Proclamation Act of 1763The Proclamation Act of 1763 was a major change for both the English andthe French. For the English, they wanted to assimilate the French. This wasnecessary for two reasons. One, the British had, after all, conquered them, and wished to create afull British Empire. They thought that the only way to do this was toassimilate all other cultures (except the Natives) into their culture.
Two, the French were still a threat, and Quebec was the foothold in theNew World for France. The mother country, France, could send armies to NewFrance and attack the British. The main purpose of the Proclamation Act was simple, assimilate theFrench. The British needed to ensure that their culture was enforced in Quebec,The Act also tried to encourage British settlers to come to New France, but,unfortunately, the settlers did not want to come. This was because the settlerswould rather move to a mostly British society, instead of a mostly French. Some other aims of this Act were: Limit the size of Quebec, cuttingMontreal from the Fur Trade, and also to reassure the Natives that their huntinggrounds, and fur trade would be protected and remain intact.
Some of the terms of the Proclamation Act were as follows: settlement inthe Ohio and Mississippi was forbidden, and trappers, traders and settlers wereallowed in only with a license given from the crown, stating there reasons forbeing in those two areas. The French language was also allowed to continue. This may seem very strange, but I will explain it in a minute. Also the Frenchreligion (Roman Catholicism) was allowed to continue.
Britain also made it verydiscouraging to have this culture, disallowing anyone who had anything to dowith these political and official status. The Protestant religion was alsopromoted. The main reason that the Quebec act was created was because theProclamation Act was not working. Quebec was rebelling and people were veryunhappy about it.
So Britain decided to create the Quebec act. Other reasonswere that the 13 colonies, who had rebelled themselves and become the Americans,were going to attack. The British people needed an ally, and quickly. Theyalso wished to increase trade, relations, and unite the French and English underone Nation.
Some aims that the creation of the Quebec Act was suppose to achievewere, combining French and English into one Nation, not culture, by keepingbiculturalism. The French were allowed to continue all aspects of their culture, withno penalty to status whatsoever. The government for Quebec, however, was tostay the same, still ruled by a governor and an executive council. The civillaw was French, but the criminal law was changed to British. Yes, I definetely think so.
This worked right after the Act was passed,as evidenced by the responses, very few people were unhappy. The most obviousand substantial piece of evidence is today, which proves that the Act worked,by showing that today we have a bicultural nation.
