History 1301 Website

Quebec: A vital settlement Prior to

&

During the Revolutionary war

 

Aaron Luna

History 1301

3-15-13

           

     During the 18^th century The French and Indian War had quite a few battles fought in the Ohio area as well as the upstate New York area. Evidently enough when the tide began to turn during the war the British administration of William Pitt

the Prime Minister at the time, had decided to send large military forces against the French colonies. All while the British Navy dominantly controlled the Atlantic Ocean which ultimately prevented the French from further sending large military assistance to Northern America to defend their colonies. With the French and Indian War underway the British captured key points such as Louisbourg which gave them control over the St. Lawrence River, and also took control of key forts along the frontier in battles at Frontenac and Duquesne. In the next phase of the war which began in 1759, the British aimed directly at the heart of New France. 


 

  

      ("James wolfe" Retrieved via Google search)

    The British General, James Wolfe led a fleet of 49 ships holding 8,640 British troops to the fortress of Quebec. They disembarked on Île d'Orléans and on the south shore of the river the while the French forces under Marquis de Montcalm held the walled city and the north shore. 

                  ("Marquis De Montcalm" Retrieved via militaryheritage.com)

Wolfe laid siege to the city for more than two months, exchanging cannon fire over the river, but neither side could break the siege. As neither side could expect resupply during the winter, Wolfe moved to force a battle. On September 5, 1759 after successfully convincing Montcalm he would attack by the Bay of Beauport east of the city, the British troops crossed close to Cap-Rouge which is located to the west of the city, and successfully climbed the steep Cape Diamond. 

                                              

    ("Siege of Quebec" Both Retrieved from http://www.britishbattles.com/images/quebec/landing-l.jpg)

Montcalm didn’t use the protection of the city walls and fought what is now known as the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

 

("Battle of the Plains of Abraham" Retrieved via http://thebattleofquebec.weebly.com) 

      The battle was short, bloody and both leaders died during the battle, but the British had turned out successful and won the battle. France had hoped to secure the return of Quebec and the rest of New France by occupying British territories and by invading Hanover. However, "Britain's success forced France to surrender all of Canada to the British at the Treaty of Paris" (Quebec History. 2008). The following Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain setting procedures of governance in the Province of Quebec. Among other things that went into this were that under this act it would restore the use of the French civil law while maintaining the use of the English common law for public administration. It also replaced the oath of allegiance so that it no longer made reference to the Protestant faith, and guaranteed free "practice of the Roman Catholic faith" (Henretta p.150). Many Americans missed the overall intentions of the act and simply regarded the law as another "Intolerable Act." 

                                                                         
                                                                   
                                             ("American Colonist Protests") Retrieved via Google search)

     Oppositions formed in throughout the colonies which ultimately got more and more circulations to spark the revolution. Colonies with western land claims were firmly cut off from what they hoped would be future development and wealth. Strong protests arose especially in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia. Individual land speculators and investment companies also had their dreams crushed, and added their voices to their overall unified shout. 
      

                             ("British Western Policy, 1763-1774" Retrieved via America a Concise History)
             

     With such decisions made by the British it only sparked new incentives for the colonists to rebel and ultimately demand for a revolution.Later on with the revolution already underway the Americans set their eyes on banishing the British from the colonies by any means necessary. In most cases the odds seemed to be in the Americans favor due to their lack of a set capitol making it difficult for the British to defeat the Americans permanently and in essence contain the Americans. Various battles took place during the American Revolution over cities and territories that represented significant key vantage points for either the Americans or British one battle in particular was The Battle of Quebec. Settlements such as Quebec proved to be vital in a sense that if the Americans gained control of it they would have sealed off an entrance point for the British. As for the British, who already controlled it used it as a means to preserve a sort of northern passage way to contain the Americans and losing such a key settlement would definitely spark signs of defeat early on. 

                                                   ("Battle of Quebec 1775" Retrieved via britishbattles.com)     
                                                     
     The Battle of Quebec in essence was a strategic attempt on December 31, 1775 by the American colonial military forces to capture the city of Quebec which would ultimately drive the British military forces from the Province of Quebec. Not only would gaining such a settlement end up strengthening the western seaboard but also recruiting the French colonists to join the Americans. In short the Battle of Quebec was initially the Americans first major battle led by General’s Benedict Arnold and Richard Montgomery. The two generals led their assigned men into battle on separate paths in which ultimately they would reconvene and unite to attack the walls of Quebec.

                                           
                   ("General Benedict Arnold"&"General Montgomery"   Retrieved via wordpress.com) 

       
     General Richard Montgomery’s attack to southern border of the city of Quebec was a complete and utter failure which sadly resulted in his death. Leaving his men leaderless with most of the officers dead many of the American forces retreated. General Arnold’s siege to the east of the city of Quebec proved to be somewhat more successful in a sense that more progress was being made. 

 
 ("Death of Richard Montgomery") Retrieved via http://a1reproductions.com

      However, Arnold was wounded in the ankle and was led off the field which left the officers to lead the way. Ultimately the Americans lost the battle miserably with many of them being captured. To further justify Quebec’s vital significance even more, General Arnold before being replaced laid siege on the Quebec for another three months.

       In the end, Quebec is remembered as a vital and very sought after settlement due to its strategic advantage point for both the British as well as the Americans Prior to and especially during the American Revolutionary War.

 

Bibliography

1.      “Quebec history”  2008

http://www.gouv.qc.ca/portail/quebec/pgs/commun/portrait/repereshistoire/?lang=en

2.      “History of Quebec city” 2009

http://www.quebeccitykiosk.com/history.php 

3.      "The battle of Quebec 1759 & 1775"
http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-of-quebec.htm 
4.      Henretta, Edwards, Self: America A Concise History
Quebec Act p.150 & Royal proclamation picture p.151
5.  "Battle of Quebec(1759)"
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/486690/Battle-of-Quebec