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This piece by Millicent Mary Chaplin offers a view from the Citadel of Québec at dusk. After taking the city from the French, the British strengthened its defence system so as to repel possible attacks from the United States. On the river, a boat pulls a square formation of floating logs. The timber industry was booming in the mid-19th century.
1840 - 1873

Changing of the guard in Québec City

After the American revolutionaries’ 1775 attack on Québec City, the British authorities reinforced their military presence in the city. Considered to be a strategic site to defend, Québec City was home to large British garrisons. For decades, the daily lives of the city’s residents were marked by this heavy military presence. Things changed, however, with the signing of the Treaty of Washington on May 8, 1871, which settled several disputes between Britain and the United States. An era of peaceful political relations began, and most of the British garrisons left Québec City with a grand ceremony. Relive the events through the period’s artworks!

Evening view of the Citadel in Québec City

Millicent Mary Chaplin This piece by Millicent Mary Chaplin offers a view from the Citadel of Québec at dusk. After taking the city from the French, the British strengthened its defence system so as to repel possible attacks from the United States. On the river, a boat pulls a square formation of floating logs. The timber industry was booming in the mid-19th century.
Chronoscope What do you notice in the image? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Library and Archives Canada Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Acc. No. 1956-62-62 - Date: 1840