What legal system did the Quebec Act recognize for French citizens in Canada?

The Quebec Act, enacted in 1774, was a significant piece of legislation in Canadian history that recognized and reinstated French civil law for French-speaking citizens residing in the province of Quebec. This was particularly important as it allowed the French population to maintain their legal traditions, customs, and cultural identity in the face of British rule.

By restoring French civil law, the Quebec Act ensured that matters related to family, property, and contracts were governed by a system familiar to the French citizens. This helped to alleviate tensions between the French and English speakers and provided stability during a period of significant political change.

The Act also accommodated the main religious practices of the predominantly Catholic French-Canadian population by allowing them to practice their religion freely, further solidifying the importance of French civil law in the governance of Quebec.

In contrast, the other legal systems mentioned, such as English common law and Scottish law, did not recognize the legal traditions of the French-speaking population, and Indigenous law, while significant to many Indigenous peoples, was separate from the recognition granted to the French civil law by the Quebec Act.