The Name of the Plains of Abraham
The first mention of the name "Plains of Abraham" appears on a map from 1734, 70 years after Abraham's death. Following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759, the toponym "Plains of Abraham" became firmly established in history and entered the common vocabulary of the people of Quebec.
Over the years, the area of the city known as the Plains of Abraham has shifted slightly, gradually moving westward and then northward. In 1908, with the creation of the National Battlefields Commission, the first section of land acquired to create the Battlefields Park still retained the name of the Plains of Abraham.
The Battles of 1759 and 1760
Battlefields Park, which includes the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park, was the scene of two battles between British and French forces, joined by members of the First Nations.
On September 13, 1759, on the Plains of Abraham, General James Wolfe and the British forces won the battle against General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm.
On April 28, 1760, on the site of today's Des Braves Park, General François de Lévis and French forces triumphed over the British forces of General James Murray.
The American Invasion of 1775
In September 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold undertook an invasion of the Province of Quebec, one of the first major military operations of the American Revolutionary War. After a difficult journey, the attack on Quebec City on the night of December 30-31, during a storm, ended in defeat for the British troops.
The creation of the Battlefields Park and the National Battlefields Commission
Created on March 17, 1908, the Commission's initial mandate was to organize Québec City's tricentennial celebrations and convert the site of the battles of 1759 and 1760 into a public park.
Since then, it has continued its mandate to preserve and enhance this great urban and historical park, which includes the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park.
To learn more, explore the Jean François Leclerc collection on the tricentennial of Quebec:
