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Nov 1, 1500
First Occupants
The culture of the different Aboriginal groups was closely related to the environment (nature) in which they lived. The material production and cultural practices of the First Nations People were also influenced by their conception of the world, their values, beliefs and spirituality. Finally, they are also impacted through their social relationships and exchanges with other nations. -
Period: Nov 1, 1500 to
Culture
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Nov 3, 1500
Environment
The Aboriginal people respect their environment because it's what they needed to survive. The resources they had access to were provided by the environment in which they lived, in turn, they had a great respect for nature. The ideology of animism is based on the fact that all things have souls, so you only take what you need and return what you don't use. -
Nov 3, 1501
Social Relationships
Their social relationships are based on respect for Elders, traditions and freedom of actions. At the head of each tribe, was a representative called a chief. In an Algonquian tribe, the chief is the best hunter. In an Iroquoian tribe, the chief is the best warrior. The chief is only a representative, they have no decision-making power.
The chiefs are responsible for gift giving and reciprocal relationships. It was common courtesy to give each other gifts to maintain harmonious relationships. -
Nov 3, 1505
Aboriginal Spirituality
FNP believe that the spirits of all objects were immortal. They took special care of anything they killed because they believed it had given itself to them.
To communicate with spirits, they would put tobacco on a fire or smoke it in a pipe. Also, they believed dreams were a way for spirits to show themselves.
The shaman acted as an intermediary between the Aboriginal people and the spirits. They would not impose their will on a group, but could explaining their meaning of a dream. -
Nov 3, 1506
Communication and Exchange
Nothing was written down in Aboriginal communities. Everything was communicated through oral traditions, song and dance and ceremonies and feasts. -
Nov 3, 1515
Cultural Consequences of the Encounter with the Europeans
The Europeans brought with them tools and utensils made of iron, steel and brass. They were gradually integrated into the Aboriginal material culture. They also integrated wool and cotton into their clothing. They introduced domestic animals, onions, cucumbers and bread into their food. Finally, they introduced rifles into their weapons. The Europeans also lead to an Aboriginal decimation due to epidemics. -
French Regime
The French imported many elements of their culture, including the Catholic religion. This state religion, which the French tried to impose on the Aboriginal people through missions, had a significant influence on the colony's social organization and culture. The colony was also under royal absolutism which characterized the political organization of France. -
Catholic Church and Aboriginal Missions
Representatives came to convert Aboriginal people to the Catholic faith, to instruct the population and make New France a Catholic society. The people who do not obey the Church are excommunicated. In the Catholic Church, priests were trained at the Seminary to work as missionaries, and they were in charge of parishes. Nuns worked in schools and hospitals. Sunday was a no work day. The money used to run the Church was collected through tithe and most people were very religious at this time. -
Everyday Practices
Colonists adapted the French style to a Canadien style. They wore winter coats fitted with a hood and fastened at the waist with a belt. Shoes and clogs were abandoned in favour of moccasins. Colonists improved moccasins by carefully waterproofing them. Most colonists wore a hat whose flaps could be folded down to cover the ears, or a woollen tuque. Aboriginal means of transport were adopted, like snowshoes, sleds and canoes. Pipe tobacco was in use among Aboriginal people. -
Absolutism
Absolutism is a political ideology, where the ruler was said to receive his power directly from God and represents God on Earth. Before 1663, royal absolutism was manifested mostly through the control the King exerted over the charactered companies to which he granted exploitation monopolies. These companies had to answer to the King. Royal absolutism left its mark on the visual landscape of the colony. The doors of the fortification of Quebec City were decorated with the French coat of arms. -
British Rule
The change of empire and transformation of the social makeup of the colony, increased the number of British immigrants. These changes went hand in hand with the spread of new intellectual movements such as liberalism and nationalism. From 1837 to 1838, uprisings and the subsequent passing of the Act of Union in 1840, enabled the Church to increase its influence over the colonial society. This promoted expression of ultramontanism, which led to the transformation of nationalism and liberalism. -
Conciliation and Collaboration
The Catholic Church benefitted from privileges under the French. British authorities had to modify their policies to suit the colony's reality. The objective of the Royal Proclamation in 1763 to Governor Murray was to make the Canadiens British colonists. The British government had to make concessions in order to secure loyalty to the crown. In 1766, a bishop was allowed to be appointed. From 1774 to 1776, all Canadiens who offered support to the rebels were excommunicated. -
Liberalism in the Colony from 1760 to 1840
Liberalism is a political ideology based on individual's having equal fundamental rights, including protection from the abuse of the monarch's power. Thanks to the press, liberal ideas spread and soon turned into political demands formulated by the British merchants and some Canadien professionals and merchants. Meanwhile, during the 1830s, some Canadiens adopted a radical position, which led to the rebellions of 1837 and 1838. -
The British Merchant's Demands
These people noticed that the French laws were still in effect in the colony, which did not allow for a political representation of the people. These colonists demanded the opportunity to enjoy the same rights as British subjects in the mother country. Under the constitutional monarchy, the following rights were guaranteed: sharing of between between the monarch and people, right to be represented in Parliament, the right not to be detained without due process, freedom of expression and press. -
Demands of the Canadien Professionals and Merchants
Liberal Canadiens made their ideas public through the press. One early paper defended the separation of Church and state and denounced the Canadien nobility and clergy, who were against the establishment of a legislative assembly. -
Development of Partisan Press after 1791
After the Habeas Corpus and legislative assembly are granted, an election happened and there was a Canadien majority. The English don't like this and tension grows between the two groups. After this, the Parti Canadien and British Party are built. This causes the development of Partisan press. In 1805, the Quebec Mercury is invented and the next year Le Canadien is invented. These papers both defend their proper beliefs. -
Imperialism
An ideology that advocates the political, cultural, economic and military domination exerted by the Mother Country on the colony. -
Nationalism and Republicanism
The failure of liberal reform demands during the 1830s lead to a radicalization of ideas among the Parti Patriote members, leading to republicanism. Republicanism lead the Patriotes revolts in 1837 and 1838. The Patriotes republicanism was connected to nationalism. Language, culture and French origin were considered the main characteristics of the Canadiens. These cultural nationalists were joined by English speaking colonist in their demands for political reforms. -
Ultramontanism from 1840 to 1867
The failure of the 1837 and 1838 rebellions and adoption of the Act of Union in 1840 had an influence on ideas that circulated in the colony. The creation of the US made French Canadians a minority politically, and the English became the colony's only official language. After 1840, the Catholic Church relied on ultramontanism to increase its power and it became more and more influential. The Church also wanted to insert itself into all parts of life in the colony. -
The Church and the Development of Ultramontanism
In the 1840s, the Bishop of Montreal obtained permission to summon new monks and nuns from France. This increased the number of Church representatives in the colony. Ultramontanists believed that Catholics should not leave only religious and moral matters, but also those concerning culture and politics, up to the Church. -
Anticlericalism after 1840
Despite ultramontanism, some individuals continued to follow a liberal ideology. In 1844, young professionals and intellectuals in Montreal founded the Institut Canadien de Montreal. It had a library where Francophones could read local and foreign newspapers and borrow books on various subjects. This offended the Church. In 1858, the bishop requested members to conform to Church degrees. Those who contributed to support the Institut began to push for the separation of the Church and State. -
The Church, Education and Social Services
In the 1840s, education laws such as the School Act:
establish a denominational school system, involved the Catholic Church on all levels of education. This remained in place until the Quiet Revolution. At this point, education was not compulsory. During this period, literacy rate among the French Canadian population increased. -
Capitalism and its Cultural Consequences
Industrial development required the investment of large amounts of capital as well as an abundant labour force. The British Elite needed capital. Capitalism results in the rich getting richer. Capitalism and industrialization left their mark on the cities, which began to be divided into districts based on socioeconomics, language, identity and culture. -
Canadian Imperialism
Henri Bourassa implemented the British North America Act that was meant to protect the Catholic faith and the French language within Canada. Bourassa thought that Canadians should unite to defend Canada’s autonomy with regard to Great Britain. Imperialists saw Canada as part of the British Empire and believe that English should be the only official language and Protestantism the only official religion in Canada. -
Capitalism and Mass Culture
Businesses started resorting to newspaper to publish their advertisements. The early 20th century was marked by: the invention of motion pictures, the first movie theatre in Montreal in 1906. Also, in 1919, Montreal became the first city in the world to inaugurate a radio station. Sports teams also expanded, especially hockey and lacrosse teams. -
Feminism and Reformism
Charitable associations are started. They are made of women from the British business class and from the French Canadian bourgeoisie. They had a traditional view of women. They were limited because they couldn't vote. This caused them to add feminist views to their demands. In 1922, 450000 women signed a petition against giving women the right to vote. Despite this, in 1918 they got federal rights and in 1940 they got provincial rights to vote in Quebec. -
Church Conservatism
Catholic Church promoted a traditional way of life and values it judged essential for the survival of the identity and culture of French Canada.
In the 1920s, the bishop published several letters in which they condemned dancing movies and theatre. He tried to close theatres and ban some films. He wanted to keep Sundays as a holy day. -
French Canadian Nationalism
The social and cultural effects of capitalism brought back into force the themes of survival: family, religion and agriculture. Agriculturalism counters urbanization French Canadian nationalists judged capitalism to be the cause of social injustices. In order to raise the capital necessary for rural development, they counted on cooperatism, which would allow for the pooling of savings. For example, Caisses Populaires Desjardins. -
Socialism, Communism and Fascism
Socialism was meant to be a critique of capitalist industrial development. Socialist were against the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few. There was no private ownership.
Communism wanted the end of the capitalist system and social classes by sharing the means of production.
Fascism promoted the restoration of a traditional order by authoritarian means. Some ethnicities were considered superior. It required an all-powerful leader. Military life and discipline. -
Americanism and Secularism
Post war Quebec was very prosperous. Traditionalism and the influence of the Catholic Church on Quebec were increasingly into question. In the 1950s, more money meant a better lifestyle and more time to spend. Americanism was introduced and was bad for the Catholic Church. New habits of consumption were introduced. In 1952, the invention of the TV became very popular. TV spread American culture and encouraged the broadcasting of local cultural production, like soap operas. -
Secularism
Traditionalism was vigorously defended by the Church, the Duplessis government and the alliance between the Church and state. The main critics were artists and intellectuals.
In 1948, Refus Global was published by a group of artists. It was a manifesto that denounced the Catholic Church and its traditional values. Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Gerard Pelletier denounced the traditional values promoted by the Catholic Church and Deplessis’ nationalist government. -
Forms of Nationalism for the French Canadians
In the second half of the 19th century, French Canadian nationalism remained survival nationalism. Concerned about the French exodus to the US, the leaders of the province saw a return to the land as a solution. Agriculturalism surfaced and aimed at modernizing agriculture and encouraging the opening of new regions to colonize. -
Nationalism
1960: RIN was founded, promoting nationalism. They viewed the French language and culture as the main characteristics of the nation.They followed socialism, and believed that the government of an independent Quebec should intervene in order to control the economy.
1967: Rene Levesque founded SAM. Unlike RIN supporters, they believed that the independence of Quebec would allow them to defend the economy, culture and political interest of the French Canadian Nation. -
State Intervention
In 1959, Maurice Duplessis died. This allowed governments who advocated interventionism to obtain power. The state took control of education, health and social services, and also became active in the area of culture. -
Nationalization and Secularization of Education
Jean Lesage's Liberal provincial government, elected in 1960, introduced a series of measures. In 1961, school attendance was made free and compulsory up to the age of 15. In 1964, the year the Ministry of Education was created and the Catholic Church lost its stronghold on education. However, the education system that remained confessional, meaning that school boards were either Catholic or Protestant and the religious instructions continued to be provided. -
Feminism
Feminist groups demanded the improvement of the status of women and exerted pressure to have laws changed to ensure equality between men and women in all spheres.
1970: FLF described their brand of feminism as radical. Radical feminists believed that women should fight for freedom from oppression. For this reason, the FLF also campaigned for Quebec’s independence, which it believed was inseparable from women’s liberation.
1970s: Feminism diversified and opposed other types of discrimination. -
The State and Culture
It was in the mid-20th century that the state began to intervene in order to encourage creative activity in the areas of visual arts, music, theatre, literature and communications. Production agencies began to emerge in the field of TVs, broadcasting and films. In 1961, Quebec government set up a film board, The state encouraged the hosting of events that promoted Quebec’s cultural influence.
Montreal hosted Expo ‘67 and the 1976 Olympic Games. This opened Quebecers to diversity. -
Nationalism Continued
1968: SAM and RIN united forming the PQ.
They held two referendums to obtain permission from the population of Quebec to negotiate independence with the Canadian government. 1980: First referendum- 59.44% of the population refused to give the PQ that mandate. 1995: Second referendum- 50.58% of the population refused to give the PQ that mandate. 1963: Militants joined the FLQ. They held anticolonial and socialist views and believed that Quebec could only attain independence through armed struggle -
Aboriginalism
1970s: Aboriginal people began to assert their concept of the nation.
Large hydroelectric projects required the flooding of lands necessary for maintaining the traditional way of life for Aboriginal people.
They hoped that Quebec and Canada would recognize their rights and consider their point of view, interests and cultural characteristics.
The provincial government signed the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement in 1975, and promised to consult the Inuit and the Innus when needed. -
Neoliberalism
The idea that the government should not intervene in the economy, it should let it operate on its own. It's a laissez faire attitude. Neoliberalists said they need it in order to make Quebec more competitive on a global stage. -
Oka Crisis
Mohawk nation was upset that a golf course wants to expand on ancestral land. The Canadian Army is called in to protect local and fight against the warriors. The Mohawks were fighting for their rights and wanted the Canadian and Provincial governments to acknowledge them.
