A) the Reaction of the British Governors

4) The Québec Act 1774 [text pp. 83-84] a) The Reaction of the British Governors i) Governor James Murray . A former officer under Gen. Wolfe, he was selected by Parliament in London to be military governor and enforce the Proclamation of 1763. . The British merchants wanted Murray to start assimilating the Canadiens by setting up an English-dominated legislative Assembly. . Murray, however, grew to respect the Canadiens, and he made several concessions: - He co-operated with the Catholic clergy, even arranging to give Bishop Jean- Olivier Briand an English job as “Superintendant of the Roman Catholic Church in New France.” - He ruled without calling the Assembly that the Proclamation allowed and the British merchants wanted. . How did he get away with it? Parliament was far away in London, so Murray had some flexibility. . Still, enough British merchants complained to London, and Murray was removed from office in 1766.

ii) Governor Guy Carleton . Murray still held the title of Military Governor until 1768, when Carleton arrived in Québec. . Once Carleton became Governor, he quickly realized two things: - the British in Québec were still outnumbered by the Canadiens - the people in the 13 Colonies were getting restless . Carleton decided that the best way to ensure Canadien loyalty to Britain was to earn the friendship of the Catholic clergy and the seigneurs. . Carleton proposed to Parliament to reject assimilation and allow the Canadiens to keep their French laws and Catholicism…almost like bi-culturalism! . Amazingly, Parliament agreed, and it put these ideas into law—the Québec Act of 1774

b) The terms of the Québec Act: goal = co-existence of British and French in Québec . Québec ruled by British-appointed Governor (implements rules from London) and appointed Council (advises governor) . Elected Assembly promised but not introduced (i.e., from Proclamation of 1763) . Catholics allowed to hold government positions (vs. Test Act!) . French civil law (marriages, lawsuits) side by side with British criminal law (murder, treason) . Seigneural system remains . British governor able to give land according to British freehold system . Native reserve lands preserved . Boundaries of Québec extended down to part of Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys  Will this finally solve the problem?

Assignment 1) Would the Québec Act make everyone happy? Turn to page 85. Copy out the chart, and fill in the “Who” section (easy stuff). 2) Was the Québec Act an improvement over the Proclamation of 1763 or not? Explain your answer.