Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada...

Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada...

Rebellions 1. Why would people rebel or revolt against a government? 2. Do you believe rebellions are necessary sometimes? 3. If so when/why? If not, how come? What other solutions are preferable?

Lower Canada Rebellions 1. 2. 3. 4. 1830s, growing reform movement in Lower Canada People unhappy with way colony governed Elected assembly and two appointed councils at odds Added difficulty: colony had 2 cultures and languages: French & English

Life in Lower Canada - Remember, Lower Canada was originally French and taken over by the British - 80% French-speaking - Government primarily English-speaking There were 3 main groups at the time: - French-speaking Habitants - English-speaking merchants - French-speaking professional men

Habitants - French-speaking Tenant farmers Population growth was filling up available farmland Poverty Fear of losing French culture

Merchants - English speaking - Rich and powerful (exporting fur, timber, wheat) - Wanted public improvements, to be paid by government

Professional Men - French-speaking Newest group in Lower Canada Educated (doctors, lawyers) Wanted to be leaders, and believed they spoke for all French people Wanted to seperate Political Party Parti Canadien

Government in Lower Canada ELECTED: Legislative Assembly, controlled by French Canadian professionals (>1815 Papineau) APPOINTED (for life): Legislative Council (Chateau Clique, English merchants & French seigneurs) & Executive Council (Chateau Clique, English speaking, BFFs of governor) LAWS: laws passed by Legislative Assembly had to be approved by both Councils and the Lieutenant-Governor

Chateau Clique - Held most government power Powerful in business British background or wealthy French Canadians who allied with British Favoured British view and government Wanted more English-speaking settlers in colony

Parti Canadien - Wanted the old French ways to remain Viewed new ideas as negative and change as a threat Appealed to the Canadien professional elite After 1800, they won control of the Legislative Assembly Although they had little power, they were able to vote against improvements such as canals, thereby blocking the plans of the merchants.

Louis-Joseph Papineau (1786-1871) - Wealthy seigneur and supporter of old French order - Served as an officer defending BNA in War 1812 - Elected to Legislative Assembly 1809 - Became the leader of Parti Canadien - (which became Parti Patriote after 1826, for those who wanted political reform)

Unrest Merchants wanted to: - Improve canals, harbours, and roads - Landowners to be taxed to pay for this Chateau Clique wanted: - Immigration from Great Britain Canadiens wanted to: - None of these things

Appeal to Britain 1822: - English-speaking Merchants asked Britain to unit Upper and Lower Canada - Papineau took protest petition to Britain 1834: - 92 Resolutions (list of grievances by Leg. Assembly) - Vote for no taxes until their conerns were resolved -

Britain s Response Britain send Lord Gosford as new Governor to investigate what was happening in Lower Canada in 1835 You BritiPatriotes You sh Patriotes Gosford a puppet ofp upppleaser! et!!!! the British Boo!!Boo!!!!!! Merchants Gosford trying to please the Patriotes

After Gosford s Report 1837 Britain decided 10 resolutions which included the following: Britain refused Legislative Assembly any more power if Legislative Assembly refused to give tax money to Governor, he now given power to just take it Britain also continued to encourage immigration

Armed Rebellion: WAR! After Britain s response, Canadiens ready to fight rebellion started November 1837 and ended December 1837 Who do you think was the winner?

The Result December 14th Canadiens gathered in village of St Eustache ready to fight British attacked village and completely burned and robbed it 12 rebels hanged and 58 sent to Australia as prisoners Another 1200 prisoners set free Papineau escaped to USA and was to be executed if he tried to return to BNA

Why Rebellion Failed 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Lack of planning and military leadership No skills to plan battle Few arms for Patriotes Not trained soldiers Roman Catholic church disapproved of armed rebellion Many Patriotes refused to fight if not supported by Church

Government in Upper Canada ELECTED: Assembly, had little power APPOINTED: Legislative Council & Executive Council, controlled by Family Compact and dominated government, business, and social life LAWS: laws passed by Legislative Assembly had to be approved by both COuncils and the Lieutenant-Governor

Family Compact (Tories) - Elite - Took for themselves and gave to their friends - - Jobs, land, contracts for canals and road work True Upper Canadians Defended tradition and opposed change Believed Church should be powerful Loyal to Britain

LAND ISSUES IN UPPER CANADA Best land Family Compact often hundred s of acres of beautiful waterfront property Best farmland in hands of non-farmers Clergy Reserves also upset farmers Anglican Church given huge tracts of prime land Land often undeveloped and new settlers stuck with poor land

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES Road conditions poor couldn t move farmers goods to markets Gov t spent money on canal building instead Benefited Family Compact & business friends

THE REFORMERS

THE REFORMERS... group against Family Compact wanted changes in government and society of Upper Canada divided into 2 groups: Radicals: Wanting extreme change in society, politics and economy; wanted it right away; even using violence Moderates: Wanting change but not extreme; through legal means

WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE 1795-1861 created newspaper: The Colonial Advocate used to speak out against Family Compact elected to Legislative Assembly but other members in Assembly found him too radical and voted to expel him voters loved him and 6 times they re-elected him the first mayor of the city of Toronto in 1834 later became one of the leaders of the Armed Rebellions of 1837

Robert Gourlay (1778-1863) Arrived from Scotland in 1871, planned to bring poor people from Britain to farm Criticized for stirring up discontent Felt land should be owned by those who lived and worked on it,

Sir Francis Bond Head Lieutenant-Governor, 1835 Legislative Assembly (primarily reformers) would not vote to pass money bills, and all work came to an immediate halt He called an election, fought for the Tories, and many Reformers were defeated (and many Moderates did not run)

Enough Is Enough! Wanted change immediately violence ok William Lyon Mackenzie urged independence from Britain Wanted stronger Legislative Assembly late 1837, Mackenzie made a call to arms

MACKENZIE S ACTIONS unhappy with gov t in UC wanted a gov t more like US gov t decided to start armed rebellion Other reformers did not agree too radical 4000 people signed petition for new gov t BUT time to fight on December 5th 1837, only 800 men joined him

THE END OF THE REBELLION December 6th 1837: Colonial militia, fighting for British Gov t, went into Toronto and chased rebels away Mackenzie escaped to US he tried to create another army of rebels American Government put him in jail for 11 months legal neutrality laws between US and BNA

AFTERMATH OF THE REBELLIONS Execution of Rebels

THE RESULT OF THE REBELLIONS Both UC and LC suffered because of rebellions In LC no Legislative Assembly for 4 years In UC people afraid to speak out because they would be called rebels and put in jail

AFTERMATH OF THE REBELLIONS British response to rebellions : shocked PM sent John George Lambton (Lord Durham) as governor general His job investigate the causes to rebellions + to offer solutions to the problems John George Lambton