Why was Quebec City chosen to be the capital of Quebec?

Answer 1

Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the Capital of the Province of Canada [note: the pre-Confederation Province of Canada] for several reasons:

1. Ottawa was far enough from the American border that it would not be vulnerable in the event of another attempt by the USA to invade Canada.

2. Ottawa's economy was based on the timber trade. At any given time there were hundreds of "rough-and-ready" lumberjacks who could be called upon to defend the city against an invading force from the USA.

3. Ottawa was a relatively smaller city, and so would be easier to defend from populists mobs such as those that had burnt parliament buildings in Montreal in 1849.

Answer 2

Quebec was chosen because it was the first big settlement of the "Nouvelle-France". It is the oldest city of the Province of Quebec (and of the Canada).