1. Culture and Currents of Thought
History of Quebec and Canada
The British Regime

2. The British Regime –
The Conquest drastically changes the social make-up of the colony:
British are now in power
English people immigrate to the colony
They bring with them their own values, beliefs and culture
Both sides had to adapt to the changes:
Catholic Church and French Nobility had to win the confidence of the new leaders
The British had to modify their policies to suit the reality of the colony

3. The British Regime –
The policies of the Royal Proclamation in 1763 were to assimilate the French Canadians
This posed a threat to the Catholic Church (clergy) and the French Nobility
Seigneurial system was abolished and the church was no longer permitted to collect the tithe (church tax)

4. The British Regime –
English leaders quickly realized that concessions would have to be made in order to maintain peace in the colony:
They decided to only partially implement the Royal Proclamation
They allowed for a new Bishop to be nominated in 1766 (this kept the Catholic Church alive)
The Seigneurial system was unofficially maintained
In return, the church and nobility pledged allegiance to the British Crown
The clergy preached submission and nobility chose to collaborate with English leaders

5. The Quebec Act
With the rise of rebellions in the Thirteen colonies, the British decided they had to keep their other colonists happy/to accommodate them (they hoped that the French would not demand the same rights as the Americans)
The Quebec Act did exactly that:
Re-established French Civil Law
Officially recognized the Catholic Religion
Made Québec 3X bigger

6. Liberalism in the Colony
Liberalism is a political ideology under which all individuals have equal rights, including protection from the abuse of a monarch’s (ruler’s) power.
With the British Regime came the rise of liberalism:
British people and merchants who had immigrated to the colony demanded more rights
Canadiens professionals and merchants also demanded more rights

7. The Demands of British Merchants
The British settlers who first arrived in the colony noted that:
French laws and religion were still in effect
There were no political institutions which allowed for political representation of the people
They soon demanded that they be given the same rights as the people in the mother country (Britain)
Liberalism was what created the British political system
The Monarch’s power was limited by an elected parliament which represented the demands of the people.

8. The Demands of British Merchants
The British settlers demanded that they have a political system which allowed:
The people to be represented through an elected Parliament or Assembly
Power be shared between the elected representatives and the monarch
Freedom of expression and freedom of the press
The right of a person not to be detained without due process (habeas corpus)

9. The Demands of British Merchants
British merchants felt that these rights should be denied to the French unless they renounced their religion.
British merchants also were outraged by the policies of conciliation, because they were in favour of the assimilation of the French people.
To the British merchants, the Quebec Act was an insult (legislative assembly had been refused, governed by French Civil Law)

10. The Demands of Canadien Merchants & Professionals
Liberalism was also encouraged by the growing population of French Canadien merchants and professionals:
Elite, notaries, doctors, lawyers
These groups also wanted an elected legislative assembly
They joined forces with the British merchants to demand an assembly
Petitions were the main way in which they expressed their demands
They also made their ideas public through the press
In a newspaper named Mesplet, which began printing in 1778
This newspaper defended the separation of church and state
It denounced the Canadien nobility and clergy who were against a legislative assembly

11. The Constitutional Act - 1791
Britain grants a legislative assembly to each of the new Canadas (Upper Canada – English Speaking & Lower Canada – French Speaking.
In 1792 the first elections were held in Lower Canada
A Canadien majority was elected
Tensions between them and the British Representatives arose
The assembly was divided between the Parti-Canadien and the British Party
They attacked one another in the House as well as in the newspapers
This division leads to the creation of a partisan press which would become the main vehicle for the dissemination of ideas that existed at the time

12. The Partisan Press after 1791
In 1805, the Quebec Mercury was created:
An English-language newspaper that defended the interests of the British merchants and Assembly representatives
Advocated for a merger of the two Canadas, to put the French Canadien into the minority
Demanded the end of French Civil Law in Lower Canada

13. The Partisan Press after 1791
In 1806, Le Canadien was created:
A weekly French newspaper that supported the demands of the Canadien Assembly representatives
Defended liberalism and the principles of the British Constitution
Demanded Responsible Government

14. The Partisan Press after 1791
Other important newspapers came about in the 1830s:
La Minerve – a francophone Montreal newspaper
The Vindicator – an Irish English language Montreal newspaper
These newspapers mainly spread more extreme Patriote ideas
Other newspapers opposed the Patriote’s demands:
L’Ami de peuple, de l’ordre et des lois (Friend of the People, Order and Law)
Founded in 1832 by the Sulpicians
Demonstrated their loyalty to the British Crown

15. Nationalism and Republicanism – 1830s
Republicanism is a political ideology in which sovereignty belongs to the people
Nationalism is a political ideology that identifies a nation as a group of individuals that share common characteristics
The Parti-Patriote demanded the right to govern themselves (republicanism)
Language, culture, religion and origin were the main identity characteristics of these people (nationalism)

16. Censorship in the Canadas
Freedom of the Press was guaranteed by the British Constitution
In the colonies however, this was not always enforced
Newspaper writers and editors that criticized the colonial authorities could be arrested and imprisoned
Of course, this did not prevent groups like the Patriotes from spreading their ideas
Many Canadiens could not read anyways, so excerpts from the newspapers were read out loud after mass
Taverns also served as meeting and gathering places
Large public conventions were also held in Montreal to celebrate Canadien patriotism

17. Ultramontanism –
Ultramontanism is a political and religious doctrine in which the Catholic Church dominates society in every way, including political power (power of the church over the state)
The Act of Union (unification of Upper and Lower Canada into the United Province of Canada) made the French Canadiens a political minority again
The Church relied on ultramontanism to increase its power and influence

18. Ultramontanism –
Since the Church had remained loyal to the British crown during the rebellions, British authorities gave it more freedoms:
They were given permission to bring new Bishops, monks and nuns from France allowing the number of church representatives to grow considerably
This higher representation allowed the church to preach ultramontanism more effectively:
Believed that they were the only ones who could determine what was right for the colony
Wanted to be involved in all aspects of society, including culture and politics

19. Ultramontanism –
Had a great influence on politics in the colony after 1840
Church gained control of education, hospitals, and orphanages
This allowed them to exert influence over many aspects of the lives of the people

20. The Church, Education and Social Services
Church was in control of all levels of education:
Education was not compulsory at the time
Literacy rate among French Canadiens increased
Higher education was accessible to only a small portion of the people
Girls were not admitted to colleges or universities (their education was centered on domestic life)
Church also took care of other social services:
It ran charities, shelters, orphanages and hospitals
Through these institutions, the church imposed its values on the people

21. The Church and Nationalism
The Church was such an important aspect of the daily life of the Canadien that it became part of their identity
Many people believed at this time that only the protection of the Church could guarantee the survival of French Canadien heritage and values:
Catholicism
French Language and Culture
Traditional rural lifestyle
Traditional family structure

22. Liberalism after 1840
Despite the spread of ultramontanism, some people still adhered to a more liberal ideology
In 1844 young professionals and intellectuals founded L’Institut Canadien de Montreal, a place for discussion and exchange of ideas.
They opened a library where francophones could consult foreign language newspapers and take out books on philosophy, literature and law.
Many of its members belonged to the Parti-Rouge, who revived republican and nationalist ideas

23. Liberalism after 1840
The Institut Canadien de Montreal quickly attracted suspicion from the church:
Their library included several books that had been banned by the Vatican
They allowed Protestants and Anglophones to join the institute
The Bishop orders Institute members to conform to the church decrees
Some members do so, and resign from the Institute
These people instead formed the Institute Canadien-Francais from which Protestants were excluded and intellectual activity took direction from the clergy
Some members did not resign and believed that the church had no right to intervene in cultural and political life