The Plains of Abraham and the Treaty of Paris (1763)
Timeline of Events
The Battle of the Plains of AbrahamBritish forces (led by General James Wolfe) launched a surprise attack on the Plains of Abraham. The French (led by the Marquis de Montcalm) did not expect the attack to take place on the plains because of it’s location.
Montcalm launched an immediate counterattack before the British troops were fully organized. The British troops proved too much for the French and the Canadiens. British seized Quebec. Both Wolfe and Montcalm were hit by bullets and eventually died of their injuries. After the battle, the French retreated to Montreal. The Treaty of ParisThe Seven Years’ War ended with the Treaty of Paris where France gave up almost all its claim to North America.
The French (Canadiens) Viewpoint: France negotiated terms in the treaty that Britain would not retaliate against French allies, allowing Catholic people of New France to practice their religion. The First Nations Viewpoint: Chief Pontiac encouraged the first nations to join together and fight the British. He eventually organized a series of agreements between the First Nations and the British and in 1765, he signed an agreement stating that the British acknowledged that their defeat of France did NOT give them rights to First Nations land. Although the Haudenosaunee and the British were allies during the war, the British no longer needed them and Britain did nothing when settlers and whiskey traders from the Thirteen Colonies pushed onto Haudenosaunee land. The First Nations fought back and surrounded British forts, not allowing anyone or anything to come in or out. In all, it was said that nine British forts had fallen to First Nations. The Thirteen Colonies Viewpoint: The Thirteen Colonies caused the First Nations (especially the Haudenosaunee) to worry because they seemed to think they could expand west without limits - the French were no longer there to fight back. |
Above: The Plains of Abraham Battle
Below: The Battlefield's Park This park groups together the Plains of Abraham and the Des Braves Park and was developed to honour the memory of both French and British combatants. |
Information shared above is summarized from:
Rees, Anderson Gerrits, Allaire (2006) Our Canada: Origins, Peoples, Perspectives. Thompson, Nelson
Rees, Anderson Gerrits, Allaire (2006) Our Canada: Origins, Peoples, Perspectives. Thompson, Nelson