View source for Province of Quebec (1763–1791)

{{Short description|British colony of North America}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{more footnotes|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{native name|fr|Province de Québec}}
| conventional_long_name = Province of Quebec
| common_name            = Canada
| era                    = 
| status                 = Colony
| empire                 = British Empire
| government_type        = [[Constitutional monarchy]]|
| event_start            = [[Royal Proclamation of 1763|Royal Proclamation]]
| year_start             = 1763
| date_start             = 7 October
| event1                 = [[Quebec Act]]
| date_event1            = 22 June 1774
| event2                 = 
| date_event2            = 
| event_end              = [[Constitutional Act of 1791|Constitutional Act]]
| date_end               = 26 December|
| year_end               = 1791
| p1                     = Canada (New France)
| flag_p1                = Royal Standard of the King of France.svg
| s1                     = Upper Canada{{!}}'''1791:'''<br>Upper Canada
| flag_s1                = Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg
| s2                     = Lower Canada
| flag_s2                = Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg
| s3                     = Northwest Territory{{!}}'''1787:'''<br>Northwest Territory
| flag_s3                = US flag 13 stars.svg
| today                  = {{plainlist|
*[[Canada]]
*[[United States]]}}
| flag                   = Flag of Canada#History
| flag_type              = Flag
| image_flag             = Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg
| symbol                 = 
| symbol_type            = 
| image_coat             = 
| image_map              = Province_of_Quebec_1763,_1774,_1784.gif
| image_map_caption      = A portion of eastern North America in 1774 after the [[Quebec Act]]; Quebec extends all the way to the [[Mississippi River]].
| capital                = [[Quebec City|Quebec]]
| national_motto         = 
| national_anthem        = "[[God Save the King]]" <div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">[[File:Rufst du, mein Vaterland (1938).oga]]</div>
| common_languages       = [[French language|French]]{{*}}[[English language|English]]
| religion               = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]], [[Protestantism]]
| currency               = [[Canadian pound]]||<!--- Titles and names of the first and last leaders and their deputies --->
| title_leader           = [[British monarchy|King]]
| leader1                = [[George III]]
| year_leader1           = 1760–1791
| title_deputy           = [[Province of Quebec (1763–1791)#Governors|Governor]]
| deputy1                = [[James Murray (British Army officer, born 1721)|James Murray]]
| year_deputy1           = 1764–1766 (first){{Efn|As military governor from 1760 to 1764.}}
| deputy2                = [[Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester|Guy Carleton]]
| year_deputy2           = 1768–1778,{{Efn|First tenure; as acting governor from 1766 to 1768.}} 1786–1791 (last){{Efn|Second tenure; as [[List of governors general of Canada#Governors general of the Canadas/British North America, 1786–1841|governor-in-chief of the Canadas]] from 1786 to 1796.}}
| footnotes              = 
}}

The '''Province of Quebec''' ({{langx|fr|Province de Québec}}) was a colony in [[British North America]] which comprised the former [[French colony]] of [[Canada (New France)|Canada]]. It was established by the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] in 1763, following the [[Conquest of New France|conquest]] of [[New France]] by British forces during the [[Seven Years' War]]. As part of the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|1763 Treaty of Paris]], [[Kingdom of France|France]] gave up its claim to the colony; it instead negotiated to keep the small profitable island of [[Guadeloupe]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Colin G. Calloway|title=The Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XtxG369-VHQC&pg=PA8|year=2006|publisher=Oxford U.P.|page=8|isbn=978-0-19-804119-1}}</ref> 

Following the [[Royal Proclamation of 1763]], Canada was renamed the Province of Quebec, and from 1774 extended from the coast of [[Labrador]] on the Atlantic Ocean, southwest through the [[Saint Lawrence River]] Valley to the [[Great Lakes]] and beyond to the confluence of the [[Ohio River|Ohio]] and [[Mississippi River]]s in the [[Illinois Country]]. Portions of its southwest, those areas south of the Great Lakes, were later ceded to the newly established [[United States]] in the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|1783 Treaty of Paris]] at the conclusion of the [[American Revolution]]; although the British maintained a military presence there until 1796 and the [[Jay Treaty]]. In 1791, the territory north of the Great Lakes was reorganised and divided into [[Lower Canada]] and [[Upper Canada]].

==History==
Under the proclamation, Quebec included the cities of [[Quebec City|Quebec]] and [[Montreal]], as well as a zone surrounding them, but did not extend as far west as the Great Lakes or as far north as [[Rupert's Land]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/province-of-quebec-1763-91/|title=Province of Quebec 1763–91|encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]|access-date=3 March 2017}}</ref>

In 1774, the [[Parliament of Great Britain]] passed the [[Quebec Act]] that allowed Quebec to restore the use of [[French law|French customary law]] ({{lang|fr|Coutume de Paris}}) in private matters alongside the [[English common law]] system, and allowing the [[Catholic Church in Canada|Catholic Church]] to collect [[tithe]]s. The act also enlarged the boundaries of Quebec to include the [[Ohio Country]] and part of the [[Illinois Country]], from the [[Appalachian Mountains]] on the east, south to the [[Ohio River]], west to the [[Mississippi River]] and north to the southern boundary of lands owned by the [[Hudson's Bay Company]], or Rupert's Land.

Western District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District, which were later detached in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Hesse District (named after Hesse in Germany) until 1792.

Through Quebec, the British Crown retained access to the Ohio and Illinois Countries after the Treaty of Paris (1783) ceded control of this land to the United States. By well-established trade and military routes across the Great Lakes, the British continued to supply not only their troops but also the [[Western Confederacy]] (a wide alliance of indigenous nations) through Detroit, [[Fort Niagara]], [[Fort Michilimackinac]], and so on, until these posts were turned over to the United States following the [[Jay Treaty]] (1794).

Quebec retained its [[seigneurial system of New France|seigneurial system]] after the conquest. Owing to an influx of [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] refugees from the [[American Revolutionary War]], the demographics of Quebec came to shift and now included a substantial English-speaking [[Protestantism in Canada|Protestant]] element from the former [[Thirteen Colonies]]. These [[United Empire Loyalists]] settled mainly in the [[Eastern Townships]], Montreal, and what was known then as the {{langr|fr|[[Pays d'en Haut]]}} west of the [[Ottawa River]]. The [[Constitutional Act 1791]] divided the colony in two at the [[Ottawa River]], so that the western part ([[Upper Canada]]) could be under the [[English law|English legal system]], with English speakers in the majority. The eastern part was named [[Lower Canada]].

==Governors==
[[File:British colonies 1763-76 shepherd1923.PNG|thumb|400px|Map of [[British America]] showing the original boundaries of the Province of Quebec, and its Quebec Act 1774 post-annexation boundaries]]

In 1760, following the capitulation of Montreal, the colony was placed under [[military government]], with [[civil government]] only instituted beginning in 1764. The following were the governors:
* [[James Murray (Quebec governor)|James Murray]] 1760–1766
* [[Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester]] 1766–1778
* [[Frederick Haldimand|Sir Frederick Haldimand]] 1778–1786<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=11867|page=1|date=18 April 1778}}</ref>
* [[Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester]] 1786–1796

There were also "lieutenant governors", but these were merely the deputies of the governors, and should not be confused with the subsequent to 1791 [[Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec]].

* Guy Carleton (lieutenant governor to James Murray)	1766–1768
* [[Hector Theophilus de Cramahé]] (lieutenant governor to Guy Carleton)	1771–1782
* [[Henry Hamilton (governor)|Henry Hamilton]] (lieutenant governor to Frederick Haldimand)	1782–1785
* [[Henry Hope (lieutenant governor of Quebec)|Henry Hope]] (lieutenant governor to the Lord Dorchester)	1785–1788
* [[Alured Clarke]] (lieutenant governor to the Lord Dorchester)	1790

==Counsellors to the governor==
{{Details|Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec}}
The Province of Quebec did not have an elected legislature and was ruled directly by the governor with advice from counsellors. A council responsible to advise the governor (then James Murray) on all affairs of state was created in 1764. The [[Quebec Act 1774]] created a ''Council for the Affairs of the Province of Quebec'' to advise the governor on legislative affairs. The Legislative Council served as an advisory council to the governor until a legislative assembly was established after 1791.

The individuals James Murray called into the council from 1764 to 1766:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Member
!Appointment
!Notes
|-
| Chief Justice [[William Gregory (Chief Justice)|William Gregory]]
| 1764
| served until 1766
|-
| Chief Justice [[William Hey (Chief Justice)|William Hey]] (1733–1797)<ref>{{cite DCB |title=Hey, William |last1=in collaboration with |first2=Peter |last2=Marshall |volume=4 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hey_william_4E.html}}</ref>
| 1764
| Chief Justice of Quebec 1766–1773
|-
| Attorney General [[George Suckling]] (1759–178?)
| 1764
| lawyer; served until 1766; most of his career was in the [[West Indies]]
|-
| Lieutenant [[Paulus Aemilius Irving]] (1714–1796)
| 1764
| served until 1768; acting President of the Council 1766–1768; commander-in-Chief of British Forces in Quebec and administrator 1766–1768
|-
| [[Hector Theophilus de Cramahé]] (1720–1788)
| 1764
| served until 1766 Lieutenant Governor of Quebec 1771–1782; later member of the Legislative Council
|-
| [[Adam Mabane]] (1734–1792)
| 1764
| served until 1766; [[British Army]] physician and judge; later member of the Legislative Council 1775–1792
|-
| Walter Murray (1701?–1772)
| 1764
| served until 1771; relative to then Governor Murray; British Army officer under James Wolfe; head of the [[Port of Quebec]] and justice of the peace and Receiver General
|-
| Captain [[Samuel Holland (surveyor)|Samuel Holland]] (1728–1801)
| 1764
| served until 1770?; [[British Army]] officer and served as first Surveyor General of British North America
|-
| [[Thomas Dunn (lieutenant-governor)|Thomas Dunn]] (1729–1818)
| 1764
| served until 1774; colonial administrator and soldier; merchant; master in the Court of Chancery 1764; later member of the Legislative Council
|-
| [[François Mounier]] (?–1769)
| 1764
| served until 1769; Huguenot merchant, justice of the peace; examiner in the Court of Chancery and judge of the Court of Common Pleas 1764–1769
|-
| Captain [[James Cuthbert Sr.]] (1719–1798)
| 1766
| served until 1774; army officer (15th Regiment of Foot), merchant, justice of the peace; Seigneur of Berthier
|-
| [[Benjamin Price (merchant)|Benjamin Price]] (?–1768 or 1769)
| 1764
| served until 1768; merchant, justice of the peace, master in the Court of Chancery 1764–1768
|}

List of councillors under Carleton from 1766 to 1774:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Member
!Appointment
!Notes
|-
| Chief Justice [[William Hey (Chief Justice)|William Hey]]
| 1766
| appointed during Murray's term as Governor; Chief Justice of Quebec 1766–1773
|-
| Attorney General [[Francis Maseres]] (1731–1824)
| 1766
| served until 1769; lawyer, office holder, and author
|-
| Lieutenant [[Paulus Aemilius Irving]] (1714–1796)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and till 1768; acting President of the Council 1766–1768; commander-in-chief of British Forces in Quebec and administrator 1766–1768
|-
| [[Hector Theophilus de Cramahé]] (1720–1788)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1771; Lieutenant Governor of Quebec 1771–1782; later member of the Legislative Council
|-
| [[Adam Mabane]] (1734–1792)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1766; [[British Army]] physician and judge; later member of the Legislative Council 1775–1792
|-
| Walter Murray (1701?–1772)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1771; relative to then Governor Murray; British Army officer under James Wolfe; head of the [[Port of Quebec]] and justice of the peace and Receiver General
|-
| Captain [[Samuel Holland (surveyor)|Samuel Holland]] (1728–1801)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1770; [[British Army]] officer and served as first Surveyor General of British North America
|-
| [[Thomas Dunn (lieutenant-governor)|Thomas Dunn]] (1729–1818)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and until 1774; colonial administrator and soldier; merchant; master in the Court of Chancery 1764; later member of the Legislative Council
|-
| [[François Mounier]]
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1769; Huguenot merchant, justice of the peace; examiner in the Court of Chancery and judge of the Court of Common Pleas 1764–1769
|-
| Captain [[James Cuthbert Sr.]] (1719–1798)
| 1766
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1774; army officer (15th Regiment of Foot), merchant, justice of the peace; Seigneur of Berthier
|-
| [[Benjamin Price (merchant)|Benjamin Price]] (?–1768 or 1769)
| 1764
| appointed during Murray's term as governor and served until 1768; merchant, justice of the peace, master in the Court of Chancery 1764–1768
|}

==Geography==
{{expand section|date=January 2013}}
Around 1763 to 1764, the province was divided into two judicial districts:

* [[Montreal District]] – covering the western parts of Quebec along the St. Lawrence River including Montreal and much of Ontario (Eastern and Southern Ontario)
* [[Quebec District]] – covering the eastern parts of Quebec along the St. Lawrence and Labrador

In 1790, the [[Trois-Rivières District]] was formed out of part of Quebec District.

The Trois-Rivières and Quebec districts continued after 1791 when [[Lower Canada]] came into existence, while Montreal District west of the Ottawa River became [[Upper Canada]] and east of the Ottawa River was partitioned into many electoral districts.

==See also==
{{Portal|Ohio|Canada|History}}
*[[Former colonies and territories in Canada]]
*[[Territorial evolution of Canada]] after 1867

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{notelist}} 

==Further reading==
* [[Alfred Leroy Burt|Burt, Alfred LeRoy]]. ''The Old Province of Quebec''. Toronto: Ryerson Press; Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1933. Reprinted Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1968.
* Lahaise, Robert and Vallerand, Noël. ''Le Québec sous le régime anglais&nbsp;: les Canadiens français, la colonisation britannique et la formation du Canada continental''. Outremont, Québec&nbsp;: Lanctôt, 1999.
* Neatby, Hilda. ''Quebec: The Revolutionary Age, 1760–1791''. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1966.

{{Canadian colonies}}
{{Quebec topics}}
{{American Revolutionary War}}
{{British overseas territories}}
{{Thirteen Colonies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Province of Quebec (1763-1791)}}
[[Category:Province of Quebec (1763–1791)| ]]
[[Category:British North America]]
[[Category:Former colonies in North America|Quebec]]
[[Category:Former British colonies and protectorates in the Americas|Quebec]]
[[Category:18th century in Quebec]]
[[Category:1760s in Canada]]
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[[Category:Pre-statehood history of Illinois]]
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[[Category:Pre-statehood history of Ohio]]
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[[Category:Canadian-American culture in Ohio]]
[[Category:1760s in New France]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1763]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1791]]
[[Category:1763 establishments in the Province of Quebec (1763–1791)|*]]
[[Category:1791 disestablishments in the Province of Quebec (1763–1791)|*]]
[[Category:1763 establishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:1791 disestablishments in the British Empire]]
[[Category:18th century in Canada]]