The Province of Quebec
As the only French speaking area in North America, the Province of Quebec is most certainly unique. Home to the separate native tribes of the Abenakis, Algonquian, Attikameks, Cree, Huron-Wendats, Innuu, Inuit, Malecites, Micmacs, Mohawks and Naskapis the first western settlers arrived in 1534. Jacques Cartier was the first westerner to set foot on the Quebec peninsula and claimed the area for France. Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec in 1608 with King Louis XIV of France granting the status of Royal Province in 1663.
By the early 1700’s the British were a powerful force in the “Upper Canada” region and eventually General Wolfe defeated the French forces defending Quebec after the famous battle of Abraham Plains. The French finally ceded the rights to New France to the British in 1763 and the Province of Quebec joined the Federation in 1867. That wasn’t to be the end of the drama in Quebec as first the “Quiet Revolution” and then the rise of the separatist movement have all led to interesting times. Still a major part of Canada with abundant natural resources, Quebec is a truly diverse Province.