Conflict in the Canada

1
Conflict in the Canadas

• The Rebellions of 1837

2
The Constitutional Act

• Signed in 1791
• Divided Quebec into Upper Lower Canada
• Upper Canada Ontario area
• English speaking Loyalists
• Governed by Britain
• Governor appointed by Britain
• Ruling clique of the Council appointed by
  Governor Family Compact
• Elected Assembly voted in by the people but held
  no power
• Lower Canada Quebec area
• French speaking colonists
• Governed under Quebec Act
• Ruling clique of the Council appointed by
  Britain Chateau Clique
• Elected Assembly voted in by the people but held
  no power

3
Colonial Government
The Governor was based in Lower Canada
GOVERNOR
Appointed by Britain Responsible to Britain
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Appointed by governor for a term Responsible to
the governor
Appointed by governor for life Responsible to the
governor
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Elected by the people for up to 4
years Responsible to the people
4
Sir Francis Bond Head

• Lieutenant-Governor appointed in 1836 for Upper
  Canada
• Believed in Tory values and disliked reformers
• Blocked reforming bills by calling snap
  elections and ensuring Tories won
• Removed from office in 1838.

5
Upper Canada

• William Lyon Mackenzie
• Radical reformer
• Owned a newspaper- The Colonial Advocate
• Elected to and expelled from the Assembly 4
  times.
• Elected first mayor of York in 1834- renamed it
  Toronto
• Collected complaints and wrote Report on
  Grievances sent to Britain
• Changes newspaper to The Constitution
• Issues a Toronto Declaration
• Gathers supporters and marches on Toronto in an
  attempt to capture government

6
Lower Canada

• Louis Joseph Papineau
• Moderate reformer
• Leader of Parti Patriote
• French seigneurial lord
• Compiled 92 Resolutions sent to Britain
• Britain rejects all requests, Papineau angered
• Crowds are riled, Papineau fears rebellion
• Dr. Wolfred Nelson
• English supporter of Papineau
• Calls for rebellion!

7
Battles

• Upper Canada
• Montgomerys Tavern
• - 600 men with Mackenzie are scared when the
  British commander fires a cannon.
• - Two days later, Bond Head torches the Tavern,
  Mackenzie escapes to USA.
• Lower Canada
• Battle of St. Denis
• - Patriotes blockade road and wait for British
  to arrive.
• - Patriotes defeat the British
• Battle of St. Eustache
• - British burn the church with the Patriotes in
  it.

8
Nova Scotia

• Joseph Howe
• Educated by his father, a Halifax printer
• Newspaper publisher- The Novascotian
• Printed a letter signed The People that accused
  council magistrates with stealing from the
  government treasury
• Charged with criminal libel
• Spoke for 6 hours in court, finally convincing
  the jury he was not guilty of libel

9
Reasons for Rebellion

• Seigneurial system failing, poor crops
• Cholera outbreak in Lower Canada
• Ethnic tension French Canadians losing control
  of land and culture
• Conflict between Councils and Assemblies
• Bribing by the Leiutenant Governor Bond Head
• Britain ignoring continuous complaints

10
Aftermath of the Rebellions

• Battles were poorly prepared and co-ordinated. No
  real plan
• Reformer leaders escaped to USA.
• The American supporters of the reformers raid the
  borders of Upper Canada
• In Upper Canada, 25 000 Loyalists move to the
  USA.
• British Colonial Office sends Lord Durham to
  investigate North American colonies

11
The Reformers
Papineau Mackenzie Howe
Full Name
Colony of residence
Type of Education
Occupation
Political Views
Supporters
Contribution to the Rebellions