1764 in Canada

Template:Short description Template:Refimprove Template:Year in Canada Template:History of Canada Events from the year 1764 in Canada.

Incumbents

• Monarch: George III<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Governors

• Governor of the Province of Quebec: Jeffery Amherst
• Colonial Governor of Louisiana: Louis Billouart
• Governor of Nova Scotia: Jonathan Belcher
• Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: Richard Edwards

Events

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Full date unknown

• 1764–1765: The Sugar Act and Stamp Act, by which Britain aims to recover revenue from the American colonies, arouses local opposition.
• James Murray becomes civil governor of Quebec, but his attempts to appease French Canadians are disliked by British merchants.
• Canada is divided into two chief judicial districts (Quebec and Montreal). Martial law, in Canada, terminates.
• Fort Erie is constructed. It is the first British fort to be constructed in the Canadian territories which were newly annexed from the French.<ref name="Old Fort Erie History">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Births

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Deaths

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Historical documents

James Murray promoted from military governor of Quebec City district to governor of province, but other military governors refuse to yield control<ref>"Governor Murray to the Earl of Halifax" (October 15, 1764), Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada, 1759-1791 (1907), pgs. 152-3 (PDF frames 166-7). Accessed 14 April 2022</ref>

"Licentious Fanaticks Trading here" - Murray praises brave and faithful Canadians and denounces British merchants who want them expelled<ref>"Governor Murray to the Lords of Trade" (October 29, 1764), Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada, 1759-1791 (1907), pg. 167 (PDF frame 181; see following "Petition of the Quebec Traders" for their views on Murray). Accessed 15 April 2022</ref>

System of judicial courts and appeals established in Quebec, plus office of bailiff with various duties (judicial and otherwise)<ref>"An Ordinance, For regulating and establishing the Courts of Judicature(....)" (September 17, 1764), Ordinances, Made for the Province of Quebec, by the Governor and Council[....] (1767), pgs. 6-9. Accessed 11 April 2022</ref>

Justices of the peace and grand jury members in Quebec City district disagree on roles, competence, and judicial system of "Infant Colony"<ref>"At The First Court of Quarter-Session of the Peace" (October 1764). Accessed 11 April 2022</ref>

Québécois petition for equality in legal system, including in customs, language, professions and religion, and against anglophone self-interest<ref>"Address of French Citizens to the King Regarding the Legal System" (in French and English; 1764), Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada, 1759-1791 (1907), pgs. 161-6 (PDF frames 175-80). Accessed 14 April 2022</ref>

£200 reward (upon conviction) for identification of party who seriously wounded Montreal district justice of the peace Thomas Walker at his home<ref>"Province of Quebec, December 10th, 1764" Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto. Accessed 12 April 2022 (See also Attorney General's reasons for failed prosecution of this case)</ref>

Anyone providing liquor to Indigenous people will be fined £20 (except liquor retailers, who may sell 1/2 pint per person per day)<ref>"An Ordinance, To prevent Rum and other strong Liquors being sold to the Indians" (November 10, 1764), Ordinances, Made for the Province of Quebec, by the Governor and Council[....] (1767), pg. 33. Accessed 12 April 2022</ref>

Circulating library in upper town Quebec City makes hundreds of volumes in English and French available to subscribers for 6p per week<ref>"Germain Langlois's Weekly Circulating Library" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 20 (November 1, 1764), 3rd pg. Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

With his family arriving, Quebec City merchant John McCord looks to hire "sober honest middle aged married Couple" or "discreet Woman" as servant<ref>"Wanted" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 23 (November 22, 1764), 3rd pg. Accessed 14 April 2022</ref>

Map: Province of Quebec with adjacent Hudson's Bay Territories, Labrador, Nova Scotia, New England and New York<ref>Thomas Kitchin, "A New Map of the Province of Quebec in North America" (ca. 1764), McCord Museum. Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

At Detroit, "most of the French begin to dread that the next Blow from the Indians will be upon them," and so they consume or sell their cattle<ref>"New York, May 21" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 4 (July 12, 1764), 2nd pg. Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

Letter from Niagara says troops and "a Party of General Johnson's Indians" are securing site of peace treaty talks with "all the Indian Nations"<ref>"Quebec, June 28th" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 2 (June 28, 1764), 3rd pg. Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

At Niagara about 2,000 people representing 22 nations settle peace at meeting ("greatest ever known"), with prisoners released and land ceded<ref>"Extract of a Letter to Colonel Burton" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 10 (August 23, 1764), 2nd to 3rd pgs. (See also on 2nd pg.: seven nations, willing but not coming to talks, are threatened with death by Kanien’kéhà:ka, and talks are announced (also with threats) at Sault Ste. Marie) Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

William Johnson tells nations war against English "most unjustifiable," but "his Majesty [has] a Just sense of your ignorance" and offers peace<ref>"At a Convention of the Chiefs and Warriors of the Six Nations (and) Western Nations" (July 8, 1764), University of Michigan Library. (See also Johnson's description of peace talks) Accessed 14 April 2022</ref>

With kisses, tobacco and feasting, Alexander Henry's adoptive family mollifies bear he shot (Note: "manes" is Latin word for souls of dead)<ref>Alexander Henry, "The bear being dead" (January 1764), Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Territories[....] (1809), pgs. 143-5. (See also respectful interaction with rattlesnake) Accessed 14 April 2022</ref>

Lt. Gov. Wilmot of Nova Scotia suggests sending to Caribbean colonies those Acadians who have petitioned French king "to be moved from hence"<ref>"Governor Wilmot to Lord Halifax" (January 28, 1764), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 341. (See further correspondence on this security issue here and here) Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

Record shows 1,762 Acadians in 405 families still in Nova Scotia (most in Halifax area), plus 300 on St. John's Island<ref>"(Memorandum.)" (March 22, 1764), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 346. (See also petition of 76 families for transport to some French territory) Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

Gov. Wilmot ready to obey instructions to swear and settle Acadians, but finds some so resistant that they would pay their way even to Illinois Country<ref>"Governor Wilmot to Earl of Halifax" (November 9, 1764), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pgs. 349-50. (See in following letter Wilmot's relief when 300 Acadians leave) Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>

Nova Scotia laws authorize borrowing sums to pay off bounties and other provincial debts, plus interest on debts in excess of those sums<ref>"An Act to impower the Province Treasurer to borrow a Sum not exceeding the Sum of Two Thousand Nine Hundred Pounds, for paying off Bounties, Premiums, and other Debts, payable by the Laws of this Province" (April 10, 1764), 4 George III - Chapter 3 (Session 1), British North American Legislative Database, 1758-1867. (See also 1764 acts to borrow £1,500 and £2,500 for similar purposes) Accessed 11 April 2022</ref>

All previously enacted bounties (except one for building Halifax stone walls) are ended<ref>"An act for discontinuing part of the Bounties and Premiums, granted by former Laws of this Province" (1764), 4 George III - Chapter 7 (Session 1), British North American Legislative Database, 1758-1867. Accessed 11 April 2022</ref>

"As I have some Money to spare, I know not how better to dispose of it" - Benjamin Franklin considers land grants in Nova Scotia and Quebec<ref>"From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Jackson" (May 1, 1764), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 15 April 2022</ref>

"This Island is deem'd very valueable [sic]" - Land speculator describes St. John's Island as "most pleasant fertile and best Cultivated in French America"<ref>"To George Washington from Robert Stewart" (January 14, 1764), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 15 April 2022</ref>

Around fifth anniversary of Battle of Quebec, review of troops held near Quebec City, followed by "a very genteel Breakfast" and country dancing<ref>"Quebec, September 6" The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 12 (September 6, 1764), 3rd pg. Accessed 13 April 2022</ref>