Governing a French colony presented several challenges for the British authorities. The coexistence of a French-speaking people and an English-speaking people, both with very different demands, forced the King and the British Parliament to make changes in how the Province of Quebec was governed.
Ultimately, the British Parliament adopted a new constitution for its colony in 1791. The Constitutional Act divided the province into two separate entities: Lower Canada and Upper Canada. Each colony would have a Legislative Assembly with members elected by the people. Political parties gradually formed; some that defended the nationalist interests of the Francophone Canadiens and others that promoted the interests of Anglophones.
However, under the new constitution, the governor had the real power. Assisted by an Executive Council and Legislative Council, the governor had a right of veto over any bill under discussion and voted on by the Legislative Assemblies.
A constitution is a legal document or the founding text of a government or colony used to determine its structure and operation. It defines the legislative (Legislative Council), executive (Executive Council) and judicial (justice) powers.
To find out more about the Constitutional Act, check out the following concept sheets.