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12,000 BCE
First Occupants of Quebec's territory
The first occupants of Quebec's territory arrived from Asia through the Bering straight land bridge and gradually occupied the entire North American continent. -
1500
Iroquois Population
In the 16th century the iroquois population was 5300 to 10 000 people. There were Iroquois groups such as Mohawk, Hurons, and the Iroquois. They lived in longhouses and practiced agriculture and Hunting. The Iroquois were sedentary meaning they stay in one place and matriarchal therefore the family link is passed on from mother to daughter. -
1534
Jacques Cartier's First Voyage
Jacques Cartier's objectives were to find and claim new territory for the king of France, find precious resources to collect for France such as gold, and to evangelize/convert people to Catholicism. Instead, he finds cod fish in Newfoundland, a great resource for the king. -
1535
Jacques Cartier's Second Voyage
Cartier goes down the St Lawrence, finds the first nation people, makes contact in Stadacona (later QC city), Hochelaga (MTL). -
Foundation of Quebec
In 1608, Samuel de Champlain founded the settlement of Quebec. -
Company of 100 Associates
The company of 100 associates was granted a trade monopoly in New France. As a trade off they were expected to bring over settlers and protect them. There was minimal expansion due to the threat of attacks from the british at sea. In 1663 the company no longer existed and is replaced by the Royal Government, administrated by Jean-Talon. -
Foundation of Trois-Rivières
Samuel de Champlain founded Trois-Rivières to expand his territory and population. -
Settlement of Ville-Marie
Samuel de Champlain founded Ville-Marie. -
Capitulation of Montreal
The capitulation of Montreal to the British in 1760 effectively completed Britain’s conquest of New France in the Seven Years' War. -
Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation is a document that set out guidelines for European settlement of Aboriginal territories in what is now North America. This act introduced the Anglican church in British North America so that Anglicans can come. Catholicism and French law were not allowed. -
American Revolution
The Patriotes in the thirteen colonies won independence becoming the united States of America. The loyalists were still loyal to the king, while the soldiers left in fear of being killed. They defeated the British in the American Revolutionary War in alliance with France. This revolution lasted until 1783. -
Quebec Act
The Act of Quebec was created because the King was worried that the french would help the Americans. He created the Act to expand the territory towards the Great Lakes so that the French merchants can create more fur trade. French civil laws and english common law were in place. -
Loyalists
Around 15 000 loyalists who were people who remained loyal to the king came to British North America from 1775 to 1812. -
Constitutional Act
The government is getting people to settle by giving them land tax free. British North America is divided into two distinct colonies. Upper Canada in the West composed of english protestants and Lower Canada in the East with French catholics. -
Quebec Population
The Quebec population triples due to natural growth from 1814 until 1861. -
Rural Exodus
Rural areas such as farms are being overpopulated, therefore many French Canadiens leave for industrialized cities or the United States. They leave due to the shortage of farmland in the st. Lawrence Valley, railways are being developed in the northeast of the United States, proximity to American border, wages in industrial centers of the United States were higher, and modernization of agricultural tools reduced the need for manual labour. This lasted from 1815 until 1840. -
The Great Famine
Major migration flow due to a mass starvation in Ireland. The main food source was potatoes and a disease made the potatoes not fit to eat therefore 1 million people died and 1 million people immigrated to British North America. -
Act of Union
This Act united upper and lower Canada into one called, Canada. French are now a minority in the unite Canada and English became the official language. -
Confederation
British North America act officially creates the Dominion of Canada in 1867 by joining together Quebec, New Brunswick, Ontario and Nova Scotia. -
First Canadian census
Quebec had 1 191 516 inhabitants. More than one million were French canadians which represented 30% of the population in the Dominion. First prime minister John A Macdonald created the National Policy, he promotes population growth, his objectives were:
He wanted to settle the west of the Dominion through immigration therefore he gives people and land and builds a railroad. -
The Baby Boom
After world war 2, the return of troops and economic prosperity lead to the growth of the population as marriages and births increased.
At a fertility rate of 3.84 children per woman, this was the rate before the Great Depression in the 1920’s and became known as the Baby Boom increasing the birth rate until 1964. -
Immigration after 1950
From 1950 and on the Government eliminated criteria that was racially discriminatory, “The White Paper” led to a new policy. Criteria was based on skills, knowledge of french and English as well as level of English. Quebec creates its own immigration ministry and Canada aids in the settlement of refugees. -
The Brain Drain
The most educated and intellectual people of the country emigrated to the United states or another urbanized country, either because they aren't being paying well enough or the jobs aren’t good enough for them. -
Immigration Act
The immigration Act's main objectives were to encourage population growth, enrich cultural heritage, facilitate family reunions, facilitate the adaptation of new residents into society, selection with non-discriminatory criteria, and maintain humanitarian attitude towards refugees. -
Qc government policies after 1980
After 1980 there were many government policies put in place: Office de la garde à l’enfance 1980, Tax breaks for having children 1986, CPEs (Centre de la Petite Enfance) 1997 and 5$ a day daycare, and
QPIP, Quebec Parental Insurance Plan in 2005.
