The Colonists: Land and Government Flashcards
What six colonies made up British North America in 1825?
- Upper Canada
- Lower Canada
- New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island
- Nova Scotia
- Newfoundland
The Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company also encouraged the trade of furs in the northern and western territories.
What happened to First Nations people in British North American in the early 1800s?
- Many died from diseases brought by the Europeans
- Many starved after losing land and access to traditional food sources.
- First Nations were often forced to give up their land to make way for European immigrants.
What was the importance of the fur trade in British North America?
The land west and north of the Great Lakes was set aside for the fur trade. Many Aboriginal people living in that area were involved in the fur trade in some way.
Those involved in the fur trade were against colonists farming the lands they used for the fur trade.
Fur traders became natural allies of Aboriginal peoples, particularly the Metis, as neither wanted the lands of the fur trade developed by colonists.
What was life like in Upper Canada in the early 1800s?
- There were few roads
- The forest was very dense.
- Places 30-40km away from the village of York (what later became Toronto) took more than a day to get to on horseback.
- Many people relied on a barter economy: for example, a farmer might pay the local blacksmith with wheat instead of money.
Why did the upper classes (rich people) struggle when they came to Upper Canada?
Rich people thought they should have some of the same privileges as they had back in Britain.
Most colonists, no matter what their background was, needed the cooperation of their neighbours.
Poorer colonists in Upper Canada didn’t like the old class system of Britain.
How were land speculators a problem in Upper Canada?
Many colonists arrived to find that much of the good land was already owned by absentee landlords and land speculators. This was not what immigrants had expected. Advertising campaigns led them to believe they could get good, cheap farmland close to towns and markets.
Speculators took ownership of large areas of prime land in Upper Canada and kept much of it off the market. The land they did sell went for high prices.
Many colonists had no choice but to go to remote areas that had inferior land, which was all they could afford. They suffered great hardship as they struggled to raise crops on poor soil.
Upper Canada was ruled by an __________ which was made up by members of the ________.
Upper Canada was ruled by an oligopoly which was made up by members of the Family Compact.
What was the importance of Robert Gourlay to reform efforts in Upper Canada?
Robert Gourlay, a land agent, surveyed farmers about life in Upper Canada and was shocked to discover the extent of their discontent with the government and its policies. Gourlay drew up a list of grievances and, with the colonists, a petition demanding change. He was arrested and sent out of the colony. Gourlay’s arrest hardened opposition to the Family Compact.
What was the importance of William Lyon Mackenzie to reform efforts in Upper Canada?
Mackenzie took a more aggressive approach to reform. He started a newspaper called the Colonial Advocate and published articles that strongly criticized the government and the Family Compact. When angry members of the Compact ransacked his offices and smashed his printing press, he did not back down. He sued. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1828 and become one of the most important leaders of the reform movement.
Why did the French in Lower Canada have difficulty adjusting to life under British rule?
The English-speaking minority in Lower Canada (Quebec) had most of the wealth and power, even though they were less than one quarter of the population.
An attempt to unite Upper and Lower Canada in 1822 – and to make English the official language – seemed like an attack on French culture and society.
What was the “Chateau Clique”?
Lower Canada’s equivalent to the Family Compact, the Chateau Clique, controlled government and business. It included merchants and former British army officers. The Chateau Clique was supported by the church hierarchy and wealthy French Canadian landowners.
What were the main three issues that became the focus of reform in Lower Canada (Quebec)?
- Discrimination against the French.
- Lack of representation in government.
- Taxes
What were the “Ninety-Two Resolutions”?
After British soliders shot protesters in Montreal, Louis-Joseph Papineau and other reformers submitted “Ninety-Two Resolutions” to the governor. These resolutions were demand for major changes in colonial government. Lord John Russell, in charge of the Colonial Office in Britain, replied three years later with “Ten Resolutions” that denied the rights of the Legislative Assembly. This led to open rebellion against the government.
Why did the rebellion in Lower Canada fall apart and ultimately not be successful?
The Catholic Church leaders advised their parishioners to remain loyal to Britain. Also, many people were intimidated by the British Army, which had been looting and burning villages.
When and how did William Lyon Mackenzie and the Upper Canada rebels plan to action against the colonial government?
Mackenzie learned that the British had sent soldiers to Lower Canada, leaving York relatively defenceless. Mackenzie planned to seize weapons and ammunition, to take the governor prisoner and set up a new government. Almost 500 rebels marched armed with pitchforks, staffs, clubs and guns. The rebels fled after the first volley and Mackenzie fled to the United States. Hundreds of rebels were arrested by the British. Some were sent to penal colonies in Australia.
