Quebec Falls: Britain Dominates North America
British forces conquered Quebec on September 18, 1759, after General James Wolfe's troops scaled the cliffs above the city under cover of darkness and formed battle lines on the Plains of Abraham. French General Montcalm, instead of waiting for reinforcements behind Quebec's walls, rushed out to engage the British in open battle. His forces advanced in loose formations against disciplined British infantry that held fire until the French were within 40 yards, then delivered two devastating volleys that shattered the attack. Both commanders died. The fall of Quebec sealed the fate of New France: the Treaty of Paris in 1763 transferred Canada entirely to Britain, ending 150 years of French colonization and removing France as a North American power.
September 18, 1759
267 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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