Canada Flashcards
What was the Quebec act and when was it passed?
1774 - guaranteed religious freedom and continuation of land tenure systems
When were upper and lower Canada separated? Why?
1791 - To give autonomy to the English and French settlers who, due to cultural differences were starting to come into conflict with each other
What was the Howick act and what did it do?
1831 - Transferred revenues from duties to the control of the elected assemblies but the assemblies still had to pay the civil list
What was the territory like in Canada in the 19th Century?
7 provinces, with governors appointed from London
What were the indigenous population of Canada like?
about 100,000, involved in animal tracking and the fur trade
How were the french and British settlers split?
Lower Canada was 99% French speaking, british majority in Upper Canada
What was the immigration to Canada like in the early 19th Century?
From 1815 onwards, around 20,000 immigrants were arriving annually, especially from Ireland and Scotland. Their numbers were boosted by the arrival of over 10,000 british loyalists who fled the 13 colonies after the British defeat in the wars of Independence in 1783
What was the family Compact?
a small group of men who controlled the executive council of Upper Canada from the 1810s to the 1840s
What was the Chateau Clique?
A group of wealthy families in Lower Canada who controlled economic and political power in the province through appointment to the executive council - mostly British
who were the patriotes?
Supporters of reform in Lower Canada (French Speaking)
What do Anglophone and Francophone mean?
Anglophone - english speaking
Francophone - French speaking
What was the orange order?
Committed Protestants from Northern Ireland or scotland who opposed Catholicism
Why did attempts to unite upper and lower Canada in 1822 fail?
French-Canadians mobilised opposition to this plan, leading to much trouble which made London drop the plan as it wasn’t worth the trouble it had caused
Outline the Political barrier in the colonial government of canada
The elected body could have no impact on the appointed assemblies
What were the effects of the 1812 war on Canada?
Nationalism was reinforced, distanced relations with the USA, some indigenous people adopted the ‘civilised’ methods of the settles, but some responded with aggression
Who were amongst the Canadian unity which fought loyally for the British in the war of 1812?
The coloured corp
First Nations warriors (Indigenous peoples)
Canadian civilian unity, including french Canadians
The majority of soldiers were from the British army but the war was remembered as an experience of Canadian national unity and strength
Why did the US declare war on Britain in 1812?
Trade disputes, impressment into the Navy and the American hope that they could expand over the Canadian border - optimistic that the Canadians would willingly support them
Why was the Howick act passed?
Because the British believed that the main cause was financial, as in the US colonies and more financial control would satisfy the radicals.
What were the long term social and economic problems in Upper Canada regarding the Anglican church?
They had considerable influence (e.g. executive council in 1820s dominated by John Stachen, anglican bishop of Toronto) and income
1/7 land designated to clergy reserves, with money from sales and rents going to the church
1835 - Lieutenant Governor Colborne granted 44 Anglican rectories 9000 hectares of land - but they were outnumbered by non-conformists.
What were the long term problems with the population (social and economic) in Upper Canada?
Small population = low tax revenue - insufficient money to invest in infrastructure
Rapidly increasing population - poor British migrants after 1812 - a class system grew - establishment of middle class - merchants, carpenters, doctors, lawyers and journalists who ass demanded more political power
What were the problems/info with the Bank of Upper Canada?
Government supported formed in 1826 with only limited liability
When it was criticised by William Lyon Mackenzie his printing press was destroyed - he was awarded damages and because a hero for the reformers
Outline the long term growing opposition and radicalism in terms of politics in Upper Canada
Radical political ideas spreading - in South America states won independence, Americans were developing their democracy & enlightenment ideas were spreading
Growing opposition from reformers in legislative assembly in 1820s-302
MacKenzie criticised the government in his newspaper ‘The colonial Advocate’
Robert Baldwin wrote to the colonial secretary in 1836 urging constitutional reform and ‘responsible government’
What was the biggest obvious problem with the political system in Upper Canada?
it was unrepresentative - real power was held by the lieutenant governor and the executive council, not the elected legislative council.
What was the only significant power of the elected legislative assembly in Upper Canada, and how was even this limited?
Control over local tax raising
However, votes taken in the legislative assembly had to be approved by non-elected legislative council
Who were in the legislative council in Upper Canada?
Like the house of lords - wealthy elites who were appointed for life.
Who were in the executive council in Upper Canada?
Mainly the family compact - from the landed elite and they used their power to benefit themselves
What issue did the lieutenant governor and executive council avoid consulting the legislative assembly over in Upper canada?
Money raising by selling land to the Canada Company and using these revenues to pay officials
What were the economic problems in Lower Canada that were long term causes for the rebellion?
Production of wheat declined - 1832 LC had to import more than 500,000 minots of wheat annually from UC
Mostly just subsistence farming - problems in agriculture and fur negatively impacted their standard of living
Economy was transformed by declining price of fur and local wheat shipments
Quebec - centred but dependent for its exports on surplus production in UC - produced urgent need for credit institutions and investments in road and canal construction
What factors sharpened the francophones’ feeling that their culture was in danger?
Quebec city 1831 - anglophones 45% of population - 50% of all day-labourers
Montreal 1842 - these percentages were 61% and 63%
Class struggle - Anglophones on average wealthier than Francophones
What actions by the French- Canadians led to a break between the clergy and the French-Canadian middle class?
After 1829 - patri patriote established assembly schools - also fought to democratise management of parishes and adopted a liberal and republican rhetoric
In the early 1800s, between which classes was the struggle for leadership of society between?
The anglophone bourgeoisie, the French Canadian middle class and the clergy
