New France After Conquest

The Change of Empire: New France after the Conquest 1760-1763

Vocabulary  Assimilation: The process whereby a people adopts

the culture of another people  Constitution: A collection of fundamental laws that regulate the relationship between the members of society and those that govern it.  Ordinance: A decision or a measure taken by the governor that has the force of law.  Legislative Assembly: A collection of people elected by a part of the population in order to represent it in government.

Military rule (1760-1763)  The British took control of New France and placed it

under military rule.  The Treaty of Paris (1763) makes Great Britain’s conquest official and reorganizes the territory on North America.  Aboriginal people rose up against the British led by Chief Pontiac. In 1766, Pontiac signed a peace treaty with Great Britain.

The Royal Proclamation (1763)  Instead of New France, there is the new Province of

Quebec which is mainly the St. Lawrence Valley.  British Civil and Criminal law are imposed. A different system than the Canadiens are used to.  The power was in the hand of the British governor.

Assimilation  The British try to assimilate the Canadiens by having   

 

them: Adopt the English language and British culture Adopt the Protestant religion and education Imposing the Test Act for those who wanted to work in the British administration Favouring British immigration Distributing land in townships, not seigneuries

The effects of the Conquest on the Canadiens  Most Canadiens try to overcome their distrust of the

British. Most of the nobility left to go back to France and most peasants wanted to get back to farming.  The Catholic priests in Quebec tried to convince Canadiens to accept the British as their rulers. The Church does this mainly to protect their own position of power in Quebec.  The “economic engine” of Quebec was still the fur trade. Canadiens not involved in the fur trade return to their seigneuries to farm.

Quebec City after the Conquest

Quebec City after the Conquest

Seigneury Château-Richer near Quebec City

Château-Richer