History of Montreal

The history of Montreal begins with the discovery from the village from Hochelaga by the French explorers, at the 16th century.

Origin of the name

The town of Montreal holds its name of the Île of Montreal, which was thus named because of the Royal Mont, the mountain in the center of the Island. Indeed, in 1535, the explorer Jacques Cartier had named the mountain Mons realis (Royal mount). In 1556, the geographer Italy N Giovanni Battista Ramusio made the translation of Royal Mont with Monte Reale on a chart. In 1575, François de Belleforest became the first to write Montreal , écrivant :

… in the middle of the compaigne is the village, or Quoted royal iointe with vne montaigne cultivated, which city Chrestiens called Montreal.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the name of the island starts to be used to indicate the city itself. Two charts of 1744 by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin name the island Île of Montreal and the city, City-Marie ; but a chart of 1726 refers to the city as being “ the town of Montréal ”. The name City-Marie falls quickly in disuse to refer to the city. Today, City-Marie became the name of a district of Montreal which includes Old man-Montreal and the downtown area.

In the modern language of the Iroquois, Montreal is called Tiohtià: ke . Other languages autochtones, the such algonquien refer to Montreal like Moniang .

1535 - Discovered village iroquoïenne Hochelaga

A strengthened village, named '' Hochelaga '', is already present on the island when Jacques Cartier arrives on October 2nd, 1535. It is well accommodated by the Iroquoiens and it names the mountain which it sees in the center of the island, mount Royal .

Two sources are available for the analysis of the village iroquoïenne of Hochelaga. Firstly, there exists the Brief Recit that Jacques Cartier gave to his king in 1545. In the second place, a second document exists, Delle Navigationi and Viaggi , by Giovanni Battista Ramusio which, at that time, was the secretary of the Council of the Ten of Sérénissime République of Venice. In this second document the plan is Terra de Hochelaga illustrating with the European mode of time this village iroquoïenne. An analysis of this plan revealed that the hills shown in this plan are those of this Royal Mount.

As for the localization of this village, it seems, according to old documents compared to the topography of Mount-Royal, that the village iroqoïenne Hochelaga was located in the basin of the Royal Mount, this surface relatively (platte) framed by the three hills of the Royal Mount, a Mountain Crowned for the Amerindian . But where exactly this village was located? No one does not know it.

Transitional period: 1535-1603

In France, tragedy of the wars of religion: papists against Protestants

Continuations with these first efforts of colonization, it will run out one half-century before other companies of colonization of Canada are not organized. From 1562 to 1598, France will be mislaid in the internal convulsions of the wars of religion. Disputing the practice of the worship promoted by Rome, the Reform will generate a political controversy which will tear France. In 1589 to the capacity the KING comes FROM PEACE, Henri IV. The royalty finds finally legitimacy and authority. Protesting converted with Catholicism, the new sovereign Henri IV will recognize with the Protestants a legal existence and the freedom of the worship. Extremely tragically, he will be assassinated on May 14th, 1610. For more information, to see MONTREAL, main door in the Western Indies, URL http://jacquescartier.org/fondation-canada/france-roy.html

France benefits from discovered from Hochelaga

Following the discovery of Jacques Cartier, the French explorers undertook to trade with the Amerindians. Moreover, the French and English fishermen usually present at broad of the New Grounds, territory of fishing often disputed, made in the same way. They directed their activity towards the coasts of Nova Scotia and those of the gulf of Saint Laurent. Thereafter, when the wars between England and Spain caused the decline of the Spanish fisheries, a new market of dried cod opened to the French. The contacts with the Amerindians multiplied. As one could make dry cod only on ground, the contacts increased. Thus the Biggar archivist at the time of the many made studies of the beginnings of News-France, underlined the presence as of 1539 of French ships in the island of the Cape Breton making the trade of the furs. That is to say little time after the arrival of Cartier to the Royal Mount in 1535. Followed the French Basques driving out the whale and the Morse to the islands of the Madeleine at the end of the century. As from 1580, Europeans were interested more in the trade of the fur of beaver, it following a request increased by the middle-class men of Western Europe for the felt hats of beaver. The best furs were those trapped in winter. It should be known that the meat of beaver contains a very great number of calories useful for the energy spent by the Amerindians for the trapping. The strong demand in skins of beaver profitère also to the Amerindians.

Thus, after 1540, a considerable number of ships invade the gulf and the Saint Laurent river. Tadoussac becomes the first place of draft. Barter of the skins becomes so important that about 1588, of commercial rich person a monopoly solicits. Pierre de Chauvin dispatches to four ships in the gulf. Bridge-engraved goes to Three-Rivers to exchange its brought back goods of France against furs. Champlain affirms that navigators and tradesmen come regularly to Canada. He thinks that others came already well before 1550 to trade with the Amerindians. All during the XVI century the fisheries Frenchwoman extend along the coasts from the Scotland News to Maine. But they are also the French pirates, ghost of Florida and of the Caribbean, which furrow the coasts and grow rich. For more information, to see MONTREAL, main door in the Western Indies URL http://jacquescartier.org/fondation-canada/france.html

The runners of wood and the merchants of fur enter in scene

Following the arrival of Jacques Cartier in Hochelaga, the tradesmen included/understood very early that rather to wait until the Indian nations come to them, it was of their interest to go to them, to be made runner of wood and to go to seek themselves the invaluable goods at the Indians. They called these territories " countries of in haut". Followed then all those for which this new country represented one demolished to raise and of the business appropriatenesses to cultivate. This new phenomenon was helped by the long distances which these runners of wood could traverse in little time: a few 70 km per day. Their food was frugal: one pint of corn and an ounce of fat per day. Foreseeable thing: several adopted the lifestyle of the Amerindians. Thereafter in 1680, the Duchesneau intendant estimated at 800 the number of the runners of wood. For the exploration of the unknown territories and the long distances, the boat proved to be the essential means of transport. Thanks to the boat, Of Groseillers, Radisson, Nicollet, Jolliet, Inlay and all the others penetrated increasingly front inside the Indies Occidentales, at the same time for the benefit of the trade of the furs and the research of the sea of the West located step very far for several of between-them. For more information, to see BEGINNINGS OF DEVELOPMENT OF MONTREAL ur http://jacquescartier.org/montreal/index.html

Company of the Blessed Sacrament of the Furnace bridge

Created in 1627 by the duke Henri de Levis-Ventadour, sworn enemy of Huguenots which is made order priest, the Company, made up members resulting from the aristocracy and parliamentary middle-class, is animated by the zeal militant of the Counter-Reformation. It aims at the same time charitable and ambitious goals, such as the foundation of hospital, the help with the victims of the war, but also enfermement of the beggars, the fight against Réformés, the heretics, people with dépravées manners, the carnival and the duels. In a few decades, it is organized to form an influential secret society, at the Court but also in families penetrated by spiritual advisers, like in the army and the magistrature. It becomes the Cabal of the excessively pious people, which does not hesitate, in the name of the interest of the Sky, to publicly denounce the guilty people of adultery, blasphemy, and libertinage. Protected by Anne from Austria, it obstructs in turn, in the exercise of the capacity, Richelieu, Mazarin and Louis XIV, and it is undoubtedly for this reason that the latter ends up prohibiting it. It is the Company of the Blessed Sacrament which, taking the defense of the interests of the Church becomes the enemy one sworn of Molière in “the business of the Sanctimonious hypocrite”.

Foundation of City-Marie

In 1640, in France, Jerome Royer, sior of Dauversière and Jean-Jacques Olier de Verneuil (founder of the Sulpiciens in 1645) found the “ Company of Notre-Dame for the conversion of the Savages of the News-France ”. The company is made concede the island of Montreal, located at 1500 kilometers inside the grounds. It recruits colonists to go to be established there in order to create a catholic community.

May 17th, 1642, is a few hundred years after the arrival of Jacques Cartier on the Royal Mont in 1535, a group of about fifty French colonists under the direction of Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve unload on the point where was the place before occupied Royale by Champlain. They give to the site the name City-Marie, in the honor of the Virgin Mary.

Beginnings of Montreal

The beginnings of City-Marie were painful. Iroquois were highly opposed on arrival new occupants. In front of the growing danger, Mr. de Maisonneuve undertook several measurements aiming at the safety of the inhabitants. The owners out them walls had to give up their dwelling. In the fort, a well was dug. One builds a barn hones some fire resistant. The vault and the hospital were transformed into explosives magazine and armed cutting off. All the inhabitants leaving the fort had to provide themselves with weapons. In 1660 the event the Sault Length took place which did nothing but slow down the aggressions iroquoises. March 9th, 1663, Mr. de Bretonvilliers sulpician, acquerrait of the Notre-Dame Company of Montreal the island of Montreal. Mr. de Maisonneuve remained governor of City-Marie. The threats iroquoises persistent, a regular military body was constituted. At the day of the first rallying of 1663, a hundred and forty militiamans were present. The chief: major Zacharie Dupuis. In 1671, a concession of 8 arpents on the river by 40 arpents of depth was granted major Dupuy. In remembering its birthplace, Saverdun in France, the Dupuis officer gave the name of Verdun to its stronghold. Soon the bank skirting the river was called Côte of Verdun. In 1673, the Notre-Dame Congregation directed by Marguerite Bourgeoys, tie-beam in possession of the concession of Verdun. In 1710, a house is built which passed between the hands of Etienne Nivard de Saint-Dizier, merchant-wholesaler specialized in the draft of the furs. Today, this house is the orgueuil of Verdun.

1642 : Under the direction of Louis d' Ailleboust de Coulonges, a fort is set up on a point which will be later called Point-with-Callière, with the mouth of small the Rivière Saint-Pierre.
1644 : Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve concedes with Jeanne Mance, a laic nurse, a ground of 200 arpents which has 4 arpents of face in edge of the St. Lawrence river.
1645 : Construction of the Hospital Saint-Joseph (future Hospital of Montreal) on the ground conceded in Jeanne Mance. It is the first hospital in North America.
1646 : The war with the Iroquois, which lasts until 1653, involves the depopulation of the south of the Ontario and stops the draft of furs.
1653 : Jeanne Mance goes in France and succeeds in recruiting 95 new colonists in an attempt to save the colony of the economic bankruptcy. This episode is known like “the Great Recruit”.
1654 : Outaouais come to make trade in Montreal for the first time.
1658 : Marguerite Middle-class man, arrived of France in 1653, opens a school in a stable given by Maisonneuve. It founds the Congrégation of Notre-Dame of Montreal and will make soon set up a convent and the vault Our-Lady-with-Bonsecours.
1660 : The population of the island of Montreal is estimated at 407 inhabitants. Pierre-Spirit Radisson and Medard Chouart of the Currant bushes escorts 60 boats from the Countries of in-High to Montreal.
1663 : The seminar of Saint-Sulpice of Paris acquires the island and takes again the administration of the involved in debt colony of City-Marie.
1672 : François Dollier de Casson, the superior of Sulpiciens, establishes a plan of the city and begins the construction of the first church in masonry on the street Notre-Dame and of an adjacent seminar. He undertakes also the first work for the channel of Lachine.

The apogee of the French Mode

The growing village became an important center of Traite furs, that the French obtain Amerindians partly. It is also the starting point of the French exploration of the interior by the Explorateurs such as Louis Jolliet, Rene Robert Cavelier of the Room, Pierre Gaultier of Varennes and Vérendrye, Daniel Greysolon, sior of the Lute, Pierre-Spirit Radisson and Medard Chouart of the Currant bushes.

A few years after its foundation, the hamlet started to move towards the slope Saint-Louis (the current street Notre-Dame). To protect the city from the attacks iroquoises, one strengthens it of a palisade of wood piles starting from 1685. The enclave will be increased twice. The military presence is accentuated whereas Iroquois attack Lachine in 1689 and the Meadow in 1690.

In August 1701, 1300 Amerindian S of the North-East of the America meet in Montreal (which counts 1200 inhabitants then) to establish a peace between their various nations like with the French. The Great Peace of Montreal, as was named this treaty, allows the end of the hostilities handicapping the trade of the furs in News-France.

In spite of the arrival of some colonists who develop agriculture, the trade of the furs remains a long time the base of the economy. It brings the “ runners of the bois ” to explore the continent but it is not an important factor of urbanization for City-Marie, who remained a small town until the conquest of the News-France in 1759.

After the Great Peace of Montreal, the threat iroquoise is replaced by the British threat , and as of 1717, Montréalais undertake to replace the wood palisade of the city by stone fortifications. They will form, with their completion in 1744, an enclosure of 3,5 km measuring six m height. The agricultural development of the island continues and nothing any more blocks the exploration of the continent from which Montreal profits.

Large fires devastate the city in 1721 and 1734. They give place to a new regulation obliging construction hones some in the strengthened city, whereas wood remains allowed in the suburbs.

In the middle of the XVIIIe century, the street Notre-Dame, in top of the Saint-Louis slope, is built middle-class residences and accommodated the principal institutions of the city. The street Saint-Paul preserves the marketing activities related to the port. The garrison is expelled little by little of the place of the market then necessary for the trade towards space in the north of the Notre-Dame church which becomes the place of Weapons.

Montreal has paces of French provincial small town then, with, in the shade of the walls, its convents and vaults, its private mansions, its gardens dissimulated by the stone frontages aligned on the street. The farmers of the area frequently cross the doors of the fortifications, to come to sell their products to the townsmen and in return, to make their purchases downtown or to meet the colonial administrators there.

The suburb which develops most quickly is the St. Lawrence suburb in the north of the city, but the trade settle rather towards the west, along the road of Lachine borrowed by the travellers.

The British conquest

The rendering of Quebec to the hands of the British in 1759, at the end of a long seat followed by the decisive battle of the Flat of Abraham, takes along the capitulation of Montreal without bombardment nor combat. The city, ordered by Pierre de Cavagnal, Marquis de Vaudreuil, goes to the British army ordered by Lord Jeffrey Amherst on September 8th 1760.

After the conquest, the British merchants take the control of the trade of the city.

A big fire will destroy a hundred dwellings of a district of the city the May 18th 1765.

During the War of American independence, Montreal is taken of force and is occupied by the Fils of American freedom of November 1775 with June 1776.

Commercial Capitalism: 1791-1850

Montreal capital of the fur

After the conquest, under the impulse of the British merchants, the draft of the furs knows a better organization and is forwarded to the formation of a monopoly. Like American independence, in 1783, comes to cut all the South to the British merchants, they reorientate their activities towards the west of the country. Creation, in 1782, of the Compagnie of the North-West makes of Montreal the capital of the draft of the furs, and the years 1791 to 1821 mark the apogee of this activity.

At the beginning of the XIXe century, the town of Montreal east in boiling on the economic plan. The city taking of the expansion, the demolition of the fortifications begins in 1804 to remove separation between the center of the city and the suburbs neighbouring. The population mainly remains French-speaking until the medium of the Années 1830. But of this date until in 1865, the majority is anglophone, the population being inflated of a constant contribution of immigrants of British Isles and other areas of North America Britannique. They are mainly Écossais, Irish, English and American.

Montreal carries from High-Canada

Competition between the Company of the North-West and the Company of Hudson Bay degenerating into armed confrontations, one amalgamates the two companies in 1821. The important trade of the the United Kingdom with the west of the country, furs and local provisioning, is thus diverted by the shorter road of Hudson Bay. Montreal moreover is affected by the opening of the Érié channel between Buffalo and New York, in 1825, which diverts city the remainder of the trade of the fur.

Montreal however started a diversification with the agricultural development of the back-country. During the previous century, the island of Montreal supplemented its rural development, and during first the XIX century quarter, all the surrounding plain covers villages. Montreal is thus discovered, during this period, a new role of center of services for its hinterland. Its strategic situation as not of river transshipment starts to make its fortune and to define its vocation. It is especially the fulgurating growth of High-Canada which supports Montreal which is the obligatory main door.

The trade of wood, corn and potash take an important rise at the beginning of the century. This trade involves division of the labor and mechanization, and creates secondary industries like naval construction. The culture of corn, on its side, on the spot brings construction mills to flour.

Very strong immigration as from 1815 pushes towards a diversification of the local economy and involves the development with more large scales of various artisanal productions whose immigrants bring with them know-how. This production settles after a fashion in spite of the British merchants who see them like compétitrices.

The rapid growth of the city is accelerated by construction in 1824 of the Canal of Lachine which makes it possible the ships to cross the rapids of Lachine in the south of the island. Industrialization concentrates in the sector of the channel. Navigation with vapor develops, supported soon by the railroad. The first railway is built in 1836 between the Meadow and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to jump the bearing of 23 km between Montreal and the Lac Champlain which leads to New York. Until the middle of the century, the railroad develops slowly, like support with the inland waterways.

During the Years 1830, Montreal supplants Quebec like metropolis of the colony but Toronto makes him more and more competition for the trade with the West. Montreal becomes briefly the capital of the Province of Canada in 1843. However, the Canadian Parlement, which was transferred there from Kingston, is fired in 1849 at the time of a riot directed by the Tories to protest against a law compensating the low-Canadian victims for the disorders of 1837-1838. The tensions between French-speaking S and Anglophone S have however only little impact on the development of Montreal, firmly controlled by the new anglophone majority of the province. After a few years of alternation between Toronto and Quebec, the Parliament will be possibly moved with Ottawa in 1857.

The industrial revolution: 1850-1915

In 1851, after the dredging of the lake Saint-Pierre, the wearing of Montreal charms with that of Quebec the title of oceanic main port and the administrative activity is reinforced there. The stone quays, built starting from 1830 are constantly increased. After the large fire of Montreal in 1852 which destroys 1200 houses as well as the catholic cathedral, a payment prohibits construction timber even in the suburbs.

Second half of the XIXe century brings to it fast development of the railroad. Of 1845 with 1853, one builds the line Montreal Portland to make this city the terminus any season of Montreal. The railway company of the Large Trunk installs important workshops with the Pointe Saint-Charles, making city the rail junction of the colony. Of 1852 with 1859, the Large Trunk builds the line Sarnia - River-of-Wolf to reinforce the economic corridor of the St. Lawrence. The vast effort of railway construction, especially in the High-Canada, involves the quasi-bankruptcy of the Canada-Plain and pushes the merchants to require the confederation of all the British colonies to extend the market.

In addition, the craft industry of the beginning of the century yields little by little the place to a more thorough industrialization. Massive immigration between 1830 and 1854 creates a market indeed at the same time as an abundant labor. Between the epidemics and the large fires, Montreal, then the center of a vast back-country, sees being born an important commercial middle-class then industrial, mainly anglophone.

From 1861 Until the Great Depression of 1929, Montreal passes by what some historians call his golden age. What is today Old man-Montreal is then the economic center most important of the Dominion of Canada.

After the British federation of the colonies of North America in 1867, the construction of railroads starts again and culminates with the construction of the Transcontinental between 1875 and 1885. The the Canadian Pacific, the important railway company which builds it, installs its head office in Montreal in 1880. The Canadian National will be formed in 1919 by the amalgamation of several lines in bankruptcy and will be also based in Montreal.

The Boom of the corn of the end of the century strongly benefits Montreal which is the terminus of this food product in the east of Canada.

With the annexation of the close cities, all more or less in bankruptcy, Montreal becomes again mainly French-speaking at the end of the 19th century, but at the prices of important financial problems. The tradition to alternate between a French-speaking mayor and an anglophone mayor starts then and perdure until in 1914 (see Liste of the mayors of Montreal). The anglophone middle-class sees of an evil eye the too extravagant with their taste and often corrupted French-speaking mayors. They create their own political enclaves like Westmount in 1876 Mount-Royal and in 1911.

The apogee of Montreal: 1915-1940

The Prohibition is as a vigor in the province of Quebec of 1919 with 1920.

The strong development of the banks and other financial institutions at the same time give the dash making it possible Montreal to become the Canadian financial center lasting all first half of the XXe century. As of the turning of the century, however, the upper middle class montréalaise loses of its company spirit and hesitates to invest in the mining industry of Ontario and the oil industry of Alberta which develop and make soon the fortune of Toronto.

Years of correction

Until in the Years 1960, Montreal, older, were the most important Canadian city. But with the progressive reorientation of the Canadian economy towards the the United States and the displacement of the Canadian demographic center towards the west, Toronto was placed better for a fast development. The fact that Montreal is a city before any French-speaking person and the political perception of insecurity associated with Québécois nationalism also harmed anglophone Montreal which loses the economic control of the city to the profit of a new French-speaking elite.

A striking fact of the Québécois Nationalisme of the time is the Discours of Charles de Gaulle to Montreal of 1967. Its Lives Quebec libre ! had strong repercussions in all Canada.

Competition between Montreal and Toronto is reinforced during the Années 1960 and culminates after the election of the Parti Québécois with the Quebec in 1976. Several head offices leave Quebec then, sometimes with crash, like the insurance company Sun Life, but generally out of silencing device, as the Royal Banque of Canada. Other companies, in particular the Banque of Montreal move the majority of the activities of direction to Toronto while keeping a pretense from head office in Montreal.

The international statute of the city is however reinforced by the World Fair of 1967, held at the same time as the celebrations of the 325e birthday of the city. The mayor Jean Drapeau continues to develop the image of Montreal like international city with attribution in Montreal of a team of the major Ligues of baseball and by the behavior of the Olympic Games of summer of 1976.

The metropolis today

It is with the contruction of the Métro of Montreal in 1966, in time for Expo '67, that the underground Montreal takes a rise. ( See the detailed article: History of underground Montreal ).

| valign=" top" | |- | colspan=" 2" | Source: Town of Montreal |}

Dated January 1st 2002, the whole of the municipalities located on the island of Montreal, adding up a population of 1.871.774 people, as on several peripheral islands which composed until now the Urban community of Montreal, were amalgamated to form the new town of Montreal.

Twenty-seven suburbs were thus integrated into the old city and transforms in districts, against the will of some of them, particularly of the anglophone suburbs.

After the election of a liberal government with Quebec, a referendum on the municipal défusions took place the June 20th 2004. On the 22 old municipalities amalgamated in 2002 which obtained to have the behavior of a referendum on the dismemberment of their municipality following the signature of registers, 15 of them voted for the défusion. These municipalities are thus become again of the autonomous municipalities, although however, the capacities their being reserved, are not the capacities of the old municipalities. The town of Montreal and the municipalities défusionnées are found within a council of agglomeration which manages competences of agglomeration (ex: organizes, firemen, water, economic development) and the défusionnées cities manage competences of proximity since January 1st, 2006 (leisures, public works, etc).

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