History Browser

A slide show presentation of Native American dress from the 16th to mid-18th century.

...the château was also the governor’s residence, it was an important living environment and cultural centre. There were many receptions, under both the French and English regimes.

This history on our Aboriginal Peoples and their contribution to Canada’s rich military heritage is the latest in a series of books prepared by the Director of History and Heritage commemorating especial military experience. Authors : P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Ph.D., R. Scott Sheffield, Ph.D., John Moses, Maxime Gohier

The archeological research project currently underway at the Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site of Canada began in June 2005. The final exploratory campaign was conducted in the summer of 2007. The three digs confirmed the site’s historical significance. Many architectural remains were excavated:

A new settlement was begun, westwards of Quebec in Iroquois territory at Ville-Marie (later Montreal) in 1642. Another big development for the colony was the arrival of 60 soldiers paid for by the Queen of France.

Wherever they were from, soldiers would often be found playing cards, whether in an inn as shown, or in the field using a drum as a card table. Gambling was often part of the game. Soldiers in Canada were no different than anywhere else although they would not have worn the boots with spurs seen in this illustration of soldiers in France.

Join a French soldier, Vadeboncoeur, and explore the history of Quebec's defense and fortifications. This journey into the past will have your students "defending Québec" during three different periods: 1645, 1690 and 1745.

The penalty for desertion was either death or being sentenced to the galleys. Official policy varied from one to the other several times between 1635 and 1760. In some cases, however, clemency was shown, and the culprits returned to their units.

During the 18th century, the British colonies in what is now Atlantic Canada were very different from their counterparts further south in New England. The northern colonies had a strong military presence, relatively small civilian populations, and no strong militia.