Defending Quebec
Penelope Johnston explores a new museum of Canadian military history.
On the Plains of Abraham, high above 300-foot granite cliffs overlooking the mighty St Lawrence River, outside the walls of Quebec City, several important battles took place in the later years of the eighteenth century which determined the outcome of the English conquest of the North American continent. To tell the story of these battles, the Museum of Discovery, the former National Naval Reserve Building, built like a French chateau, has undergone $2.5 million of renovations.
Today, the Plains of Abraham (Battlefield Park), consisting of wooded areas, gardens and rolling countryside, is the tenth largest city park in the world. The third floor of the Museum has the latest in high-tech banks of monitors devoted to the history of the park. The second floor is devoted to the geology and botany of the park.
The capital of New France from the early seventeenth century, Quebec held a strategic location, its prominent cliffs forming an important element in the defence system of the St Lawrence Valley and the major entrance to North America. The taking of Quebec was the first object of all the invaders of Canada and there were many attempts to lay siege to it.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
