Freedom Project
Course/Grade level: Social Studies/Guided Reading - 5
th
Lesson Title: The Quebec Act
Teacher: Kayla Lischka
Aims/Objectives and Standards:
The objectives of this lesson are: to instruct the student about the effects the
Quebec Act had on the colonists, Canadians and British. How the Quebec Act
became a major reason leading to the Revolutionary War. Share a political cartoon
with the students.
Illinois State Standards:
LA., LB., 1.C., 2.A., 2.B., 3.C., 4.A., 4.B, 5.A., 16.A., 16.B.,17.A
Background Information:
The Quebec Act was a hated statute which established a government in Quebec
that had no elected assembly or right to trial by jury. The act also recognized
Roman Catholicism as Quebec's established religion and extended the province's
boundaries along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, where many other colonies had
land claims. Americans feared the same undemocratic government might be forced
upon them.
Procedure:
Pass out information, vocabulary list,
Review vocabulary and assign a word to look up in the dictionary.
Review definitions
Read the Quebec Act the story, the facts, the political cartoon and discuss
material.
Assign worksheet as a formal assessment.
The map will help the student realize the vast amount of land "given" to Quebec.
Materials:
Dictionaries, social studies book or atlas, pencils, and vocabulary journals
Attached documents, background information, map, vocabulary list, cartoon and
worksheet.
Resources and Scholarship:
The American Revolution, by Stuart A. P. Murray, Harper Collins Publishers
American Revolution, DK Eyewitness Books, DK Publishing written by Stuart
Murray.
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, edited by Jack P. Greene
and J.K. Pole
Exploring History-American Revolution, Teacher Created Materials/Inc.
Conclusion/Lesson wrap up:
The worksheet, map, cartoon and group discussion should help students to better
understand the events that led up to our fight for Independence.
In this 1775 cartoon
_Boston burns as British
nobility demand money
from a colonial, who
declares, nJ will not
be robbed.' A Roman
Catholic monk holds up
a gibbet and a cross, a
Frenchman brandishes
his sword, and blindfolded
Britannia, symbol of Great
Britain, steps toward a pit
Vocabulary
Parliament
affairs
defiance
By the time Parliament passed the Quebec
Act in 1774, in an effort to put their
Canadian affairs in order, the American
colonists were immersed in their own
problems with England. However, the
f - - - - - - - - - - - - j Quebec Act did not pass completely
restore
unnoticed. As with everything else that the
ancient
statutes
British did, the colonists were angered by
the decision to extend Quebec's boundaries
southward all the way to the Ohio River,
inc! ud ing aII of the la nds west of the
Allegheny Mountains. This became a sore
point, for many of the original land grants
f-c-u-st-o-m-s--------I issued by the king were not clear as far as
sneaky
western bounda~y lines were concerned.
obedience
Many colonies had claims to lands extending
westward beyond the Allegheny Mountains.
Also, many of these lands were to be set
aside for veterans who had fought in past
wars. The colonists viewed the British
efforts to restore the French to their ancient
customs as sneaky. The Quebec Act
trial
jury
provided that the area would be ruled
intolerable
through British Royal authority. True to
French traditions, there was no elected
assembly, no privilege of self-taxation, and
no trial by jury. Within one year, Americans
and Englishmen were at war with each
other. The Quebec Act was never enforced.
Vocabulary
immersed
boundary
consent
veteran
grant
coerce
tradition
assembly
restricted
enforced
tensions
province
Quebec Act: The Facts
Provisions of the Law
•
•
•
•
•
An effort was made to set Canadian affairs in order.
The French Canadians had most of their ancient rights and customs confirmed.
The Roman Catholic Church received guarantees against any interference.
The boundaries of Quebec were extended as far south as the Ohio River.
The Quebec Act would apply in that territory beyond the Allegheny frontier.
Date: 1774
Effects of the Law
This law was not intended to punish. Nonetheless, it was an irritation and did little to ease tensions. It
only added another grievance to a growing list. The Quebec Act provided that royal authorities would
govern the whole of Quebec. Vast western territories north of the Ohio River and west of the
Alleghenies, which many colonies claimed, were added to the area of Quebec. There was to be no
elected assembly. No privilege of self-taxation was allowed. No trial by jury was allowed. All of this
was in keeping with past French custom. All Catholics were to enjoy religious freedom. To the
colonists who were sensitive to any issue that touched upon a possible state-supported Church, this
came alarmingly close to being just that. The Quebec Act was a statement of English royal authority.
It did very little to gain the trust, affection, and loyalty of the radical colonists.
How the Quebec Act Was Enforced
The Quebec Act was never enforced. Within a year, the American colonists were at war with England,
ignoring all parts of the Quebec Act. The thirteen colonies did not approve of England's creating a
Quebec that had lands extending down to the Ohio River. The Americans felt that these were their
lands, and they ignored the law.
Points of View
Patriots/Radicals: The Patriots were opposed to the extension of Quebec's boundaries all the way south
to the Ohio River. They were also opposed to the land being governed through Royal authority. The
radical group also found it insulting that they were not allowed to make their own laws and could not
have trial by jury. And finally, the colonial fear of a state-supported Roman Catholic Church was
evident, as Americans wanted to ensure freedom of religion.
Loyalists: At this point, the Loyalists (the "conservative group") were firmly lined up behind the king
and royal authority.
Neutrals/Moderates: They were leaning toward the Radical side, but more as a reaction to the
Intolerable Acts rather than the Quebec Act. .
The Que6ec Act
Date: 1774
Provisions
of the Law
• An effort was made to'set Canadian affairs
in order.
•-- The
French Canadians
had most of their
_...- - -- .. .. -------- - ---._.. ... ancient rights and customs confJimed.
-.
- .- -
-
-
.
'.
.
• The Roman Catholic Church received
guarantees against any interference.
,
• The boundaries of Quebec were extended
as far south as the Ohio River.
• The Quebec Act would apply in that
territory beyond the Allegheny frontier.
·t
·.f.·
i"
~ •.
~.:.
':.
Province of
Ouebec 1774
11I'e:""(I~
:':'..
""I
"I
I
'J
Vuebec Act ()f 1114
,I,
"..,
I·'l<!
Extended the land of Quebec:
West:
from the Allegheny Mountains
to the Mississippi River
South:
to the Oh io River
...- .........
~~.~
••;\ '. ·...'...
IIl':I~I"'''''''''"..",....'''''
_
._". -...
_
.... _".. .. --- -"'---"
~-
..•.-,,- .. -.
Quebec Act Activities
Vocabulary - Matching
1). Custom_ _
A). to force obedience; cause to be carried out
2). Enforce_ _
B). to involve deeply; absorb
3). Immersed__
C). any usual action or practice; habit
4). Jury_ _
D). a person who has served in the armed forces
5). Tradition_ _
E). a group of citizens selected to hear evidence in a case
brought before a court of law.
6). Veteran__
F). a process of handing down beliefs, opinions, customs, and
stories
True or False
7. Parliament passed the Quebec Act in 1774.
_
8. Colonists were happy with the passing ofthe Quebec Act.
_
9. Quebec's boundaries were extended west to the Mississippi River.
_
10. Americans and Englishmen went to war within 1 year after the Quebec Act. _ _
Short Answers
11. The purpose of this passage is
_
12. After reading about the Quebec Act, what can the reader conclude?
13. Explain the word sneaky in the following sentence: The colonists viewed the British efforts
to restore the French to their ancient customs as sneaky.
A Political Cartoon
In this 1775 cartoon
Boston burns as Brit:sh
nobility demand money
from a colonia!, who
declares, "I will not.
be robbed." A Roman
Catholic monk holds up
a gibbet and a cross, a
Frenchman brandishes
his sword, and blindfolded
Britannia, symbol of Great
Britain, steps toward a pit.
1. Give this cartoon a title.
2. Whose political viewpoint is being attacked in this cartoon?
3. What would a colonist in 1775 need to know to be able to understand this
cartoon?
4. What emotions are expressed in this cartoon?
5. Create a Revolutionary War era cartoon of your own. Pick an event that
was well known. Choose a side to attack. Exaggerate your picture too
clearly to get your point across. Use as little dialogue as possible. Don't be
concerned with your artistic ability.