants being the First Nations peoples of the region. The arrival of French explorers in the 16th century eventually led to the establishment of Quebec City, in present-day Quebec, Canada. The city is one of the oldest European settlements in North America, ...
When was Quebec City established?
After 1543 there were still fur trading activities in the area but it was only 60 years later, on 3 July 1608, that Quebec City (intended as a permanent trading post) was established, on the top and on the foot of Cape Diamant by Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua de Mons.
How did the Crown retain its dominance in Quebec?
Although the State and Church based in Quebec City worked closely together, the dominance of the Crown was retained through the responsibility of the Crown of nominating of the bishop and of supplying a large portion of Church funds.
What was the role of the Sovereign Council in the colony?
Moreover, Quebec City became the seat of Sovereign Council which served legislative and legal functions in the colony through its role in the ratification of royal edicts and as final court of appeal. The Council contained the twin heads of the colonial government: the governor and the intendant (also the chair), along with the bishop of Quebec. Moreover, the council contained a number of colonial elites, usually merchants from Quebec City. Noteworthy is the fact that, under the French regime, Quebec did not have a municipal government; the centralizing Bourbon monarchy was determined to prevent the emergence of autonomous centres of power in the colony, even local city councils.
How many soldiers died in the Queen Anne's War?
Walker's initial report stated that 884 soldiers perished. This number was later revised to 740.
What was the name of the fort in Quebec?
The French rebuffed English attempts to invade during the Nine Years' War. In 1620, the construction of a wooden fort called Fort Saint-Louis started under the orders of Samuel de Champlain; it was completed in 1626.
How many immigrants came to New France during the French regime?
As a whole, approximately 27,000 immigrants came to New France during the French regime, only 31.6% of whom remained.
Who founded Quebec City?
Colonial buildings in the Lower Town of Old Quebec, Quebec City. Quebec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. Some other towns were founded before, most famously Tadoussac in 1604 which still exists today, but Quebec was the first to be meant as a permanent settlement and not a simple trading post.
What is the history of Quebec?
Quebec has played a special role in French history; the modern province occupies much of the land where French settlers founded the colony of Canada (New France) in the 17th and 18th centuries. The population is predominantly French-speaking and Roman Catholic, ...
What was the name of the territory of New France?
New France (1534–1759) Main article: History of New France. Modern Quebec was part of the territory of New France, the general name for the North American possessions of France until 1763. At its largest extent, before the Treaty of Utrecht, this territory included several colonies, each with its own administration: Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, ...
How many French people were there in 1700?
By 1700, fewer than 20,000 people of French origin were settled in New France, extending from Newfoundland to the Mississippi, with the pattern of settlement following the networks of the cod fishery and fur trade, although most Quebec settlers were farmers.
Where did Cartier sail?
On his second voyage on May 26, 1535, Cartier sailed upriver to the St. Lawrence Iroquoian villages of Stadacona, near present-day Quebec City, and Hochelaga, near present-day Montreal . In 1541, Jean-François Roberval became lieutenant of New France and had the responsibility to build a new colony in America.
When did the first people arrive in Quebec?
Paleo-American populations preceded the arrival of the Algonquian and Iroquois people in southern Quebec about 10,000 years ago .
Where were the Aboriginal settlements located?
Aboriginal settlements were located across the area of present-day Quebec before the arrival of Europeans. In the northernmost areas of the province, Inuit communities can be found. Other aboriginal communities belong to the following First Nations :
When did the French settle in Quebec?
Permanent European settlement of the region began only in 1608, when Samuel de Champlain established a fort at Cape Diamond, the site of present-day Quebec city, then called Stadacona. A half century later the French settlement had a meagre population of some 3,200 people. Samuel de Champlain.
When did Quebec start?
The origins of Quebec go back to 1534–35, when the French explorer Jacques Cartier landed at present-day Gaspé and took possession of the land in the name of the king of France. Cartier brought with him the 16th-century European traditions of mercantile expansion to a land where a few thousand Indians (First Nations) and Inuit ...
What was the territory of New France?
Although New France began with the founding of three cities—Quebec city in 1608, Trois-Rivières in 1616, and Montreal in 1642—it eventually included a vast inland territory incorporating Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, and Newfoundland and extending southwest all the way to Louisiana. In the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which confirmed France’s defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, Great Britain acquired all of Nova Scotia (except for Cape Breton), Newfoundland, and the lands around Hudson Bay. The remaining territory of New France, except for Louisiana and the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, was ceded to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris (1763).
What did the French Canadian government provide for?
It also provided for an elected assembly and for appointed executive and legislative councils. In short order, the majority French Canadian society ensured that members of its increasingly nationalistic professional middle class, educated by the Catholic Church, came to dominate the elected assembly.
What was the New France?
New France. New France, 16th–18th century. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Within a decade of having acquired nearly all of France’s North American colonies, Britain faced a revolution of independence by its original 13 colonies. In 1774, hoping to retain the loyalty of their new subjects in the French and Catholic colony ...
Which country acquired Nova Scotia?
In the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which confirmed France’s defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, Great Britain acquired all of Nova Scotia (except for Cape Breton), Newfoundland, and the lands around Hudson Bay.
When did the British government give control of the colonies?
Pressured by French Canadian and British political reformers from Canada West and Canada East, and hoping to transfer the rising administrative costs to the colonies, British authorities granted responsible government in 1848, much to the dismay of the old British Party, which preached annexation to the United States.

Overview
French rule
French explorer Jacques Cartier was the first European to ascend the St. Lawrence Gulf, claiming "Canada" for France (and the coming addition of a newly founded "Acadie" – known today as the Province of Nova Scotia) to create a dominion known as New France. Cartier and his crew first visited in the 1535 an Iroquois settlement of 500 persons called Stadacona, in a site located in pr…
British rule
The British and French had co-existed in North America, but the threat of French expansion into the Ohio Valley caused the British to attempt to eradicate New France from the map completely. In the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759), the city was permanently lost by the French. In 1763, France formally ceded its claims to le Canada, and Quebec City's French-speaking Catholic population ca…
20th century
In 1917, the construction of the Quebec Bridge, connecting the north and south banks of the St. Lawrence River, was finished. To this day, it is the longest cantilever bridge in the world, though two collapses of the centre of the bridge during construction cost over 80 workers their lives.
During World War II, two Allied Forces conferences were held in the city. The first, held in 1943, assembled Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president of the United States of America; Winston Churchill, …
Modern Quebec City
In 1984, Opération Nez rouge was founded in Quebec City. It has been imitated in many European countries.
In April 2001, Quebec City played host to the Summit of the Americas where the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) was discussed. This conference was expected to be filled with confrontations between the police and anti-globalization groups, which meant that the location …
See also
• History of Quebec
• List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Quebec City
• Timeline of Quebec City history
Overview
Quebec was first called Canada between 1534 and 1763. It was the most developed colony of New France as well as New France's centre, responsible for a variety of dependencies (ex. Acadia, Plaisance, Louisiana, and the Pays d'en Haut). Common themes in Quebec's early history as Canada include the fur trade -because it was the main industry- as well as the exploration of North America, …
New France (1534–1763)
Modern Quebec was part of the territory of New France, the general name for the North American possessions of France until 1763. At its largest extent, before the Treaty of Utrecht, this territory included several colonies, each with its own administration: Canada, Acadia, Hudson Bay, and Louisiana.
The borders of these colonies were not precisely defined, and were open on th…
History
Aboriginal settlements were located across the area of present-day Quebec before the arrival of Europeans. In the northernmost areas of the province, Inuit communities can be found. Other aboriginal communities belong to the following First Nations:
• Abenakis
British North America (1760–1867)
British rule under Royal Governor James Murray was benign, with the French Canadians guaranteed their traditional rights and customs. The British Royal Proclamation of 1763 united three Quebec districts into the Province of Quebec. It was the British who were the first to use the name "Quebec" to refer to a territory beyond Quebec City. The British tolerated the Catholic Church, and pro…
Canada (1867–present)
In the decades immediately before Canadian Confederation in 1867, French-speaking Quebeckers, known at that time as Canadiens, remained a majority within Canada East. Estimates of their proportion of the population between 1851 and 1861 are 75% of the total population, with around 20% of the remaining population largely composed of English-speaking citizens of British …
Summary of Quebec's political transformations
Names in bold refer to provinces, others to sub-provincial levels of government; the first names listed are those areas mostly nearly corresponding to contemporary Quebec.
• Canada, the core of New France (1608–1761): a French colony
• Province of Quebec (1763–1791): a British colony
See also
• Timeline of Quebec history
• History of Montreal
• List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Quebec
General:
Further reading
• Brunet, Michel. French Canada in the early decades of British rule (1981) online, 18pp; basic survey
• Cook, Ramsay, ed. French-Canadian Nationalism: An Anthology (1969)
• Coulombe; Pierre A. Language Rights in French Canada (1997)