Quebec Act (1774)

Sir Guy Carleton believed that the French seigniorial system should be maintained and that responsible government withheld in Quebec, thus establishing the Quebec Act. The governor was to rule with the assistance of the Council which included the French seigniors, the seigniorial system of tenure continued and the position of the Catholic Church was maintained. The English-speaking settlers were unhappy as their considerations were omitted. The Act was eventually superseded by the Constitutional Act of 1791.

Battle of Quebec (1759)

Under the leadership of the Marquis of Montcalm, the French forces of Quebec tried to defend themselves against General James Wolfe and his group. Taking place during the Seven Years War, the British captured Quebec causing the collapse of French power in Canada. Both Wolfe and Montcalm were killed in battle.

Queenston Heights, October 13, 1812

This has been called one of the decisive battles of the War of 1812. An American army of about 3000 under General Van Rensselaer had gathered at Lewiston, New York, including the 6th, 13th and 23rd US Infantry Regiments and the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th New York militia regiments. Early on October 13, an advance guard of the 19th New York Militia Regiment and the 13th US Infantry Regiment made a surprise landing across the Niagara River at Queenston. The Americans landed successfully, but were held up by the British garrison in the town, consisting of the two flank companies of the British 49th Regiment and two companies of the York militia. A detachment of American infantry then scaled the steep cliff of the Niagara gorge, called Queenston Heights, to get around the British in the town. The British had not thought this possible, and were completely surprised by the new American attack. The British commander, General Isaac Brock, led a charge in person to retake the lost ground, including a vital artillery battery, but was killed. Lt. Col. John MacDonnell of the York militia tried a second charge, but he was also killed and the attack was abandoned. Meanwhile, British reinforcements had arrived, including 200 Six Nations warriors led by Captain John Norton. Van Rensselaer had won the first part of the battle, but he could not convince any more New York militia, who greatly feared the native fighters, to cross the river. Fighting from the cover of some woods, Norton stalled the Americans winning vital time until more British and militia forces could move up under General Sheaffe. These included five companies from the 41st Regiment, another company of York militia and six companies of Lincoln militia, and Captain Runchey=s Coloured Corps, an all-African militia company. Thanks to Norton=s men, the American forces were already weakened when Sheaffe finally made his main counterattack, decisively defeating Van Rensselaer. An American victory at Queenston could have led to the rapid collapse of the British army in Upper Canada. The British victory meant the Americans could not expect a quick victory in the war, as they had hoped.

Quiet Revolution (1960-1966)

Under the leadership of Jean Lesage’s Liberal government, the Quebec reform program sought to counteract the influence of the Catholic Church in areas such as education and wanted to decolonize Quebec’s economy from English-Canada’s influence. Its participation in the federal/provincial shared cost programs to provide the range of social services available throughout English-speaking Canada, became too much of a financial burden causing the government to lose power.