Answer to Question 1
Most of Quebec has thin, rocky soil, and the harsh northern climate has meant that farming has been limited to lowland river valleys. Early farmers grew wheat, which could be stored and shipped over long distances, but as the Great Plains was settled, Quebecois farmers could no longer compete. Asbestos mining was also an important part of the economy until it was linked to cancer.
Answer to Question 2
The Treaty of Paris led to the British taking control of all of France's former colonies in North America. This meant that French settlers in Quebec had to adapt to British rule or emigrate from Canada. However, the British were left with huge debts from the Seven Years' War. This war debt was one of the reasons that taxes were raised in the 13 Colonies, contributing to the formation of the rebellion.