born in Canada, stayed in the country. Those who stayed were to become British subjects. Soon, British General Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, established a military government, which was to last until 1763. The military occupation led to the establishment of a provisional administration. Because the fate of the country was still uncertain, no political actions were really undertaken to transform, and the status quo prevailed. Because the population was unable to understand English, it was decided that ordinances would be published in French. To do so, numerous Canadians were permitted to participate in the administration of justice. In 1763, France ceded Canada to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris. Rapidly, the new ruling elite planned its future for the French-speaking colonists, who were to be absorbed into the English-speaking society of British North America, but they were to be allowed the right of Catholic worship under the terms of the treaty. On October 7, the British Royal Proclamation of 1763 set the new political conditions of Canada. The territory of the colony, renamed the Province of Quebec, was reduced to the inhabited area along the Saint Lawrence River. James Murray was appointed governor and became responsible for enforcing the new policy concerning the colony. His tasks were to encourage British immigration; establish the official religion, Anglicanism; and the administrative and legal structures of England. Time brought the gradual establishment of anglophone British officials and colonists. Trade quickly passed on to British and British-American merchants, who migrated to Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, and Montreal. French, until then the lingua franca in all aspects of social life, was quickly relegated to the second rank in trade and government. The educated classes began French-English bilingualism by necessity. The Quebec Act of 1774 granted many of the requests of the Canadians, who had been petitioning the British crown for the restoration of French civil laws and guarantees as to the usage of their language and faith. American Revolution Union and Confederation See also Charter of the French Language Geographical distribution of French speakers History of French List of countries and territories where French is an official language :Category:French-language mass media in Canada Notes References In English Plourde, Michel and Pierre Georgeault, ed. (2008). The French Language in Quebec: 400 Years of History and Life () [Translated by Abigail Ratcliffe] In French Barbaud, Philippe (1984). Le choc des patois en Nouvelle-France, Sillery: Presses de