american revolution?

Question

how was quebec pulled into the US revolution

Answer 1

The previous answer provides a nice narrative of the plans to invade Canada and how they ended up. But it does not actually explain WHY they did so, and I assume that's at least part of what you were looking for.

Three -- the last of which (response to the QUEBEC ACT) is, oddly, often overlooked, though the colonists REPEATEDLY tell us about it and how imporatant they thought it was!

A. DEFENSIVE key - a major avenue of British attack was to come down from Canada, e.g., through Lake Champlain and into New York (as they indeed attempted to do later in the war -- that plan being stopped in the Battle of Saratoga is considered a/the major turning point in the war).

The seizure of Quebec and the St Lawrence would prevent this. So, following the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga, Arnold and others looked to an attack on Canada as the next key to colonial security in the North.

B. OFFENSIVE key and Path to PEACE - many in Congress thought that a successful conquest of Canada would give the colonies a MAJOR bargaining chip to pressure Britain to RESCIND the laws to which they objected, and to sue for peace (not independence).
(noted by Page Smith in *A New Age Begins* )

Related to this, many colonists believed the residents of Quebec would make common cause with them, strengthening the efforts of their confederation.

The First Continental Congress wrote an "Appeal to the Inhabitants of Quebec" (Oct 26, 1774)
explaining what the Congress was doing and to join them -- "to consult together concerning the best methods to obtain redress of our afflicting grievances, having accordingly assembled and taken into our most serious consideration the state of public affairs on this continent, have thought proper to address your province as a member therein deeply interested."
http://www.historicaldocuments.com/AppealtotheInhabitantsofQuebec.htm

The Second Continental Congress followed up with an "Appeal to the Inhabitants of Canada (May 29, 1775)
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/contcong/05-29-75.htm

Note that this letter explains the reasons for taking Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point, attempting to assure Canadians that there was no ill-will toward THEM.
"The taking the fort and military stores at Ticonderoga and Crown-Point, and the armed vessels on the lake, was dictated by the great law of self-preservation. They were intended to annoy us, and to cut off that friendly intercourse and communication, which has hitherto subsisted between you and us. We hope it has given you no uneasiness, and you may rely on our assurances, that these colonies will pursue no measures whatever, but such as friendship and a regard for our mutual safety and interest may suggest"

Of course, the attack on Quebec might be harder to square with this approach -- I'm not sure what if anything Congress attempted in that case.


C. Response to the QUEBEC Act and fears and anger it caused

Note that the setup to the war was a set of acts that came (at least mostly) in response to the Boston Tea Party -- the "Intolerable" Acts. Chief among these were three, each 'attacking' the colonies (esp. Massachusetts) in one main area:

1) Boston Port Act - closing the port = ECONOMIC attack

2) Massachusetts Govt Act - reorganized govt, made governor directly answerable to the King (NOT the state assembly), sent certain court cases to England = GOVERNMENT attack, removing local authority

3) Quebec Act = RELIGIOUS attack... and more
The first part of this act made arrangements (much overdue) for how the Canadian territory won from the French in the previous war was to be governed, including provisions for their religious freedom.

But Parliament EXPANDED this (and many in Britain agreed with the colonists' complaint here) in a way that appeared to threaten the liberties of the 13 colonies, and SPECIFICALLY expanding the territory of the colony to take land claimed by various of the 13 colonies. These parts were clear and intentional punishment and WARNING to the other colonies.

Congress's interpretation of the meaning of this act for the CANADIANS (as a LOSS of rights) is spelled out in the "Appeal to. . . Quebec" mentioned above.

Note that the specific formal statements of complaint over the next couple of years focused on these three acts, repeatedly including the Quebec Act as one of the major British abuses against and threats to their rights.

a) Suffolk Resolves, Sept 1774 (by Joseph Warren, sent to the First Continental Congress from Boston and Suffolk County, MA)

#10. "That the late act of parliament for establishing the Roman Catholic religion and the French laws in that extensive country, now called Canada, is dangerous in an extreme degree to the Protestant religion and to the civil rights and liberties of all America; and, therefore, as men and Protestant Christians, we are indispensubly obliged to take all proper measures for our security.
"
http://www.americanrevolution.com/SuffolkResolves.htm

b) Declarations and Resolves of the First Continental Congress (Oct 14, 1774)

The preamble, summarizing the complaint (before listing various specifics), mentions THREE statutes passed in the last session of Parliament, ending with "and another statute was then made, 'for making more effectual provision for the government of the province of Quebec, etc.' All which statutes are impolitic, unjust, and cruel, as well as unconstitutional, and most dangerous and destructive of American rights:"
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/resolves.htm

http://www.usconstitution.net/intol.html

c) Declaration of Independence -

"For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies"
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

Answer 2

Many in Congress, in 1775, thought it would be a good idea to make Canada the 14th Colony. Benedict Arnold actually had a plan to do it. His idea was to have General Schuyler take a regiment up Lake Champlain through New York to Montreal, take that city and then meet him in Quebec.

While one army was moving from the south and would come to Quebec from the west, Arnold proposed to take his 1300 men north from Boston through the wilderness of what is now Maine and converge on Quebec.

Arnold underestimated the time it would take him to get his army to Quebec and General Montgomery, who took over for an ill General Schuyler, got held up at the tiny little Fort St. Johns, where the inhabitants were able to somehow last a little more than a month before capitulating.

While both companies left in September and Montgomery had a head start as he was already in Albany, Fort John, sickness, and the impetuous Ethan Allen (who was foolishly picked up as a POW) slowed him down.

Meanwhile Arnold made a heroic and determined trek through the Main wilderness. He lost one third of his corp to what amounted to en organized desertion. He lost a few dozen more to sickness and the elements. He finally arrived on the St. Lawrence River across from Quebec in Late November.

Montgomery finally joins him in early December but his troops, too , had fought a semi losing battle with disease as well as desertion. On December 31st, when more than half of the soldiers would be discharged the net day, a blinding snow storm gave them the chance they were looking for.

A full out assault of the old city was executed. Unfortunately at the very beginning of the attack, Montgomery was gunned down as he led a charge up the slopes to the city. At the same time Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan were creating a now useless diversion. There was no surprise. They were attacked with vigor as they tried to scale the barriers into the city.

Then for the second time tragedy struck! Benedict Arnold had been shot in the lower leg and he could not resume command. Daniel Morgan took the lead and almost single handedly flush out a hole houseful of local French Militia but it was too little too late. Almost at once, they were surrounded and they were forced to surrender.

Quebec would remain in Canada rather than join the revolution to the south.

Interestingly enough, Quebec is the one province of Canada that has made serious noises about seceding from the Canadian Government, even in the last few years. If they did would there be a chance after all these years that a large part of Canada would now join the United States?

Probably about as much chance as there was of making them the 14th Colony 232 years ago this month!