The 300th anniversary of Québec City’s founding was celebrated in grand style from July 19 to 31, 1908. Thousands of visitors flocked to Québec City to commemorate the city’s founding by Champlain. A squadron of warships were launched on the river and some 25,000 military personnel paraded through the streets. Thousands of actors in period costumes gathered on the Plains of Abraham. The festivities cost nearly a million dollars and led to the creation of the Battlefields Park. Do you see a link between the enthusiastic crowds of 1908 and those of the 400th anniversary in 2008?
Reproduction of the Don de Dieu, the ship on which Champlain arrived in Québec City in 1608
Keystone View Company
The image shows a reproduction of Samuel de Champlain’s ship, the Don de Dieu, sailing on the St. Lawrence River. To mark the tercentenary of Québec City, the boat was rebuilt to the careful instructions of an archaeological committee. However, since there are no depictions of the original ship, it is not clear how close this fiction was to reality.
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