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Québec

 

Contents

Flag

Historical Flags

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

Coat of Arms

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

Map

Numbers and Facts

History

Origin of the Country's Name

regional Flags

   – Labrador



Flag

Flagge Fahne flag Kanada Provinz Canada Province Québec
Flag of the province of Québec,
ratio = 2:3,
Source: Corel Draw 4



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Historical Flags

Flagge Fahne flag Kanada Provinz Canada Province Québec
1868–1920,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Kanada Provinz Canada Province Québec
1920–1948,
Flag of the government (state flag),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne Flag The Royal Union Flag Großbitannien Vereinigtes Königreich United Kingdom UK Great Britain Naval jack jack State flag state
to 1948,
The Royal Union Flag,
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World



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Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The flag of Québec was officially hoisted for the first time on 21st of January in 1948. It shows a designing similar to the French merchant flag from 1789, a white cross on blue ground. In this way get expressed the connections to the motherland France and also the desire for cultural, respectively even political independence. In the four blue fields are visible white lilies, a typical French symbol and the heraldry of the royal house of France, of Bourbons, which ruled France from 1589 to 1792 and from 1814 to 1830. The French living in Canada came under the British crown from 1763 and had to use British flags, which they found difficult to come to terms with. In 1837 and 1838, there was even the Lower Canada Rebellion, in which a green-white-red flag was displayed as a symbol, the party flag of the "Parti Canadien" (Parti Patriote). Later, French Canadians simply displayed the French tricolour. Until the year 1868 there had officially been used, the British Union Jack, the so-called Royal Union Flag, by the departments of the provinces, or (from 1922 nearly only) the Canadian blue official flag, the typical British Blue Ensign, with the coat of arms of Canada in the flying end. Nevertheless, the provincial authorities had their own seals and later also coats of arms, which were unauthorized placed in the flying end of the blue official flag. A permit should have been approved by the British authorities for this procedure, this was not the case, but was tolerated. Private individuals had to use the Union Jack and from 1892 the so-called Red Ensign, the red version of the Canadian flag with the Union Jack in the upper corner and the coat of arms of Canada in the flying end. However, the Blue Ensigns have not survived securely as official flags, for on 21st January in 1948, The Royal Union Flag was taken down at Parliament House and replaced by the present provincial flag. French Canadians (the majority of the population of Québec) were not included in the Ensign flag system, the strong British element on the flags gave rise to a new flag for French Canadians, the "Carillon", created by a priest in 1902. This flag was modelled on pre-revolutionary France and, like today's flag, featured a white cross on blue, but the four corners each bore a gold fleur-de-lis, facing the centre of the flag. However, this flag was never very widespread. In the course of the gradual separation of Canada from the United Kingdom and the increasingly self-confident acting French-speaking population, Québec introduced the current flag in 1948. The blue is set as Pantone 293, but you often see a lighter blue in practice. Also, flags in 1:2 format are often used, which is also not official.

Source: Flaggen Enzyklopädie, Wikipedia (EN)

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Coat of Arms


Wappen coat of arms Quebéc
1868–1939,
Escutcheon of Québec,
Source, by: Flags of the World


Wappen coat of arms Quebéc
since 1939,
Escutcheon of Québec,
Source, by: Flags of the World

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Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

There is a regular coat of arms for Québec, with a console, shield holders (supporters), withe a crest and the motto. Here is only depicted the central part of the coat of arms, the escutcheon. The escutcheon of Québec is horizontally divided into three parts. The upper part shows three golden lilies on dark blue ground (heraldry of France under the Bourbons), in the middle a golden lion on red ground (British heraldry), in the lower part three green maple leafs on golden ground (old landmark of Canada). Before 1939 showed the upper field two blue lilies on golden ground. With the adoption of the French design for the flag the upper field was also equalized the historical French heraldry. The changes of the year 1939 in the coat of arms have not officially affected on the flag of the province. Although appropriate changes have been made, they have never been confirmed by the British Crown.

Source: Flags of the World

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Map

interaktive Landkarte
Map: Volker Preuß

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Numbers and Facts

Area: 595.388 square miles

Inhabitants: 8.522.800 (2016), thereof 77% Franco Canadians (Québécois), 8% Anglo Canadians

Density of Population: 14 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Québec, 531.902 inh. (2016)

official Language: French

other Languages: English

Currency: Canadian currency

Time Zone: GMT – 5 h

Source: Wikipedia (D), Wikipedia (FR)

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History

Originally Québec was populated by native Indians of the Algonkin and Iroquois nations.

1534–1535 · the Frenchman Jacques Cartier explores the Saint-Lawrence-Stream and appropriates the land on both sides for France, but an attempt of colonization near the today's City of Québec (near the Indian housing estate Stadacona) failes initially

1603–1606 · expedition of colonization by Samuel de Champlain, first settlements arise

1608 · Champlain founds Québec as fur trade station, the Indian word "Kebek" means "where the river narrows", summary of all French possessions in today's Canada as "New France" with the City of Québec as administrative center

1629 · English conquest of the City of Québec, given back by the peace of St.-Germain

1663 · New France becomes a French crown colony

1756–1763 · Seven Years War between United Kingdom and France and their allies

1759 · the English under General Wolfe capture the City of Québec

1763 · Peace of Paris, France has to cede all its north american possessions (in this way also Québec) to England (British Northern America), except St. Pierre and Miquelon

1774 · the French settlers in Québec get guaranteed their right for their own language, culture and even religion

1775–1776 · defence of some attacks of anti-British rebels from New England

1776–1783 · immigration of 35 000 loyal US-Americans

1791 · partition of the Province of Québec into the English speaking Upper Canada (the today's Ontario), and the French speaking Lower Canada (the present Québec)

1812–1814 · defence of diverse attacks of USA troops

1840 · union of the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec and Ontario in one colony (Kanada) with an own constitution

1867 · establishment of the Confederation of Canada (Dominion of Canada – with an own parliament) because of demands for autonomy, confederation of the four founding provinces New Brunswick, Québec, Ontario and Nova Scotia

1898 · enlargement of the Province of Quebéc in the northwest by annexation of parts of the Ungava Territory

1912 · once more enlargement of the Province of Quebéc by annexation of the leftovers of the Ungava Territory

1968 · foundation of the Franko-Canadian and separatist Party of Québec (Parti Québécois, PQ) to achieve a full separation from Canada

1976 · victory of the Parti Québécois in Québec, demands for Québec`s independence, French becomes official language in Québec

1980 · plebiscite for independence in Québec (justly rejected)

1990 · demands for Québec`s independence

1995 · plebiscite for independence in Québec (justly rejected)

Source: Atlas zur Geschichte, World Statesmen, Wikipedia (D), Discovery '97

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Origin of the Country's Name

The name of the province of Québec goes back to the city of Québec, which got the name when it was founded. The name is of Native American origin and means "where the river narrows".

Source: Handbuch der geographischen Namen

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