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Divine right of kings
The king of France held absolute power by divine right. The belief that his authority came from God gave him unrestricted power over his realm, his colonies and his subjects. In New France, the king granted or revoked companies' monopolies, appointed the members of the Sovereign Council and controlled, by edict, every aspect of social, political, economic and religious life in the colony. The king had full authority over the Catholic Church in France and in the colony. -
Catholicism
Catholicism was at the heart of colonial life. Parish priests supervised the social & spiritual life of the colonists, making sure they adhered to Catholic morals and values and observed church rites. Various religious orders took charge of education, looked after the sick and the poor, and converted Amerindians. The Church also played a political and economic role in colonial life. The bishop sat on the Sovereign Council & nearly a quarter of seigneurial domains belonged to religious orders. -
Founding of the Collège des Jésuites
During the French regime, two Québec City institutions took charge of higher education in New France. One of them being The Collège des Jésuites which was a school for elite boys. -
Founding of Ville-Marie by the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal pour la conversion des Sauvages de la Nouvelle-France
Ville-Marie was founded by the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal in order to convert the Amerindians in New France to Christianity. Christianity was the religion that the Europeans followed and because they thought they were superior to the Amerindians and believed the Amerindians were "wild" and had no religion, they were converted to Christianity. -
Founding of the Grand Séminaire de Québec
During the French regime, two Québec City institutions took charge of higher education in New France. The first once was The Collège des Jésuites as mentioned before. The second is The Grand Séminaire which was a school to train priests. -
Publication of the Catéchisme du diocèse de Québec
The Church used its influence to suppress multiple forms of artistic expression that didn't conform to religious boundaries. For example, the Bishop reprimanded or strongly criticized comedy and dances between men and women at the popular evening social events. Plays and other French literary works were also censured by the clergy. To ensure that the dogma of the Catholic Church is followed, the clergy printed the Catéchisme. This book explained the faith and practices of the Catholic Church. -
British Imperialism
British imperialism is a current of thought that basically wants to make everyone British. The French Canadian public opinion came increasingly under the influence of the liberal and nationalist ideas of the Patriotes, who were opposed to the imperialist policies of the British authorities. -
Creation of La Gazette de Montréal/The Montreal Gazette newspaper
In 1775, Fleury Mesplet, Montreal's first printer, founded The Montréal Gazette which discussed the liberal ideas of the time and criticized the bishops and the Catholic clergy in general and also demanded a Legislative Assembly. In the context of the French and American Revolutions, this newspaper became the voice of Canadian intellectuals who supported liberalism. At first bilingual, this newspaper became English only and was eventually called The Gazette. -
Rise of liberalism in Lower Canada
Liberalism is a political ideology to which all individuals have equal and fundamental rights including protection from the abuse of the monarch's power. Economic liberalism was the dominant school of thought under the British regime. Politically, liberals believe that the power of the King must be limited by the Parliament. They demanded the right to an elected Assembly, which would represent the people. -
French Canadian nationalism
At the end of the French regime, citizens of New France consider themselves a nation which pushes them to preserve culture. Nationalism is defended by members of the Parti Patriote. The Assembly of the Six Counties was an assembly of Patriote leaders & around 6,000 followers, held in Saint-Charles on October 23 & 24, 1837. This famous assembly, presided by Wolfred Nelson, held during that year protesting the Russel Resolutions was a prelude to the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837. -
Ultramontanism
From the middle of the 19th century, the clergy rediscovered its vigor, thanks to ultramontanism, a school of thought developed in French in opposition to Gallicanism. Ultramontanism affirmed the primacy of the spiritual power of the Church over the State. Ultramontanists preached submission to the authority in Rome and promoted rigorous religious practice. They wanted the domains of education, healthcare and social work to remain exclusively under the Church. -
Anticlericalism
With the rise of ultramontanism, certain liberals do not want the Church to intervene in the political and social sphere of the province. For them, it is very important that society be more modern and develops outside the influence of the clergy. They refuse the traditionalism of the Ultramontanes & say that a separation between Church and State is necessary. Anticlericalism is an attitude consisting of a refusal of the Church's influence over any sphere of life other than the religious sphere. -
Rise of Capitalism
Industrial development required the investment of large amounts of capital as well as the availability of an abundant labour force. In Quebec, the British business bourgeoisie has the ability to provide the capital. The considerable sums invested by the business people allow them to make more profit & increase their wealth. Capitalism is an economic system that encourages the concentration of wealth & control of the means of production by a small number of people, as well as free competition. -
Canadian and French Canadian nationalism
The nationalism of Henri Bourassa, which was both Canadian and French Canadian, was based on Canada's political autonomy in relation to the United Kingdom and on the protection of traditional French Canadian values: family, the French language and the Catholic faith. -
Agriculturism
At the end of the 19th century, the Quebec clergy tried to ward off negative effects of industrialization by proposing a new way of thinking known as agriculturism. This movement promoted rural life and the traditional agricultural way of life. The Church persuaded French Canadians to settle in the undeveloped regions of Quebec, such as the Laurentian's, the Lanaudière and Lac St. Jean regions. -
Rise of feminism
The feminist movement slowly began to gather momentum at the end of the 19th century. Women obtain the right to vote in 1918 in federal elections. Quebec women will be able to vote in provincial elections as of 1940. After World War II, feminism became more demanding. Women claimed political rights and objected to the traditional vision of society in which men dominated. In 1955, with the arrival of birth control pills, women will be more in control of their bodies. -
Curé Antoine Labelle, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Colonization
Curé Antoine Labelle will be the spokesman for agriculturism which is why Curé-Labelle boulevard in Laval is named after him. People leaving the city to go settle in new regions had to move up north. To do so, they took a road leaving Montreal, crossed the entire island of Laval and settled in new regions. -
Rise of the cooperative movement
The new technology in farms are expensive & farmers have difficulty borrowing money from banks. For easier access to money, several farmers decide to regroup their funds. In order to raise the capital necessary for rural development, these farmers counted on cooperatism which is an economic system that encourages the pooling of resources and a shared management style, as well as shared profits. Each person is part owner. Everybody is equal. -
Birth of Fascism
Fascism is an ideology that first appeared in Europe after the First World War. This ideology promotes tradition and totalitarianism, as well as extreme nationalism. They believe in the instauration of only one political party. This party is led by the leader and all must obey him. Fascism advocated the restoration of a traditional order by authoritarian means. It defined the nation in ethnic terms and was based on the idea that some nations were superior to others. -
Rise of Socialism
Socialism is a political ideology that was born in Europe and criticized capitalism and the industrial development. Socialists denounced the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and defended the interests of the majority, in particular by demanding a fairer distribution of wealth. They advocated state intervention in order to protect business from private ownership. -
Growing American influence
The living and working conditions of the Quebec population improved. Wages also increased and the number of working hours decreased which will allow Quebecers to devote more time to their leisure activities. Credit card becomes more accessible, people can purchase goods and services such as automobiles. Quebec culture will be greatly influenced by Americanism. At the centre of the American way is the American dream, the idea that upward mobility is achievable by any American through hard work. -
Rise of Secularism
In the 1960s secularism is the main current of thought. Secularism is an ideology that maintains that only spiritual matters are within the Church's jurisdiction. Secularism is very prominent in the educational system. The primary and secondary education, which is free and compulsory, is supported by the Ministry of Education of Quebec, which was created in 1964. Schools are now better equipped, have more diversified programs and have better qualified teachers. -
Rise of Quebec nationalism
With the Quiet Revolution and the rise of a new Quebec nationalism, the traditional and conservative values of French Canadian nationalism were abandoned. Quebec nationalism now focused on promoting the French language, guarding the province's areas of jurisdiction and having its people recognized as a distinct society. Under the influence of rising nationalism, the Quebec government encouraged economic and cultural self-determination. -
Aboriginalism
Beginning in the 1970s, Aboriginal peoples began to assert their conception of the nation. Large hydroelectric projects of the 1960s and 1970s were to require the flooding of lands necessary for maintaining traditional way of life that the Aboriginal peoples saw as a characteristic of their identity. Aboriginal people are mobilizing and asserting themselves to demand respect of their rights. -
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is an ideology that advocates a laissez-faire approach to the economy and calls state interventionism into question. From the 1970s, this situation encouraged groups to wonder about the role of the State. Many local and international groups decided to unite in order to think collectively about the issues related to neoliberalism. These groups demand: the reduction in state intervention in areas of public life; free markets to encourage economic trade and individual responsibility.
