Learning from past mistakes: Canada 1837-1840 Flashcards
What was the impact of the Seven Years War on Canada?
The Treaty of Paris resulted in France’s loss of all of its North American possessions and so Britain gained control over French (Lower) Canada.
How did Britain govern Upper and Lower Canada?
The Constitutional Act 1791 created a system for political representation in the provinces and assured French Catholics of continuing religious freedom. Upper Canada had a largely British population whereas Lower Canada had a large number of French settlers. Because of their differing cultures, Upper and Lower Canada had different land tenure systems, languages and religion but their political systems, as ordained by the British, were broadly similar.
What was Canada like in the early 19th century?
There were about 100,000 indigenous people (inuits) involved in animal tracking and the fur trade. French Canada was 99% French speaking while British settlers were the majority in Upper Canada. From 1815, around 20,000 immigrants arrived annually and their numbers boosted by the arrival of 10,000 British loyalists who fled the 13 colonies after the War of Independence.
How useful was Canada to Britain in the early 19th century?
-Net cost to Britain of £2.36 million 1832-1833
-Only 3.3 million people
-Took only 3% of British exports
-Canada’s total exports were small
-Large parts of the territory were barren and frozen
Who were the Family Compact?
A small group of men who controlled the executive council of Upper Canada from the 1810s to the 1840s.
Who were 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. They were mostly British, rather than French Canadian.
What was the political barrier?
It showed the limited effect of the legislative assembly in government who played more of an advisory role, despite being the only part of the political system answerable to the people. It was also meant to keep the French out of powerful positions in government.
Why did attempts to unite Upper and Lower Canada in 1822 fail?
There was a proposal of an Act of Parliament in 1822 to unite Upper and Lower Canada. However, if they were united, the French would have become a minority in government. General mistrust of the Chateau Clique by the French majority meant the Act was not worth the trouble.
What was the effect of attempts to unite Upper and Lower Canada in 1822?
In the cities, patriotes began to seek reform of the political system to protect their French identities.
Why did the British fear a good relationship between Canada and the USA?
There was a fear that the US model of equal rights and freedom from trade restrictions would lead Canadians to follow suit.
How did the War of 1812 impact Canada’s relations with native peoples?
400,000 people moved into Western America into Indian territories. Tecumseh told natives to fight back against white settlement with the help of the British although the settlers won. The natives were the real losers of the War of 1812.
How did the War of 1812 impact Canada’s relations with the USA?
The USA promised Canada emancipation from tyranny and oppression yet Canada sided with the British as they wanted the continuation of the seigneurial system, civil law and being able to speak French.
How did the War of 1812 impact Canada’s sense of unity?
Among those fighting for the British were the Coloured Corps (a small corps of Black Canadians), First Nations Warriors (natives), Canadian civilian units (including French Canadians) as well as Irish and Scottish immigrants.
How did the British fear of the USA impact Canadian policies?
The Howick Act 1831 transferred the revenue from duties to the control of the legislative assemblies. This stemmed from a British belief that the main cause of the American Revolution was financial and that more financial control would satisfy the radicals.
How did American ideas influence Canadian reformers?
William Lyon Mackenzie was a radical reformer of Upper Canada and when the rebellion failed in 1837, he fled over the border and tried to win support from the Americans (although the American government viewed him with hostility).
Louis Joseph Papineau, the French Canadian leader was an admirer of the American institutions and declared he wanted a Lower Canadian Republic although he was a social and economic conservative.
What were the American attitudes to the Canadian rebellion 1837-38?
Many Americans sympathised with the Canadian grievances although the President urged neutrality. Despite this, many Americans supported the rebels e.g. 20 Americans died in the Battle of Windmill 1838.
How did British rulers resist reform, despite the model of democracy in the US?
-Moderate reformer Robert Baldwin travelled to London in 1836 to request political reform but was refused by the foreign secretary Lord Glenelg.
-The patriotes’ 92 resolutions were rejected by the British and the Russell Resolutions passed in 1837 insisted in payment of the civil list, further limiting the power of the state assembly in Lower Canada.
What were the main long term political problems in Upper Canada?
The executive council was dominated by the Family Compact who used their power to benefit themselves. There was also growing opposition from Reformers in the legislative assembly in the 1820s-1830s who demanded ‘responsible government’. More radical political ideas were also spreading e.g. enlightenment ideas from America.
What were the main long term social problems in Upper Canada?
The population was increasing rapidly while the middle class were demanding more political power. The Anglican Church had considerable influence and income. One seventh of land was designated as clergy reserves which was very unpopular with non-Anglicans like Methodists, Baptists and Congregationalists. However, as the Family Compact were Anglican, no reform to this system was possible as they would oppose this.
What were the main long term economic problems in Upper Canada?
Upper Canada lacked infrastructure and capital investment and had a very small population from which to raise revenues. Investment in infrastructure like canals and roads meant that the government itself was cash-strapped, but instead of working with the legislative assembly to raise taxes, it attempted to raise revenue by other means, thus sidestepping the assembly and denying them the opportunity to influence spending within the province.
What were the main long term political problems in Lower Canada?
Power was in the hands of a governor which gave little power to the French speaking majority. Patriotes wanted to protect their French identity and represent the interests of the small merchant and farmer. This resulted in the Quebec Act which was meant to prevent the French favouring a revolution similar to that of the US.
What were the main long term social problems in Lower Canada?
Lower Canada was principally French speaking and there were tensions over the fact that the official language of the legislative assembly was English. General mistrust of the English Chateau Clique. Influx of British loyalists from the American colonies caused ongoing racial tensions and the French speakers remained wary of any attacks on their cultural identity.
What were the main long term economic problems in Lower Canada?
Legislative assemblies given some financial autonomy and the seigneurial system was retained to maintain the French way of life. 75-80% of the rural population lived in seigneurial land until the mid 19th century which was economically less viable as peasants didn’t improve land as much as if they owned it themselves. Investment less popular than in Upper Canada.
What were the main short term causes of revolt in Upper Canada?
-Radicalism within the reform movement
-Immigration from Britain
-Actions of Colborne
-Actions of Bond Head
-1836 election
