History of Quebec - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

This article presents a summary of the history of Quebec . The article contains also bonds towards other articles which provide additional details on characters and significant events of the history of Quebec.

Before the French colonization of America (of prehistory at 1508)

According to the dominant theory of settlement, the first inhabitants arrived in America starting from the Asia approximately 30.000 years ago by crossing a Isthme, i.e. a narrow strip of land, which then connected the North-East of the Asia to the North-West of the America, at the place where is today the Bering Strait. This isthmus was then dry following the fall of the level of the oceans caused by the accumulation of water in immense the Glacier S which then covered most of planet.

Archeological sites in the South of the Quebec show that groups of hunters paléoindiens penetrate in the valley of the St. Lawrence at the time when the Mer of Champlain is withdrawn, there is approximately 10 000 years. They circulate on the territory with a great mobility in an environment extremely different from that from today. The proximity of the glaciers brings a rigorous climate. The vegetable landscape resembles much that which one finds in Scandinavian medium. It seems that they move using boats and use tents in skin. Their preferred preys are the large deer tribe, mainly the caribous, although the other mammals, just as fish, supplement their food.

A few millenia later, the Amerindians of Antiquated extend little by little their activities to all the animal and vegetable resources available and live a seasonal nomadism adapted to hunting, fishing and the gathering.

The tools diversify: the Amerindians polish their stone tools and hammer native copper coming from the area of the lake Supérieur. The presence of minerals coming from Labrador (Ramah), of Pennsylvania and copper on sites of Quebec shows the extent of the exchanges and the communications, which will not cease increasing until the arrival of Europeans.

From -3000 years, the pottery is adopted in the plain laurentienne. The gathering takes a more important place in their activities, hunting and fishing however not being forsaken for as much.

It is the beginning of the experimentation of the manufacture of the pottery, mainly in the southern part of Quebec.

It is at that time that certain Amerindian populations coming from the Big lakes extend their network of exchanges to the area laurentienne.

Approximately thousand years ago, the first Inuit S arrived on the territory of Quebec and replaced the Tunits, people now missing. Immigration was done little by little, by small groups comprising less than 30 people.

Agriculture appears in North America in an experimental way about the 8th century but it is only at the 14th century that it is fully controlled in the valley of the the St. Lawrence. The Iroquoiens of the St. Lawrence cultivated there inter alia the Maïs, the Courge, the Tournesol, and the bean.

Viking S settled in America about the year 1000 and one finds traces of their presence until 1340, mainly with Newfoundland

At the beginning of the 16th century, whereas the French undertake the exploration of America, there are approximately 30.000 Amerindian S on the territory of what will become the Province of Quebec.

News-France (1508-1763)

French explorations without successful colonizations (1508-1607)

Forwardings of fishing

The documented history of French exploration starts in 1508. Indeed, in 1508, that is to say only 16 years after the first voyage of Christophe Colomb, Thomas Aubert which probably takes part in a forwarding of fishing in the area of Newfoundland, brings back some Amerindian to France. This event confirms that at the beginning of XVIe century, of the French navigators ventured in the gulf of the river the St. Lawrence.

The voyage of Verrazzano (1524)

Voyages of Jacques Cartier (1534-1542)

Visit Hochelaga and Royal Mont

At the time of its second voyage in 1535, after being itself stopped on September 7th in Quebec, it goes up the St. Lawrence river until Hochelaga, maintaining the town of Montreal. October 3rd, 1535, it is accommodated with Hochelaga which it visits. Then it goes up on the mountain located near Hochelaga which it names Royal Mont. It will be the HIGH POINT of its exploration of the the Western Indies. This mountain will give rise to Montreal. Montreal will become the Cradle of Canada thereafter.

Twenty and one years later, it in 1556, Venice which just like France was interested in the Indies reproduced in the 3rd volume Delle Navigationi and Viaggi an illustration of the visit of Jacques Cartier to Hochelaga, it in the plan Terra de Hochelaga. Surprising thing, an analysis of this illustration reveals that the 3 hills of the Royal Mont shown with this illustration are accurately reproduced. (See for more information - the TERRA OF HOCHELAGA URL http://jacquescartier.org/plan-hochelaga/index.html)

The visit of Hochelaga finished, Cartier returns in Stadacone (Quebec) which it reaches on October 2nd when it will spend the winter. At the time of its third voyage in 1541, Jacques Cartier, become subordinate of Roberval, founds the colony of Charlesbourg-Royal. The following year Roberval arrives at Charlesbourg-Royal that it re-elects France-Roy. Both, this separately, return to the Hochelaga village then destroyed. They try to pass in addition to the saults which on date had blocked the advance in the interior of the Western Indies.

Unceasingly attacked by the Indians of Stadacone, the colony knows precarious moments. Disappointed not to have found neither passage towards Asia, neither richnesses, nor hospital grounds, François Ier wants to more invest important sums in an adventure of exploration and dubious colonization. It orders the return in France of the colony. The French fishermen continue to fish in the gulf of the St. Lawrence river and to make the trade of the furs with the Amerindians but it will be necessary to wait more than 60 years before another attempt at colonization is undertaken.

Colonization

Following the disappointing results of the voyages of Cartier where one had found neither noble metals nor passage towards Asia, the French government ignores Canada. But certain French (Basques and Breton) continue to come in the area from Newfoundland for fishing to cod. They also come for hunting to the whale and the wolf-sailors for oil that one draws some to light. Contrary to those which make green Morue, those who make dry the cod must spend a certain time here before turning over to Europe what enables them to carry out exchanges with Autochtones which covet the objects out of metal of Europeans. Thus the trade of the furs starts. Little by little, these exchanges become increasingly important so that the interest for this corner of septentrional America revives. They are the merchants who become about it the principal promoters and at the end of the 16th century, one attends the first attempts at permanent establishments in Acadie and in the valley of the St. Lawrence.

Contrary to fishing, the trade of the furs requires a continuous presence on the territory to tie advantageous relations with Autochtones which make the essence of work in this marketing activity. But of the permanent establishments are expensive. Thus the French State took rather early the practice to grant privileges to business firms so that they finance these first installations. Usually, the king grants the monopoly of the trade to those which are committed defraying the costs relative to such establishments. However, that does not achieve the unanimity and some prefer that this trade remains free.

In 1598, one installs a group of colonists on the Île of Sand off current Nova Scotia. It is a lamentable failure. In 1600, Pierre de Chauvin founds a station of draft in Tadoussac, the confluence of the river the St. Lawrence and river Saguenay. The first winter decimates almost the totality of the small population. It is to move away from this inhospitable place that in 1603, Of Mounts, which obtains the monopoly of the trade of the furs, tries to initially establish a colony with the mouth of the river Holy-Cross, then to Port-Royal, without success.

For this period, Samuel de Champlain which is with the use of Mounts, benefits from it to make several explorations. It explores the Atlantic coast between Acadie and the Cape Cod then it goes up the St. Lawrence until the current site of Montreal. By going up the river, he noticed a place that the Iroquoïens of the time of Jacques Cartier named Stadaconé and that the Montagnais of its time called “Kébec”. The large explorer had taken high note of the advantages of this place.

The foundation of the town of Quebec (1608)

The colonization of News-France thus starts truly with the foundation of the Ville of Quebec by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Champlain, which was initially implied in activities of fishing in the gulf of the St. Lawrence river, quickly includes/understands the interest of the trade of the furs. To facilitate this trade, it recontre an important group of Montagnais at the seasonal station of draft of Tadoussac in 1603 when he seals neither more nor less one alliance with this group Algonkien. It realizes the importance to have a permanent establishment. The town of Quebec thus becomes the first true permanent French establishment in America. This site which he had noticed in 1603 comprises according to him many advantages. Initially, there is abundance of furs. Then, that seems a place easy to defend because the height of the Cape Diamant. Moreover, the river being narrow, one can control the access of them more easily. Lastly, there are many fertile grounds. Colonization thus starts but it progresses to step of tortoise. It thus sets up the Abitation there.

Colonization progresses slowly because the system set up is not adequate. The French government does not want to really invest. He thus entrusts the development of his colony to a company of trade by granting to him the exclusiveness in the draft of the furs. In return, this company must populate the territory. For a company, it is not very trying to use a good part of its profits to create a colony for the king. For this reason, the companies which followed one another always neglected their obligations and News-France did not develop. Champlain puts much energy to make known all the potential of the new territory. In 1618, it subjects a report to the French authorities in which it makes an inventory of all the resources of the colony. Its efforts end up bearing fruit and the Cardinal of Richelieu is interested in News-France. A new company is born. It is the Compagnie of the Hundred-Associates, the most serious attempt at development to take seat in this News-France of 1627.

Mode of the companies with charter (1627-1662)

In 1627, the cardinal of Richelieu entrusts to the Company Hundred-Associates a monopoly on the Traite furs in exchange of an engagement to colonize News-France. The attempt is important. Each shareholder invests 1000 pounds what makes an interesting starting capital of 300.000 books. The company obtains the monopoly for 15 years and during these years, it must bring 4000 people in the colony. The king of France thus tries still to colonize News-France without investing money there. The new company seems quite disposed. Indeed, since 1629, it brings 400 people but unfortunately the fleet falls to the hands from the English in the St. Lawrence gulf. The company was not really belonged to this financial reverse. Moreover, the draft is made difficult because of the increasing hostility of Iroquois. Practically ruined, the Company of the Hundred-Associates yields his monopoly to the Company of the Inhabitants in 1645.

During the mode of the companies with charter, the towns of Three-Rivers and Montreal are founded in 1634 and 1642 respectively. However the colony remains very little populated and, in 1662,54 years after the foundation of the town of Quebec, the colony counts only 3000 people. The causes of the slowness of colonization are:

the absence of a force of repulsion in France which would encourage certain French to emigrate;
the weak attraction force of the colony because of the rigorous climate of Quebec;
the hostility iroquoise. (Five-Nations);
an economy based on only one resource which does not require much labor.

The royal Government (1663-1760)

In 1663, the king of France, Louis XIV, noting the failure of the system of the companies, takes in hand the development of News-France by making some a royal colony. The sun king Soleil (nickname given to king de France, Louis XIV) in.liaison.with his minister the Navy Jean-Baptiste Colbert sets up new administrative structures. One preserves the station of Gouverneur while specifying his role. One introduces a new function, that of the Intendant and finally, one sets up the sovereign Conseil also called the Superior council. By these decisions, the French monarch wants to start again the colonization of his overseas territory.

Even if in spite of all these measurements, colonization progresses, altogether, rather little, the face of News-France is completely modified during all these years. Indeed, thanks to the policies of the first intendant Jean Heel, the population starts to increase in an appreciable way. Obviously, that has nothing to do with the extraordinary increase in population in the English colonies south who threaten more and more the existence of the French colony. With the census of 1666, one counts 3.215 people. In 1760, one finds approximately 70.000 people in News-France. During all these years, the colony receives a little less than 10.000 immigrants what wants to say that the essence of the increase in population is due to the birthrate.

The trade of the furs remains always the engine of the economic activity even if the intendants évertuent themselves to try to diversify the economy. This activity brings the Canadians and the French to explore the center of North America until the Gulf of Mexico and to build there posts of trade of the furs and places strengthened to defend the stations of trade of the furs. Following these explorations, the territory of News-France reaches its maximum expansion. It is of continental size. It is much vaster than the territory of the British colonies which are located along the east coast of North America. However, as the French territory is populated little, it is thus very vulnerable.

During all these years also, there were four conflicts between the English colonies and the French colony. It was initially the Guerre of the league of Augsburg in Europe or First intercolonial War in America (1689-1697). Then, it was the War of succession of Spain, the Second War intercolonial (1702-1713). Following this disastrous war for News-France, France undertook the construction of the fortress of Louisbourg on the Royal Island. Then there was the War of succession of Austria, the Third War intercolonial (1744-1748). Lastly, it was here the Guerre Seven Year old (1756-1763), better known as being the War of conquest (1754-1760), which devotes the final defeat of News-France.

The passage to the British empire (1763)

Many confrontations took place between the British News-France and colonies throughout the period of colonization. Following some of these confrontations, News-France must yield to the British colonies or the Spanish colonies of the Mexico some of its territories.

The final confrontation occurs in the middle of 18th century whereas the British colonies want to extend on the space occupied by the French colonies and wish to get rid of their only competitor in the North of America. At this time, News-France counts 60.000 inhabitants whereas the British colonies counts 2.000.000 of them. The involved forces are thus very unequal! Moreover, Great Britain enjoys an uncontested supremacy naval, which enables him to support its colonies with the need effectively. After short confrontations, the colonial British seize Quebec in 1759 and Montreal in 1760. The French colony is overcome.

The defeat was inevitable being given the disparity of the involved forces. The success of the settlement of the British colonies is explained by two conditions which cruelly were lacking with the French colony:

the existence of a force of repulsion in the metropolis: religious persecutions in Great Britain encourage certain British citizens to seek a better life in America;
cultivable the ground attraction combined with a lenient temperature in the British colonies.

The French defeat is officialized by the treated of Paris in 1763. At this time, France must choose between its colony of News-France or its colonies of the the Antilles. France chooses the Antilles because of the presence of its easily exploitable natural resources and also because it knows that it is unable to defend its small colony of News-France vis-a-vis the prosperous British colonies.

The British Mode (1763-1867)

Political context

The royal Proclamation (1763)

After the conquest, the British authority wants to take the total control of the colony and to assimilate the colonists free-catholics. The royal Proclamation of 1763, which forms off the British colony of the Province Quebec , sets up the legislative and lawful conditions to achieve these goals.

This English law aims at giving an English face to the Province of Quebec. Thus one decides to impose the English laws as well to the civilian as with the criminal. The governor Murray must also require the Serment of the test which consists in disavowing the Catholic religion for all those which want a station in the administration. This measurement aims at drawing aside the old French subjects of any official station. It must moreover encourage British immigration and support the creation of Protestant schools.

However, in the following years, two conditions come to thwart the plans of the British:

little of attraction which the colony exerts on the potential British colonists, those preferring to settle in the old British colonies where they find their language and their culture (and a more lenient climate!) Thus, in the years which follow, the population of this new English colony is made of beyond French-speaking Canadian 95%.
turbulences in the old British colonies caused by

new taxes imposed by Great Britain to pay the expenditure of the Seven Year old war and
especially the way autoritarist of controlling of London; the old British colonies took the practice to manage their political environment by discussion and consultation, they agree the unilateral way badly to manage of London.

The Act of Quebec (1774)

The Act of Quebec of April 1774 occurs four months after Boston Tea Party of December 1773. It is an answer to the insurrection which starts. There are in Quebec only 2000 British drowned among 90.000 French-speaking people. To prevent a rising of the French-speaking people and especially so that the French-speaking people are not tempted to be combined with the American rebels who dispute more and more the British authority, Great Britain votes the Acte of Quebec which

gives again with Canadian-French the French civil code, applying for questions of properties seigneuriales, wills and heritages;
guarantees the right to them to practice their religion and abolishes the oath of the test which excluded the catholics from the posts of deputy, judge and civil servant;
recognizes a role with the catholic elite and gives the right to the clergy to perceive the dîme;
increases the territory of the province of Quebec by annexing to him the areas of the Big lakes, Ohio and Labrador.

Great Britain wins its bet. In the thirteen colonies, these measurements poke the anger of the colonists, but, in the province of Quebec, the clergy and the lords take party for England. When the rebels invade the province of Quebec into 1775 some fight even with dimensions British crown.

The War of American independence and the creation of the English Canada

Several Canadian-French takes part in the American victory in particular Clément Gosselin and Louis-Philippe de Vaudreuil. According to Baby, Tashereau and Williams 747 militiamans support the American army actively and some take part in the Bataille of Saratoga in 1777 (François Monty, Jacques Monty, André Pépin) and in the Bataille of Yorktown in 1781.

The British defeat in front of Fayette and Washington allows American independence. This one brings 50.000 Loyalistes to Canada, on a population of 90.000 French-speaking people. It is the creation of English Canada.

The constitutional Act (1791)

After the British defeat at the time of the war of Independence of the United States, approximately 7000 colonists faithful to the British crown, one calls them the Loyalistes , take refuge in Quebec. Quickly these english-speaking feel badly at ease in the French-speaking majority and make pressure so that the British authorities support them and decrease the advantages which were conceded with the French-speaking people by the Act of Quebec of 1774.

In 1791, to like the loyal supporters, the British authorities adopt the constitutional Acte which divides Canada into two political entities: the Low-Canada mainly French-speaking and the High-Canada (in the west of the Rivière of Outaouais) where the english-speaking are majority. This constitution introduces some elements of democracy into the policy of the colony because certain political offices are now elective but the final control of the political decisions remains with the hands of the metropolis. There is thus no ministerial Responsabilité which would make the government responsible in front of its voters.

The Rebellion of the patriots (1837-1838)

After a certain time, Canadian-French is not satisfied of the limited capacities which are conferred to them by the constitutional Act of 1791. The events precipitate as from 1834. The patriotic party, directed by Louis-Joseph Papineau, makes vote at the assembly of Low-Canada the 92 resolutions, a document which summarizes all the objections accumulated by Canadian-French since 1791. The document is sent to London while passing over the head of the British administrators. London answers only in 1837 and the answer is not only negative but it contains a reinforcement of the capacities of the governor to the detriment of the Parliament.

A protest movement takes form. The movement is far from being unanimous and several moderate, whose Louis-Joseph Papineau, oppose the use of the force to advance the situation. In 1837 and 1838, the movement degenerates all the same into an armed uprising called the Rébellion of the patriots. This rebellion is repressed violently by the British army. It should be noted that this movement is not only one nationalist movement Canadian-French but only it falls under a vaster unit which shakes Europe since the French revolution and which claims the self-determination of the people and more democracy. Similar revolts take place besides, at the same time, in the anglophone community of High-Canada and they are also repressed violently by the British army.

The Act of Union (1840)

In 1840, reaction to the Rebellion of the patriots and following the Report/ratio Durham which concluded that the disorders of Low-Canada were mainly due to the presence of two cultural groups in the area, the British authorities adopt the Acte of Union which links two Canadas and found measurements to assimilate Canadian-French. All the deputies sitting at the same room of assembly, Canadian-French are now minority with the room and, once again, the French-speaking people seem condemned to the assimilation.

At the time of the elections of 1841, the leader of Canadian-French to the room, Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, made alliance with the leader of a group of anglophone reformists. Canadian-French commits itself supporting the development projects economic of the anglophone reformists. In return, the english-speaking will support Canadian-French in their efforts to preserve their political and cultural prerogatives. The coalition gains the elections. The French-speaking people another time have just ensured their survival.

In 1848, this same coalition obtains from London the establishment of the concept of responsible Gouvernement which makes the government responsible in front of its voters. The colony has now more independence with respect to the metropolis and it has more tools to ensure its destiny.

Socio-economic context

Under the French Mode, the incomes of the colonists were mainly agricultural with an auxiliary income coming from the Traite furs. Under the British mode, this situation remains stable until about 1830. About 1830, the economic situation is degraded because

the grounds miss in the valley of the St. Lawrence because of the increase in the number of families; the grounds are thus divided what decreases by as much the incomes of the colonists;
the ground becomes exhausted because it was cultivated in a too intensive way during too a long time;
the furs start to miss.

The economic situation still worsens in 1842 and 1846 when the United Kingdom withdraws tariff protections which enjoyed respectively Canadian wood and the corn to tend rather towards free trade.

This situation creates a very difficult economic context in the colony. The strategies used to face this situation are:

the diversification of the cultures;
the colonization of new areas as the Cantons of the East, the Outaouais, the Saguenay and the Gaspésie, but these grounds are poor and far away from the great centers;
forest industry replaces the Traite furs as returned auxiliary more especially as the United Kingdom needs Canadian wood to replace the wood which it does not obtain any more area of the the Baltic following the blockade of Napoleon;
temporary or permanent migration towards the United States;
the exodus of the campaigns towards the cities where industry timidly starts to develop, in particular industries of wood and naval construction.

Quebec in the Canadian confederation (1867 with today)

The Act of British North America (1867)

In the years 1860, the Canadians must regulate serious problems:

with the political plan, the Acte of Union of 1840 did not bear the hoped fruits:

Canadian-French is still not comparable, they are even increasingly numerous;
moreover, the political system produces only minority governments which function painfully by means of alliances which satisfy neither the French-speaking people nor the english-speaking;

with the economic plan:

Canada took an important industrial backwardness compared to the United States because of the policy colonialist of the United Kingdom which supported the production of goods manufactured in the metropolis;
Canada lost its privileged access at the British market with the suppression of the preferential customs tariffs beforehand granted by the United Kingdom to the Canadian raw materials;
Canada is not enough populeux to support the emergence of an effective economy in the North-American context where the United States enjoys with the intern a very important market.

The adopted solution is to divide Canada into two provinces where the english-speaking and the French-speaking people are majority in their respective province (the Ontario and the Quebec) and to join these two provinces to two other British colonies, the New Brunswick and the Nova Scotia. It is the birth of new Canada which is officialized by the Acte of British North America in 1867. Everyone finds a certain satisfaction in this arrangement:

the english-speaking obtain a majority in their provinces and on the level of Canada;
the French-speaking people obtain a majority in their province with the necessary tools to protect their language and their culture;
new Canada creates a larger economic environment where all could develop their economy; this economic development is supported besides and accelerated by the construction of a railroad which connects the provinces of is in west.

It is it should be noted that after 1867, Canada is not yet sovereign. It controls its finances, its interior policy and its trade but its foreign policy and its army are still under the control of the United Kingdom.

The National policy and the industrial rise of Quebec (1879-1896)

The world economic crisis of 1873 strongly shakes the economies Canadian and Québécois. The population starts to doubt the effectiveness of Canada to ensure its economic development.

In 1879, to start again the economy and to make conceal criticisms, the federal government adopts the National policy. The principal aspects of this policy are:

introduction of customs tariffs from 30 to 35% on the manufacturing products to support the industrialization of Canada;
extension of the railroad towards the secondary cities and the west of the country to facilitate the commercial exchanges;
the support with immigration to develop the west of the country and to increase the size of the Canadian economy.

The National policy has positive effects which appear by:

an important industrial development in Canada and Quebec;
increase in the agricultural productivity and the exodus of the inhabitants towards the urban centres, in particular Montreal where concentrate Québécois industries;
appearance of an industrial middle-class and Canadian banks;
the development of trade union movements aiming at improving the conditions of the workers who often work in nonsedentary environments for miserable wages.

Honore Mercier (with the capacity of 1887 to 1891) is the first Prime Minister of Quebec to post a Québécois nationalism and to assert that the federal one is not involved in the fields of provincial jurisdiction.

Industrial consolidation of Quebec (1896-1918)

During this period, Quebec starts to exploit its abundant natural resources.

Whereas the previous period saw the development of an light industry applicant little capital and mainly intended for national consumption, the period 1896-1918 sees developing industries requiring many capital and centered mainly towards export: Hydroelectricity, pastes and paper, Aluminum and chemicals.

As Quebec does not have the capital necessary to develop these industries, it must set up a legislative environment supporting the overseas investments and it must accept that its economy is partially controlled by foreigners. The investors who provide the capital to Québécois industry are mainly British initially, then American as from 1914.

This period is characterized by:

a strong exodus of the campaigns towards the cities;
a strong immigration in continuity with the direction of the National policy adopted in 1879; immigration comes mainly from the the United Kingdom but also from Italy, Greece and Poland;
the emigration towards the United States decreases because people can now find employment in the factories lately installed;
the trade union movement takes force thanks to the good health of the economy but the trade union movement is interested yet only in the semi-skilled workers; the not-specialized workers are too easy to thus replace they do not have any capacity of negotiations;

A Canadian nationalism then Canadian-French develops around Henri Bourassa. Initially, Henri Bourassa preaches a Canadian nationalism which aims at the emancipation of Canada of the British supervision. It should be remembered that Canada created in 1867 is not completely sovereign. In particular, the United Kingdom still controls the Canadian foreign policy. It is thus the United Kingdom and not Canada which decides entry in war of Canada in 1914. It is against this supervision of the United Kingdom on Canada that Henri Bourassa rises.

During this period, Henri Bourassa believes that the French-speaking and anglophone Canadians can get along harmoniously inside Canada. After certain political fixings between French-speaking people and english-speaking (like a law aiming at restricting the use of French in Ontario and especially the conscription lasting the First World War), Henri Bourassa comes from there to preach a nationalism Canadian-French and he becomes a burning defender of the rights of French-speaking Canadian. The differences in opinions of the French-speaking people and the english-speaking about the conscription emphasized in a dramatic way the differences in political opinions between the two Canadian linguistic groups.

Nationalism Canadian-French of Henri Bourrassa will be transformed into Québécois nationalism with the courses of the following decades.

The continuation of the industrial consolidation (1919-1928)

Mining is added to the industrial sectors which appeared during the previous period. The the United Kingdom being occupied with its rebuilding, it cannot finance the industrialization of Quebec any more. In fact now the United States provides the capital necessary to the industrialization of the province.

After the war, Canada enters in recession. As the economy of the east United States little touched by the recession, 130.000 Inhabitants of Quebec emigrate towards the United States to find employment which does not exist in Quebec. This exodus is dried up in 1925-1926 with the favor of an improvement of the Québécois economy.

In the ideological plan, two tendencies clash:

the liberalism incarnated by provincial the Prime Minister for the time Louis-Alexandre Taschereau; liberalism preaches that material progress is good for the company and that material progress passes by economic development and in particular industrial development; the Liberal party, the industrialists and people of businesses defend this point of view;
the Clérico-nationalism incarnated by the abbot Lionel Groulx; clérico-nationalism preaches the importance of (1) the family which distributes the roles and controls the education, (2) the Catholic religion which defines the values and (3) agriculture which must be the base of the economy in opposition to industrialization and the urbanization; some of the promoters of this ideology, for example Olivar Asselin and Edouard Montpetit, recognize all the same a certain value with a moderate industrialization.

The decade 1920 is characterized by the urbanization, prosperity, the enrichment and the increase in the consumption of manufactured goods. Unfortunately, this economic period of growth ends abruptly in the Grande depression of 1929.

The Great depression and the Second world war (1929-1945)

The Grande depression of 1929 is cruelly felt in Quebec as in all the other industrialized areas. By 1929 to 1933 (with most extremely of the depression), unemployment increases by 3% to 25% and the wages fall of 40%.

In 1931, without drums nor trumpets, Canada acquires its full sovereignty by the Statut of Westminster and becomes Master of its foreign policy which was until there with the hands of the United Kingdom. Canada is all the same slow to obtain the symbols of a sovereign country. For example, after 1931, Canada preserves the citizenship, the flag and the national anthem British. These vestiges of the colonial past are replaced by Canadian counterparts only in 1947 for the citizenship, 1964 for the flag and 1980 for the national anthem. It goes without saying that the French-speaking Inhabitants of Quebec were not at ease with these vestiges of the colonial past and it is them which initiated the debates which led Canada to move away gradually from the British attributes.

During the years 1930, the nationalism Canadian-French which had been promoted by Henri Bourrassa transforms gradually into Québécois nationalism whereas the Inhabitants of Quebec note the assimilation of Canadian-French in the other provinces. They draw the conclusion from it that only their provincial government can protect them from the assimilation. Moreover, Québécois nationalism is reinforced by the depression because they note that the government to which they are identified more, the provincial government, has very few capacities and does not have the means necessary to react to the depression.

The depression reabsorbs only with the beginning of the Second world war. The war generates a quasi unlimited request for vivres, clothing, weapons and ammunition. Prosperity returns, unemployment disappears and the wages increase.

The war however increases cleavage between Canadian-English and Canadian-French. Canadian-English is favorable to a participation of the Canadian soldiers in the war in Europe, Canadian-French are not it. In 1939, to make accept the entry of Canada in war, the first federal minister Mackenzie King promises with Canadian-French that they would not be conscript against their liking. However, in 1942, in front of the need growing for manpower, the federal government reconsiders its promise and, by a plebiscite, asks all the Canadians to raise it of his promise made with Canadian-French. The Inhabitants of Quebec refuse in a majority of 71% (85% among French-speaking people) whereas the Canadians of the other provinces accept in a proportion of 80%. The negative vote of the Inhabitants of Quebec is drowned in the positive vote of Canadian-English. Many Québécois understand of it that their number is not sufficient any more to be made hear in Ottawa. Québécois nationalism increases by as much.

The period duplessist (1945-1960)

This period is marked by the long reign of Maurice Duplessis like Prime Minister for Quebec. The political ideas of Duplessis are characterized by:

an economic ultra-conservatism which appears by a close cooperation with employers and, in particular, with the American companies which invest massively in Quebec;
a social ultra-conservatism which does little place to the intervention of the State in education, health and support for disadvantaged, leaving these spheres to the care of the religious congregations; besides Quebec accumulates an important delay in the plan of schooling during the period;
an important patronage; patronage belongs to the political practices of the time but Maurice Duplessis pushed it at tops ever equalized;
a dispute of the centralizing tendencies of the federal government; the federal one which assumed provincial capacities of taxation during the war has financial means important (in 1945, the federal one takes 83% from the taxes whereas the provincial one takes only 7% of them and municipal the 10%); the federal government benefits from its financial means to interfere into fields of provincial jurisdiction; Maurice Duplessis rises with vehemence against these interferences; he channels and increases thus the nationalist feelings and separatists of the Inhabitants of Quebec; these feelings crystallize soon in the creation of a political party which preaches the independence of Quebec.

With the economic plan, it is one period of very great prosperity for Quebec. The wages increase more quickly than inflation and the work conditions improve with the appearance of paid holidays and modes of retirement. The Inhabitants of Quebec adopt off the American Way Life . The cars and the electricals appliance (refrigerating, cookers, radios, televisions and telephones) multiply.

One calls sometimes this period the Grande Blackness. This eminently negative formula is misleading. If it describes economic and social ultra-conservatism well government of the National union and in particular of its charismatic chief, Maurice Duplessis, this formula occults the immense economic progresses made during the period and the evolution of the Québécois company which changed during the period to become the fertile compost in which could be made the Quiet revolution of the years 1960.

Quebec which is affirmed (1960-1975)

In 1960, with the election of the Liberal party of Quebec under the direction of Jean Lesage, one period of great economic, political and social changes starts. This period is often called the Quiet revolution.

with the economic plan

Quebec saw another period of great prosperity. We are still in the glorious Thirty. The wages which continue to increase more quickly than the inflation and the massive entry of the women on the job market increase the income of households. Under the influence of American televised series largely available to Quebec, the Inhabitants of Quebec adopt more and more the American Way off Life and consumption increases quickly. The growth of the incomes of households allows also an increase in the taxation which feeds the many reforms which are established during the period.

In 1961, the control of the Québécois economy escapes the French-speaking people. 45% of the companies established in Quebec are with the hands of foreign investors, 47% belong to Canadian-English and only 7% are under French-speaking control. To increase the Québécois control of the economy, the provincial government launches out in a program of nationalizations and official creations of companies. The nationalization of the hydroelectricity through all the province is most resounding of these nationalizations. Official funds of investments like the Case of deposit and placement of Quebec and the General society of financing (SGF) are also created. The official companies combined with the strong growth of the activities of the education and Health create management positions which are occupied by French-speaking people, which allows the appearance of a French-speaking class of businesses. But the intervention of the State also will be made in the form of direct interventions (subsidies, free loans, export assistance, etc) in order to support the rise of a French-speaking middle-class.

with the political plan

The growth of the provincial governmental apparatus and its increased interventionism generate many frictions with the federal government, more especially as the federal government preaches a definitely centralizing philosophy.

English Canada worries about the changes which take place in the Québécois company and of the claims of the Inhabitants of Quebec. In 1963, does the first federal minister Lester B. Pearson pose celebrates it question What does want Quebec? and it institutes the royal Commission of investigation on bilingualism and the bicultural tradition to try to answer the question and to put forward measures to satisfy the requests of the Inhabitants of Quebec. Unfortunately, the establishment of the proposed measures does nothing but increase cleavage between Canadian-English and the Inhabitants of Quebec French-speaking. Canadian-English considers that the measurements installation are unacceptable concessions with the French-speaking people whereas the French-speaking people consider that measurements are not sufficient to answer their aspirations.

In front of the constant frictions between the federal government and the provincial government, the Québécois nationalist movement is transformed into independence movement. The national Rallying (RN), directed by Gilles Gregoire, and the Gathering for national independence (RIN), directed by Pierre Bourgault, are founded in 1960 and are transformed quickly into political parties. In 1967, Rene Lévesque, which is then a figurehead of the liberal party of Quebec, leaves the liberal party and founds the Mouvement Sovereignty-Association (MSA). In 1968, the independence forces gather in only one party, the Québécois Parti, under the control surface of Rene Lévesque. The independence parties collect 8% of the popular votes into 1966,23% in 1970 and 30% in 1973. These results are insufficient to allow the seizure of power but they show the clear growth of the independence ideology in Quebec.

In 1967, the General de Gaulle, at the time of a voyage to Canada, gives an international legitimacy to the idea of independence of Quebec while pronouncing celebrates it Vive free Quebec in front of a crowd is delirious about it in Montreal.

Some individuals choose violence to express their desire of political changes. However, these violent actions carried out by the Face of release of Quebec (FLQ) rare, not are coordinated and rejected by the very great majority of the population. In October 1970, this terrorist group will carry out the removal of a British diplomat and the Minister for Labor of Quebec, Mr. Pierre Laporte. This last will be found died, which will put an end to the terrorist activity. Moreover, the freedom fighters will be able to now count on a great number of leaders of opinion and on the Québécois Party to promote their political project. The Québécois independence movement thus appears very mainly in a peaceful and democratic context.

with the social plan

The traditional values are called in question, in particular at the moral and religious level. Any form of authority is also called in question and the disputes carried out by syndicated students and workers are frequent. One also notes in the population an increasingly large feeling of confidence, insufflated by economic and social successes.

Quebec in search of an identity (1976 with today)

After one period of great changes, Quebec makes a pause and seeks its way.

with the economic plan

The fast period of enrichment is finished. Several factors contribute to stabilize and even reduce, in several cases, the purchasing power of the Inhabitants of Quebec:

the oil crises of 1973-1974 and 1979 generate high inflation and interest rates;
the Economic growth decreases;
the taxes increase to finance the programs set up during the period 1960-1975;
the governments, with the catch with increasing expenditure and deficits, disengage certain services which the citizen must now finance of his pocket;
the Mondialisation downwards exerts a pressure on the wages.

In 1994, Canada signs an important agreement of Libre-échange with the United States, the Accord of North-American free trade (ALENA). The discussions surrounding the negotiation of this agreement once again show the differences in opinion between Canadian-English and Canadian-French. The first are generally opposed to the agreement whereas the seconds support it. Thanks to the determination of the first federal minister, Brian Mulroney, which is Québécois, the agreement is concluded and it will be beneficial with the economies Canadian and Québécois.

The Québécois economy which is still rather dependant on the traditional sectors like it furnishs and the textile is adjusted successfully with free trade and universalization as indicates it the occupancy rate of the labor (percentage of people having an employment) and the Unemployment rate (percentage of people wanting an employment which do not have any) which are, at the time of the writing of this text (in 2006), among best of the history of Quebec. However, this adjustment was done at the price of a transformation of the job market which generated an unquestionable insecurity. Several employment is precarious and the purchasing power of several groups of workers stagnates when it does not decrease.

The growing power of the multinational and the Mondialisation sap the capacity of the Québécois state to intervene in the economy. The Québécois state, which was very interventionist during the years 1960 and 1970, intervenes less and less in the economy and leaves at the private company and the free competition the task to create jobs and richness. The private company and the free competition are effective to create the richness but they are it less to distribute this richness equitably.

with the political plan

The year 1976 sees the election of the Parti Québécois which forms the first independence government of the province. The Québécois Party promised in electoral campaign that he would not proclaim the independence of the province before obtaining the mandate following a referendum from it. The mandate of the Québécois Party is thus well to control the province and not to make independence. The first years of the government of the Québécois Party are very profitable and the government votes a whole of laws progressists which are very well accepted by the population (the law on the protection of the French language, the law on the financing of the political parties, the law on the compensation for the victims of road accidents, the law on the protection of the agricultural territory, and several other laws of the social democrat type). Even the adversaries of the Québécois Party recognize that the party controls the province well.

From 1976 with today, the Québécois Party (which are independence) and the Liberal party of Quebec (which does not support the independence project) share the capacity: the Québécois Party controls the province of 1976 to 1985 and of 1994 to 2003, the Liberal party takes over 1985 to 1994 and of 2003 with today. The governments of the two parties have frequent constitutional quarrels and of jurisdiction with the federal government which is very centralizing.

In 1980 and 1995, a government of the Québécois Party proposes with the Inhabitants of Quebec to affirm their desire of independence during a referendum. In spite of the satisfaction of the Inhabitants of Quebec towards the government of the Québécois Party and the frequent quarrels with the federal government, the Inhabitants of Quebec disallow the proposals for an independence in a proportion of 59,5% in 1980 and in a proportion of 50,4% in 1995.

At the time of the campaigns chief clerks, the federal government promises to reform the Canadian confederation to satisfy the aspirations of the Inhabitants of Quebec. Unfortunately, these promises are not held. All the attempts at reform are blocked by English Canada which considers them too generous towards Quebec.

The problem of the place of Quebec in the Canadian confederation thus remains whole! It will return to haunt the Canadians and the Inhabitants of Quebec during the next years.

with the social plan

The Québécois company is more open and tolerant towards its minorities and its immigrants whom it could not the being before. Mechanisms of redistribution of the richness and social protection were installed. However, these social programs require adjustments because of their increasing costs. As the collective richness does not increase, the government does not have new money to inject into the existing programs. The financing of the foreground programs would thus require the reduction of other programs but the problem remains irresolute since there is not consensus on the budgetary restrictions to carry out.

Some estimate that, as in other democracies of the occidentalized world, the solidarity and the enthusiasm of years 1960 and 1970 made place with individualism and a disinterest for the public thing. In absence of great projects of company, people fold up themselves on themselves and, under the pressure of the Néolibéralisme which prevails in several Western companies, social divisions are accentuated. The rich person grow rich whereas the poor impoverish themselves.

The Québécois company has of an adequate economic structure, a solid democracy and enviable social programs. However, it is currently not moving. It would seem that after one period of rapids changes during the years 1960 and 1970, it currently makes a pause while waiting to identify its priorities and its next great projects.

Synopsis of the political transformations of Quebec

the News-France (1608-1761): French colony
the Province off Quebec (1763-1791): British colony
the Low-Canada, one of two Canadas (1791-1841): British colony
the Canada-Is, half is Province of Canada (1841-1867): British colony
the Quebec (1867-aujourd' today): a province of Canada

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