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Québec City’s uniqueness is in part due to its fortifications. Its position on the St. Lawrence River made it the gateway to the colony. In 1831, the British erected an imposing Citadel to house the Québec City garrison that was on site to defend against a siege. Its importance earned it the nickname “Gibraltar of North America.”
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!

View of Québec City from the Citadel

Millicent Mary Chaplin Québec City’s uniqueness is in part due to its fortifications. Its position on the St. Lawrence River made it the gateway to the colony. In 1831, the British erected an imposing Citadel to house the Québec City garrison that was on site to defend against a siege. Its importance earned it the nickname “Gibraltar of North America.”
Chronoscope What comments does this image evoke for you? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Library and Archives Canada Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Acc. No. 1956-62-67 - Date: 1840