Neptune's Needle

Fr. Quebec, city (1991 pop. 167,517), (cap.) Que. prov., S Que., Canada, at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and St. Charles rivers; 46º48'N 71º15'W. The pop. is largely Fr.-speaking, and the town is at the ideological core of Fr. Canada. An important port and an industrial, cultural, service, and tourist center. Part of the city is built on the waterfront and is called Lower Town; that part called Upper Town is on Cape Diamond, a bluff rising c.300 ft. above the St. Lawrence. Winding, narrow streets link the 2 sects. The chief industries are shipbuilding and tourism. The site of Quebec was visited by Jacques Cartier in 1535, and in 1608 Samuel de Champlain established a Fr. colony in the present Lower Town; this was captured (1629) by the English, who held it until 1632. In 1663, Quebec was made the capital of New France and became the center of the fur trade. The city was unsuccessfully attacked by the English in 1690 and 1711. Finally in 1759 Eng. forces defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham and captured Quebec.

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Compiler

Peter Richards