Quebec Act

Question 1

Quebec Act: what is it? why does it matter?

Answer 1

• First constitution/piece of legislation adopted by the British Government in 1774; applied to territory in Quebec and Ontario
• tried to manage diversity within British empire
• Explains Canadian duality
• wanted to turn Quebec into a garrison colony by giving French Canadians rights
• Led to American Revolution
• Is why Quebec exists today

Question 2

What does it mean that the Quebec Act “explains Canadian duality”?

Answer 2

• Responsible for the current existence of French Canadians
• Acknowledged that there was a French-speaking, Roman Catholic population in Canada
• Acknowledged differences between common laws and civil laws in Quebec

Question 3

How did the Quebec Act make Quebec a garrison colony?

Answer 3

• Also allowed people in Quebec to live under civil law (like France was using) rather than common law
• Seigneurial regime reinstated

Question 4

How did Quebec Act lead to American Revolution?

Answer 4

Quebec Act meant that American settlers had no hope of extending their territory, and they had to live in a colony with civil law and Roman Catholicism -> this was a trigger for them to rebel, leading, in part, to American revolution

Question 5

how did British Empire deal with diversity before and after Quebec Act?

Answer 5

• Previously, British Empire dealt with diversity using:
• • Deportation
• • Assimilation
• Using the Quebec act, their strategy was:
• • Tolerate it