Quebec is considered the first major French settlement in America. Until now, the history of Quebec is regarded both as a part of the history of the French colonization of America, and as an integral part of the history of independent Canada. Today it is not only a city, but an entire French-speaking province of the country.
An interesting fact is that the French government did not have an initial interest in this area, and it was mastered by fishermen who were engaged in the cod fishery and the future founders of fur trades.
Foundation of the city
Samuel Chamlpen founded the city of Quebec, preceded by a survey of the area begun in 1603. It took only five years to establish a large settlement here. Since then, 1608 is considered the date of the founding of Quebec. However, there was not enough investment and state support from the metropolis until Cardinal Richelieu created the Company of a hundred shareholders, which began to develop French Canada.
Since then, many dramatic episodes have occurred in the history of Quebec, associated with the rival English colony here, which also claimed these lands, rich in fish and furs, which, moreover, were already developed by Europeans. And, despite the fact that New France, whose center was Quebec, nevertheless began to be actively populated by colonialists, it was still not as populated as the neighboring English colony. This was one of the reasons for the defeat of the French colonies in the seven years' war. Quebec was captured in 1759, and already with the fall of Montreal a year later, it became clear that the French colony did not last long.
Nevertheless, the new British settlers did not seek to find themselves in Canada, since there was a harsh climate in comparison with the African and Asian colonies of the country. Thus, Quebec remained French-speaking. And with the division of Canada into two provinces, it regained its capital status, becoming the main city of the French-speaking province, which was also called Quebec. At one time this province was called Lower Canada, but the city did not lose its capital status.
Modern Quebec
The whole history of Quebec is briefly - this is the history of the struggle for the rights of the French-speaking population to their own faith - Catholicism, culture and rights, which in other years were curtailed by the British government. It was the French-speaking residents who most of all had a hand in ensuring that the whole country abandoned British symbols as a relic of the colonial past. Today, few people do not know the famous Canadian maple leaf that flaunts the red and white flag.
