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- [Narrator] New York, August
15th 1914, First World War.
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The fourth fleet, pride
of the royal navy,
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00:00:09,016 --> 00:00:10,416
has just weighed anchor.
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00:00:10,450 --> 00:00:13,180
In a few weeks, the
expeditionary force
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00:00:13,216 --> 00:00:15,216
of the 13 colonies
will land in Europe,
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00:00:15,250 --> 00:00:18,420
ready to defend the
motherland, the British
Empire.
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00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,020
In the 20th century, the
United Kingdom is a great
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00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:27,180
colonial power from
America to Asia,
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00:00:27,216 --> 00:00:30,466
the Union Jack flies
over every continent.
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00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,300
During the last century, she
created the vastest empire
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00:00:34,333 --> 00:00:37,073
in the history of humanity.
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00:00:37,100 --> 00:00:39,320
The huge statue of her
majesty, Queen Victoria,
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00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:42,400
stands triumphant at the
entrance to New York bay,
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00:00:42,433 --> 00:00:45,453
reminding all of the power
of the British Crown.
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00:00:47,033 --> 00:00:48,473
But none of this ever happened.
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00:00:50,066 --> 00:00:52,466
In 1759, a tiny grain
of sand will decide
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00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,320
the fate of New France and
change the face of the world.
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00:00:58,050 --> 00:01:01,420
Our history is no more than a
series of incredible events.
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00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,200
Every one of us can
influence it's course.
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00:01:08,016 --> 00:01:10,296
(upbeat music)
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The most infinitesimal
of our decisions
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00:01:27,450 --> 00:01:30,070
can influence the
future of humanity.
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00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:32,350
To know the past is
to foresee the future.
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00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:44,130
July 1534, Jacques
Cartier, a French explorer,
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00:01:44,166 --> 00:01:46,266
has just made contact
with the Amerindians
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in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
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00:01:48,450 --> 00:01:53,180
May 28th 1754,
George Washington, a
British militia man,
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00:01:53,216 --> 00:01:54,996
carries out a surprise attack
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00:01:55,033 --> 00:01:57,083
on a French embassy
in the Ohio Valley.
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00:01:58,216 --> 00:02:02,326
September 18th 1759, at
the end of a long siege,
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Quebec, capital of New France,
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falls into the hands
of the British Crown.
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00:02:07,416 --> 00:02:09,346
These three events
are key moments
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00:02:09,383 --> 00:02:12,073
in the history of New France.
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They will lead to the
creation of Canada.
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00:02:18,133 --> 00:02:20,153
Newfoundland, viking encampment.
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00:02:22,050 --> 00:02:24,320
The colony has just
survived its first winter.
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00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,100
We are 500 years before
Christopher Columbus' voyage,
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00:02:29,133 --> 00:02:31,433
and the Scandinavian explorers
are the first Europeans
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00:02:31,466 --> 00:02:34,196
to set foot on the
continent of North America.
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00:02:39,483 --> 00:02:41,203
A land of abundance,
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00:02:41,233 --> 00:02:44,433
roaming with mighty herds
of bison and caribou,
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00:02:44,466 --> 00:02:48,026
covered as far as the eye
can see with vast forests,
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00:02:48,066 --> 00:02:51,026
criss-crossed by rivers
teaming with fish and beaver,
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00:02:51,066 --> 00:02:52,376
the north of
America suffers from
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00:02:52,416 --> 00:02:54,216
extreme climate conditions.
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00:02:56,116 --> 00:02:57,466
Winter lasts five months,
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00:02:59,216 --> 00:03:02,146
and temperatures can drop to
lower than minus 40 degrees.
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00:03:03,350 --> 00:03:05,350
And yet, in the 16th century,
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00:03:05,383 --> 00:03:08,353
daring adventurers will set
out to explore its coasts,
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00:03:08,383 --> 00:03:10,173
and then its interior.
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00:03:13,433 --> 00:03:17,483
May 10th 1534, French
explorer Jacques Cartier
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00:03:18,016 --> 00:03:21,166
arrives within sight of the
great island of Newfoundland
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00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,420
for his first expedition
in the name of Francois I,
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00:03:24,450 --> 00:03:26,080
king of France.
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00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:30,170
During his voyages, he will
first explore the coasts,
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00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,220
and then venture up one of the
greatest rivers of the world,
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00:03:33,250 --> 00:03:34,400
the Saint Lawrence.
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00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:38,080
But, although he was one
of the first Europeans
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00:03:38,116 --> 00:03:40,046
to explore these territories,
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00:03:40,083 --> 00:03:42,403
he is far from being the
first man to set foot there.
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00:03:45,166 --> 00:03:47,096
For over 10,000 years,
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00:03:47,133 --> 00:03:49,323
the Amerindians have
inhabited the continent.
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00:03:51,066 --> 00:03:53,216
They are then some
hundreds of thousands
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00:03:53,250 --> 00:03:57,150
divided into tribes,
nations, and confederations.
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00:03:57,183 --> 00:03:59,173
In contrast to the
Spanish conquistadors
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00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,320
with the Aztecs a
few years earlier,
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00:04:01,350 --> 00:04:03,030
relations between the French
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00:04:03,066 --> 00:04:05,216
and the Natives will
remain generally amicable.
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00:04:07,133 --> 00:04:09,433
This peaceful entente
is the keystone
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00:04:09,466 --> 00:04:11,116
of the future French colony,
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00:04:11,150 --> 00:04:14,080
and is unique in the
history of America.
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00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,150
What's more, from
hearing the Natives
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00:04:17,183 --> 00:04:19,323
constantly inviting
him to their village,
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00:04:19,350 --> 00:04:22,030
which they call Kanata,
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00:04:22,066 --> 00:04:25,276
Cartier decides to use the
word to name the region.
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This is first appearance
of the word Canada.
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00:04:30,150 --> 00:04:32,370
Trade is rapidly established
between Amerindians
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and Europeans, beaver belts
for rifles, clothing, or
pots.
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00:04:38,250 --> 00:04:41,330
The trappers camps gradually
turn into small trading posts.
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00:04:42,433 --> 00:04:46,083
Colonists begin to
settle permanently,
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but living conditions are
testing for the French,
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accustomed to a gentler climate.
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Two out of every three
colonists give up
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00:04:54,116 --> 00:04:56,276
and return to France
after the first winter.
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00:04:58,150 --> 00:05:02,420
The others adapt, they are now
no longer completely French,
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00:05:02,450 --> 00:05:04,350
they become Canadians.
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00:05:07,433 --> 00:05:09,303
July third, 1608.
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00:05:10,366 --> 00:05:13,266
After several
disastrous attempts,
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the embryo of a city
rises from the earth
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00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,030
on the banks of the
Saint Lawrence river.
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00:05:19,150 --> 00:05:22,070
This spot, a
strategic one because
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00:05:23,133 --> 00:05:25,353
located on the main
trading route for skins,
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00:05:25,383 --> 00:05:29,003
and at the precise point
where the river narrows,
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is well known to the Natives.
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They call it Quebec.
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- [Narrator] Welcome to
the memory of humanity.
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Here, we can control time,
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00:05:46,366 --> 00:05:49,116
analyze and compare
billions of events,
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00:05:49,150 --> 00:05:52,020
and alter them to rewrite
history endlessly.
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All the events in our history,
however minute they might be,
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are memorized and
interconnected.
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It only requires
one to be changed
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00:06:02,266 --> 00:06:04,416
for all the other to be
shaken to their core.
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00:06:06,016 --> 00:06:09,346
For example, let's go
back to the 17th century
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00:06:09,383 --> 00:06:13,323
and compare the Amerindian
and European ways of life.
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00:06:13,350 --> 00:06:16,120
In both cases, the
peoples are heirs
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00:06:16,150 --> 00:06:19,220
to a culture thousands
of years old.
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00:06:19,250 --> 00:06:22,350
Linguistic differences between
the Huron of the Great Lakes
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00:06:22,383 --> 00:06:24,403
and the Micmac of
the Saint Lawrence
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00:06:24,433 --> 00:06:28,183
are as great as those between
the English and the Germans,
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00:06:28,216 --> 00:06:31,416
and the same applies to their
cultures and eating habits.
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00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:37,430
As in Europe, the Amerindian
nations forge alliances,
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and frequently go to war.
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00:06:42,350 --> 00:06:46,380
However, Amerindian societies
are more egalitarian,
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social and community
life, collective property,
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00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:52,080
and equality between all,
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00:06:52,116 --> 00:06:55,226
regardless of age,
sex, or filiation.
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00:06:57,150 --> 00:07:01,220
We are a long way from the
caricature of the noble
savage.
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00:07:06,466 --> 00:07:08,276
- [Narrator] Early 18th century.
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In a century of living
together, the French Canadians
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00:07:12,033 --> 00:07:14,123
have learned a lot
from the Amerindians.
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00:07:15,183 --> 00:07:17,383
The colonists have made
ever deeper inroads
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00:07:17,416 --> 00:07:20,466
into the country, mainly
using the river network.
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00:07:22,233 --> 00:07:26,323
They are now called runners
of the woods, they are hearty,
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00:07:26,350 --> 00:07:29,220
and can run for hours
over hill and forest,
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00:07:29,250 --> 00:07:32,480
are sharp shooters, often
speak several Native languages,
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00:07:33,016 --> 00:07:34,296
and marry with the Natives.
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00:07:36,333 --> 00:07:39,483
They will map almost half of
the North American continent,
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00:07:40,016 --> 00:07:41,176
giving the regions
they pass through
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the names of the
tribes who live there.
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Ohio, Missouri,
Illinois, or Wisconsin.
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00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,300
A century after it was founded,
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00:07:52,333 --> 00:07:56,423
the tiny trading post of
Quebec is now a city of 9,000.
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00:07:57,366 --> 00:07:59,426
It has been through tough times,
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00:07:59,466 --> 00:08:02,296
extraordinarily harsh
winters, famine,
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00:08:02,333 --> 00:08:04,423
and war with the Iroquois.
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00:08:06,416 --> 00:08:09,026
Along with Montreal
and Louisbourg,
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00:08:09,066 --> 00:08:11,046
Quebec is one of
the principal cities
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00:08:11,083 --> 00:08:13,183
of the royal colony
of New France.
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00:08:15,316 --> 00:08:19,076
But, for the Crown,
Canada costs a lot,
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00:08:19,116 --> 00:08:21,146
and brings in little.
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00:08:21,183 --> 00:08:24,173
Under Louis XV, the more
profitable sugar islands
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of the Caribbean
take preference.
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00:08:27,450 --> 00:08:31,150
Furthermore, the colony is
ice bound half of the year,
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00:08:31,183 --> 00:08:32,203
which interrupts trade,
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00:08:32,233 --> 00:08:34,253
and makes it complicated
to provision.
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In the metropole,
the future of these
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00:08:39,033 --> 00:08:42,133
few acres of snow is far
from being a priority.
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00:08:45,116 --> 00:08:48,016
For the United Kingdom,
it's quite the opposite.
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00:08:51,350 --> 00:08:53,280
Great Britain is an island.
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In order to grow, it is
forced to look outwards.
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00:08:58,333 --> 00:09:02,023
Very quickly, an imperialist
policy is born in London,
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00:09:03,250 --> 00:09:06,470
British possessions in America
are not merely trading posts,
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00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,480
they are above all new
territories to occupy,
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00:09:11,016 --> 00:09:13,116
exploit, and defend.
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00:09:14,433 --> 00:09:17,023
And that is how, in
the 17th century,
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00:09:17,050 --> 00:09:19,400
waves of colonists
founded New England,
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00:09:21,050 --> 00:09:23,050
setting out with their
possessions and their
families,
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00:09:23,083 --> 00:09:25,123
they have no intention
of returning.
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00:09:26,283 --> 00:09:28,473
Driven from England by
religious persecution,
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00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,380
they are carried along
by the conviction
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00:09:30,416 --> 00:09:33,266
that they must establish
a purer society.
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Henceforth, the Amerindians,
regarded as an embarrassment,
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are fought and driven out.
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In 1750, the 13 British
colonies have more
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00:09:45,466 --> 00:09:50,146
than a million inhabitants,
and they are expanding fast.
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00:09:50,183 --> 00:09:53,073
The French Canadians
are barely 17,000,
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00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:56,300
on a territory at least
five times greater.
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Between dynamic British colonies
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00:09:58,050 --> 00:10:01,030
and underpopulated
Franco-Amerindian territories,
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00:10:01,066 --> 00:10:03,246
competition is more
present than ever.
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- [Narrator] Adapt or disappear.
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In America, the English
colonists import
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00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:18,120
their way of working, and
impose it on the Amerindians.
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00:10:18,150 --> 00:10:22,070
The French, in minority, and
in a hostile environment,
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00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:24,230
adapt and treat them as equals.
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00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,320
They know that the
survival of their country
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00:10:27,350 --> 00:10:30,070
depends on their relations
with their allies.
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00:10:31,250 --> 00:10:34,380
Rather than fight a pitched
battle, costly in men,
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00:10:34,416 --> 00:10:38,046
they prefer the skirmish,
ambushes, raids,
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00:10:38,083 --> 00:10:41,303
stealthy movement and
fighting in the forest.
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00:10:41,333 --> 00:10:44,103
The Canadians call
it little war,
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00:10:44,133 --> 00:10:47,273
a sort of guerrilla
warfare, and it's a hunt,
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00:10:47,300 --> 00:10:51,420
a man hunt, move from tree
to tree to remain covered,
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00:10:51,450 --> 00:10:54,400
shoot only when sure
of hitting your target,
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00:10:54,433 --> 00:10:57,053
only emerge from hiding to fire,
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00:10:57,083 --> 00:11:00,103
and then attack hand to hand.
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00:11:00,133 --> 00:11:01,233
The British army, however,
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00:11:01,266 --> 00:11:04,246
had conserved its
fighting tactics,
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00:11:04,283 --> 00:11:08,203
but it does have an
ace, its discipline.
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00:11:08,233 --> 00:11:12,253
In a fixed battle, it is
able to fire continuously.
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00:11:12,283 --> 00:11:16,373
One line of soldiers fires
while
the preceding line reloads.
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00:11:18,283 --> 00:11:21,203
Guerrilla against fire power,
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00:11:21,233 --> 00:11:25,073
it's the same plan as that
adopted by the Afghan Mujahideen
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00:11:25,100 --> 00:11:27,450
against the Soviet army
in the 20th century.
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00:11:31,350 --> 00:11:34,200
- [Narrator] May 28th 1754.
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00:11:34,233 --> 00:11:37,323
This day marks the
end of the status quo.
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00:11:37,350 --> 00:11:39,480
British militia men carry
out a surprise attack
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00:11:40,016 --> 00:11:41,376
on a French embassy.
201
00:11:41,416 --> 00:11:44,166
Leading them is the
young George Washington,
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00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,280
the future first president of
the United States of America.
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00:11:54,233 --> 00:11:56,253
The execution of the
French ambassador
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00:11:56,283 --> 00:11:58,433
is the declaration of
a war that will impact
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00:11:58,466 --> 00:12:01,426
on every continent,
the Seven Years War.
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00:12:05,316 --> 00:12:08,396
France and England, the two
great powers of the period,
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00:12:08,433 --> 00:12:11,203
will confront each
other on land and sea,
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00:12:11,233 --> 00:12:13,273
in Europe and in their colonies.
209
00:12:16,266 --> 00:12:20,016
From the beginning, England
plays its trump card,
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00:12:20,050 --> 00:12:24,130
the Royal Navy deploys across
the ocean, it's mission,
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00:12:26,466 --> 00:12:30,146
destroy the French
Navy, block her ports,
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00:12:30,183 --> 00:12:33,133
preventing her from getting
aid to her colonies.
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00:12:33,166 --> 00:12:36,266
In short, paralyze the realm.
214
00:12:36,300 --> 00:12:38,450
The navy, with
fearsome efficiency,
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00:12:38,483 --> 00:12:42,123
manages to cut
off France's arms.
216
00:12:42,150 --> 00:12:46,100
The French colonies are now
left to their own devices.
217
00:12:46,133 --> 00:12:49,253
In New France, it looks
to be a difficult fight.
218
00:12:51,133 --> 00:12:54,033
Canada is then governed by
the Marquis of Vaudreuil,
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00:12:54,066 --> 00:12:58,126
a Canadian, born in Quebec,
he favors the little war.
220
00:13:00,033 --> 00:13:02,333
For two years, militia and
Amerindians have inflicted
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00:13:02,366 --> 00:13:05,316
defeat after defeat
on the English troops.
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00:13:05,350 --> 00:13:07,370
The French as masters
of the terrain,
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00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:11,020
but now he has to work
with the commander
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00:13:11,050 --> 00:13:14,000
of the Royal Armies,
the Marquis of Montcalm,
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00:13:14,033 --> 00:13:16,383
recently arrived from France.
226
00:13:16,416 --> 00:13:18,066
The latter, enjoying the same
227
00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:20,030
hierarchical level as Vaudreuil,
228
00:13:20,066 --> 00:13:23,026
has no taste for this
inglorious form of warfare,
229
00:13:23,066 --> 00:13:25,466
but he quickly learns
to use it effectively.
230
00:13:28,183 --> 00:13:30,123
The combined force
of the regular troops
231
00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:32,350
and the Canadian militia
is a redoubtable one.
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00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,300
The English forts fall
to the French shelling
233
00:13:36,333 --> 00:13:38,303
while their patrols
walk into ambushes
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00:13:38,333 --> 00:13:40,123
set by the Canadian militia.
235
00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,080
From the banks of the Hudson
236
00:13:44,116 --> 00:13:46,326
to the snow covered
slopes of Lake Champlain,
237
00:13:46,366 --> 00:13:50,146
the English troops are shoved
and harassed from all sides.
238
00:13:52,416 --> 00:13:56,126
But on the seas, the
Royal Navy rules supreme.
239
00:13:58,383 --> 00:14:02,423
On July 27th 1758,
Louisbourg, key to New France,
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00:14:03,483 --> 00:14:05,403
falls into the hands
of the English.
241
00:14:07,416 --> 00:14:11,226
French reinforcements
are arriving only
in dribs and drabs,
242
00:14:11,266 --> 00:14:14,416
whereas the British troops
are increasingly numerous.
243
00:14:16,383 --> 00:14:17,473
The fight is close.
244
00:14:20,033 --> 00:14:22,203
Montcalm knows that he will
finally be overwhelmed,
245
00:14:22,233 --> 00:14:24,453
and begs for reinforcements,
246
00:14:24,483 --> 00:14:28,233
but France is also fighting
battles on the continent,
247
00:14:28,266 --> 00:14:31,096
no one will come to the
rescue of New France.
248
00:14:32,300 --> 00:14:36,070
On June fourth, 1759, a
formidable fleet of English
249
00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:39,020
war ships leaves Louisbourg
and heads for Quebec.
250
00:14:41,033 --> 00:14:43,423
On board are nearly
2,000 cannon,
251
00:14:43,450 --> 00:14:46,450
and 22,000 soldiers and seamen.
252
00:14:46,483 --> 00:14:49,183
The battle for Quebec
is about to begin.
253
00:14:53,150 --> 00:14:55,030
- [Narrator]
Control of the seas.
254
00:14:58,050 --> 00:15:01,130
During the conflict, the
Royal Navy is everywhere
255
00:15:01,166 --> 00:15:04,216
and wins almost all its battles.
256
00:15:04,250 --> 00:15:09,200
It's superiority is crushing,
sailing powerful vessels
257
00:15:09,233 --> 00:15:13,083
with two or three decks armed
with batteries of cannon,
258
00:15:13,116 --> 00:15:15,076
it controls the oceans.
259
00:15:16,283 --> 00:15:19,273
The key to its success lies
in its iron discipline,
260
00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:22,280
constant training, and
effective logistics.
261
00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:28,000
Whereas the French sailors
only put to sea to do battle,
262
00:15:28,033 --> 00:15:31,433
the English are almost
constantly at sea, training.
263
00:15:31,466 --> 00:15:35,026
In the same space of time,
their crews manage to fire
264
00:15:35,066 --> 00:15:38,366
three rounds of cannon to a
single one from the French.
265
00:15:41,483 --> 00:15:45,133
Whereas in France, ship's
captain is often regarded
266
00:15:45,166 --> 00:15:49,076
as a mere title, the British
captains are promoted on
merit,
267
00:15:49,116 --> 00:15:51,426
are effective and
hardened by naval combat.
268
00:15:53,283 --> 00:15:55,303
The spirit of
initiative, daring,
269
00:15:55,333 --> 00:15:58,333
and speed are the keystones
to the Royal Navy.
270
00:16:00,283 --> 00:16:04,333
It's motto: if you want
peace, prepare for war.
271
00:16:05,433 --> 00:16:08,083
In our day, its only
equivalent would be
272
00:16:08,116 --> 00:16:11,016
the military supremacy
of the United States,
273
00:16:11,050 --> 00:16:13,130
the only country
capable of delivering
274
00:16:13,166 --> 00:16:17,346
considerable firepower to
the far side of the globe.
275
00:16:17,383 --> 00:16:20,373
- [Narrator] Quebec, early 1759.
276
00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:22,350
The French commanders
don't agree.
277
00:16:24,083 --> 00:16:27,333
Governor Vaudreuil wants to
defend the entire territory,
278
00:16:27,366 --> 00:16:30,166
military commander Montcalm
considers it to be lost,
279
00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,480
and withdraws the majority
of his troops to Quebec.
280
00:16:34,250 --> 00:16:37,080
He has 15,000 men
under his orders.
281
00:16:37,116 --> 00:16:39,146
The fight is still
far from lost,
282
00:16:39,183 --> 00:16:41,083
especially as navigation
on the Saint Lawrence
283
00:16:41,116 --> 00:16:44,046
is almost impossible for those
who don't know the river.
284
00:16:45,250 --> 00:16:47,200
But, aboard the
British flagship,
285
00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:51,230
General James Wolfe
holds a crucial ace,
286
00:16:51,266 --> 00:16:54,166
highly accurate
French marine charts.
287
00:16:55,383 --> 00:16:58,423
On June 26, against
all expectations,
288
00:16:58,450 --> 00:17:01,170
the English warships
sail past Orleans island
289
00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,080
and into sight of Quebec.
290
00:17:04,383 --> 00:17:08,273
The city is immediately
besieged, the French troops,
291
00:17:08,300 --> 00:17:11,070
having vainly attempted to
set fire to the enemy ships,
292
00:17:11,100 --> 00:17:13,300
entrench in their positions.
293
00:17:13,333 --> 00:17:17,073
On the 29th, the English step
ashore on the opposite bank.
294
00:17:17,100 --> 00:17:18,300
Cannons are set up in a battery,
295
00:17:18,333 --> 00:17:21,023
and soon begin to
pound the city.
296
00:17:21,050 --> 00:17:23,250
Mid-July, a part of the
British fleet braves
297
00:17:23,283 --> 00:17:26,053
the French cannons
and moves up river.
298
00:17:26,083 --> 00:17:28,453
The city is now
exposed on two fronts.
299
00:17:30,183 --> 00:17:33,323
By the end of July, Wolfe
launches a massive attack,
300
00:17:33,350 --> 00:17:35,480
but the English troops
suffer heavy losses.
301
00:17:37,033 --> 00:17:39,453
The general now
adopts a new strategy,
302
00:17:39,483 --> 00:17:42,323
he sends his rangers to
ravage the hinterland.
303
00:17:43,366 --> 00:17:47,346
1,400 farms are
destroyed and burned,
304
00:17:47,383 --> 00:17:50,303
but the city, protected by
its cliffs and its cannons,
305
00:17:50,333 --> 00:17:52,423
still does not surrender.
306
00:17:52,450 --> 00:17:56,470
Wolfe has already lost
many men, more seriously,
307
00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:58,170
winter's approaching,
308
00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,470
and his fleet risks
becoming trapped in the ice.
309
00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:04,220
He decides to risk everything.
310
00:18:06,233 --> 00:18:08,203
During the night
of September 12th,
311
00:18:08,233 --> 00:18:09,483
after foiling the
French centuries,
312
00:18:10,016 --> 00:18:12,126
he secretly disembarks
a part of his troops
313
00:18:12,166 --> 00:18:13,376
to the west of the city.
314
00:18:15,466 --> 00:18:17,346
Reputedly impassable,
315
00:18:17,383 --> 00:18:20,353
the steep relief is
Quebec's best defense.
316
00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:25,130
Disciplined and professional,
317
00:18:25,166 --> 00:18:27,466
the British soldiers begin
the assault on the cliff.
318
00:18:29,166 --> 00:18:31,396
Overthrowing the French
defenses, they gain a foothold
319
00:18:31,433 --> 00:18:35,173
on the summit and immediately
form a battle line.
320
00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,400
Wolfe knows his
position is precarious,
321
00:18:37,433 --> 00:18:39,323
just one vigorous
French counter attack
322
00:18:39,350 --> 00:18:41,470
could destroy him and his men.
323
00:18:44,083 --> 00:18:47,203
But the French fail to
seize their opportunity.
324
00:18:47,233 --> 00:18:50,203
When Montcalm finally
arrives to face the British
325
00:18:50,233 --> 00:18:52,353
on the place known as
the Plains of Abraham,
326
00:18:52,383 --> 00:18:55,073
they are ready to
fight, muskets loaded.
327
00:18:56,233 --> 00:18:57,423
They are a mere few thousand,
328
00:18:57,450 --> 00:19:00,050
while Montcalm disposes
of many more troops,
329
00:19:00,083 --> 00:19:02,103
but half of his men
are more used to
330
00:19:02,133 --> 00:19:04,153
skirmishing than
to pitched battle.
331
00:19:06,116 --> 00:19:08,326
Large numbers of French
reinforcements are on the way,
332
00:19:08,366 --> 00:19:11,476
he only needs to wait a few
hours to be sure of victory.
333
00:19:13,183 --> 00:19:16,023
This is when Montcalm
takes a crucial decision.
334
00:19:16,050 --> 00:19:18,380
Anxious to see the enemy
consolidate his positions,
335
00:19:18,416 --> 00:19:22,096
he decides not to wait any
longer and launches the
attack.
336
00:19:24,216 --> 00:19:27,046
The English line,
impassable, holds firm.
337
00:19:28,283 --> 00:19:31,053
Even when the first French
bullets hit their ranks,
338
00:19:31,083 --> 00:19:33,353
his Majesty's
soldiers remain calm.
339
00:19:34,433 --> 00:19:37,153
They wait 'til the
French, in disorder,
340
00:19:37,183 --> 00:19:40,473
come within range, 'til their
muskets have been fired,
341
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,330
then, as one man, they
aim and unleash hell.
342
00:19:47,233 --> 00:19:49,303
The volley is devastating,
343
00:19:49,333 --> 00:19:53,083
the French soldiers are
cut down by a hail of lead.
344
00:19:53,116 --> 00:19:55,426
In a few minutes, the fate
of the battle is sealed,
345
00:19:57,150 --> 00:20:01,000
the French line collapses,
the regulars beat a retreat.
346
00:20:02,333 --> 00:20:04,273
From the woods, the
Canadian militia
347
00:20:04,300 --> 00:20:06,000
riddle the British
troops with lead
348
00:20:06,033 --> 00:20:08,403
and wreak havoc,
but to no purpose.
349
00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:13,200
Two hours later,
the battle is lost.
350
00:20:26,116 --> 00:20:28,466
- [Narrator] We have just
reached a turning point.
351
00:20:29,450 --> 00:20:32,220
A turning point is a key event,
352
00:20:32,250 --> 00:20:34,120
a cross roads in our history,
353
00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:37,450
where the world swings
one way or the other.
354
00:20:37,483 --> 00:20:41,373
By prematurely attacking a
troop of disciplined
soldiers,
355
00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:43,430
Montcalm is heading for failure.
356
00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,320
Demoralized, the
inhabitants of Quebec
357
00:20:47,350 --> 00:20:50,270
surrender to the English troops.
358
00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:54,030
What would've happened if he
had waited for reinforcement?
359
00:20:54,066 --> 00:20:55,316
If he had held the line
360
00:20:55,350 --> 00:20:58,320
and ordered his militia to
harass the enemy soldiers?
361
00:20:59,483 --> 00:21:02,123
Once the reinforcements
had arrived,
362
00:21:02,150 --> 00:21:05,150
he could've defeated the
British and saved the city.
363
00:21:05,183 --> 00:21:08,433
Waging the little war, New
France would've continued,
364
00:21:08,466 --> 00:21:10,426
and would've retained
part of its territory
365
00:21:10,466 --> 00:21:13,016
until the end of
the war in Europe.
366
00:21:14,300 --> 00:21:17,300
With the French enemy still
present on its borders,
367
00:21:17,333 --> 00:21:20,023
the English American
colonies would've probably
368
00:21:20,050 --> 00:21:21,380
not have sought
their independence,
369
00:21:21,416 --> 00:21:24,026
and would've remained
loyal to the Crown.
370
00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:27,480
North America would've
remained a territory
371
00:21:28,016 --> 00:21:30,026
shared by British and French,
372
00:21:30,066 --> 00:21:33,166
maybe even up until the
dawn of the First World War.
373
00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:38,200
- [Narrator] The
outcome of the battle
374
00:21:38,233 --> 00:21:41,103
of the Plains of Abraham
was settled within minutes.
375
00:21:42,366 --> 00:21:46,016
The leaders of both
camps, mortally
wounded, do not survive.
376
00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,150
Five days later, the city
of Quebec surrenders.
377
00:21:52,183 --> 00:21:54,453
The Canadians, cut off
from the kingdom of France,
378
00:21:54,483 --> 00:21:58,023
unable to provision them,
will fight on for a few
months
379
00:21:58,050 --> 00:22:00,420
with the energy of despair.
380
00:22:00,450 --> 00:22:02,200
But every British soldier killed
381
00:22:02,233 --> 00:22:05,053
is immediately
replaced by two others.
382
00:22:05,083 --> 00:22:07,153
The Royal Navy is everywhere.
383
00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,280
After supporting
them to the end,
384
00:22:11,316 --> 00:22:15,066
the last of the Amerindian
allies abandon the French,
385
00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:18,030
inescapable victims
of a war already lost.
386
00:22:20,233 --> 00:22:22,353
On September eighth, 1760,
387
00:22:22,383 --> 00:22:26,083
the capitulation of Montreal
marks the end of New France.
388
00:22:29,083 --> 00:22:32,023
The Seven Years War is
a disaster for France,
389
00:22:32,050 --> 00:22:34,170
which loses a large
part of her colonies,
390
00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,100
including all of her
possessions in North America.
391
00:22:39,416 --> 00:22:42,326
When signing the Treaty
of Paris in 1763,
392
00:22:42,366 --> 00:22:44,426
French diplomats prefer
to save their islands
393
00:22:44,466 --> 00:22:47,096
in the Caribbean
rather than the vast,
394
00:22:47,133 --> 00:22:49,183
icebound territories of Canada.
395
00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:55,100
The Canadians become
British subjects,
396
00:22:55,133 --> 00:23:00,023
as a result, they must speak
English and become Protestants.
397
00:23:00,050 --> 00:23:02,300
The Amerindians,
deprived of their allies,
398
00:23:02,333 --> 00:23:04,233
now trade with the English.
399
00:23:05,416 --> 00:23:07,416
A century later,
the United Kingdom,
400
00:23:07,450 --> 00:23:12,000
the big winner, will become
an immense colonial empire,
401
00:23:12,033 --> 00:23:15,023
the greatest in the entire
history of humanity.
402
00:23:16,133 --> 00:23:19,103
The 19th century
will be British,
403
00:23:19,133 --> 00:23:23,233
the English language will
become
universal, but ironically,
404
00:23:24,416 --> 00:23:27,066
the end of a French
presence in North America
405
00:23:27,100 --> 00:23:30,120
leaves the 13 English
colonies with no enemies.
406
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,120
A few years later,
weighed down with taxes,
407
00:23:35,150 --> 00:23:37,030
the colonists will no longer see
408
00:23:37,066 --> 00:23:38,466
any interest in
British sovereignty,
409
00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,180
and will fight for
their independence.
410
00:23:41,216 --> 00:23:43,176
The French, eager for revenge,
411
00:23:43,216 --> 00:23:46,066
will crush the British
fleet in the Chesapeake Bay,
412
00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:50,200
and win the war at the side of
the American revolutionaries.
413
00:23:50,233 --> 00:23:53,203
Without her, United States
would never have seen
414
00:23:53,233 --> 00:23:57,323
the light of day, but
that is another story.
415
00:24:01,233 --> 00:24:03,483
- [Narrator] The world's
face has changed.
416
00:24:04,016 --> 00:24:06,126
The Seven Years War is the first
417
00:24:06,166 --> 00:24:08,366
conflict with global impact.
418
00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,320
All the European
powers took part,
419
00:24:11,350 --> 00:24:13,450
involving their
respective colonies,
420
00:24:13,483 --> 00:24:16,383
the conflict spread
across the world.
421
00:24:16,416 --> 00:24:20,326
At the end of the war,
the cards are dealt again.
422
00:24:20,366 --> 00:24:25,046
By losing Canada, France
leaves the field wide open.
423
00:24:25,083 --> 00:24:27,203
The British exploit
the opportunity,
424
00:24:27,233 --> 00:24:28,433
the Anglo-Saxon language
425
00:24:28,466 --> 00:24:31,376
and culture gradually
imposes itself there.
426
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,070
Give or take 10 minutes, the
time for a few musket
follies,
427
00:24:38,100 --> 00:24:40,030
and the opposite
could've happened.
428
00:24:43,016 --> 00:24:46,446
Today, Canada is a
flourishing,
multicultural nation.
429
00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:50,000
At first marginalized,
430
00:24:50,033 --> 00:24:52,473
the French community is
now perfectly integrated,
431
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,450
and is a full part
of the nation.
432
00:24:56,133 --> 00:25:00,323
First Amerindian, then
French, and finally English,
433
00:25:00,350 --> 00:25:04,000
the inhabitants of Canada
have learned to live together,
434
00:25:04,033 --> 00:25:06,283
a blend of three cultures,
435
00:25:06,316 --> 00:25:09,126
they have been able to
create their own identity.
436
00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:13,420
They have become Canadians.
437
00:25:13,450 --> 00:25:16,450
(epic action music)
35937
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