The Rebellions of Lower Canada 1837-1838
Short term consequences would lead to long term benefits as the attempts of a rebellion in 1837 demonstrated. The efforts of Upper and Lower Canada were “two parallel, separate movements”1 attempting to reform the broken political system in which the British government reigned supreme. This was a system where the French-Canadians were denied real power and control over their own government; where all the real power lies in the British governors. While the French aims to regain power over their economy and culture, the British would continue to deny them their wish while hoping to assimilate the French-Canadian culture altogether.2 At this point, assimilation was a very real threat seeing how the French were overpowered by the British both in terms of hierarchy and in terms of numbers. In the state of affairs, two prominent groups were in clear opposition: the Patriotes, lead by Papineau, were French-Canadians who put their efforts in hopes for, whom strives for, a government where the French majority (as it was in Lower Canada) could have a say in regards to colonial affairs.3 On the contrary, The Chateau Clique was composed of elites that would make up the Legislative Council, leaving the Legislative Assembly that composed of French-Canadians powerless. The injustice of the system was bound to fuel the Patriotes’ motivation in bringing a reformation of government. This was one of 3 equally important factors that would result in the the rebellions in Lower Canada: “a desire to develop democratic political institutions, an exploitation of the colony’s economy, and the creation of a colonial identity” 4
With the Constitution of 1791, the Legislative House of Assembly would be determined b...
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...aths, the banished, in the grand scheme of things, it was a success in revolutionizing the Imperial rule.
Works Cited
Sandwell, Ruth Wells; Woloshen, Mark. Snapshots of 19th century Canada : a unit on nine selected events viewed from the perspectives of French and English Canadians, aboriginal peoples and recent immigrants. Richmond, B.C. : Critical Thinking Cooperative, 2002.
Ormsby, William. Crisis in the Canadas: 1838-1839 ; the Grey journals and letters. Macmillan of Canada, 1964
Bernard, Jean-Paul. The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838 in Lower Canada. The Canadian Historical Association, 1996, 2001.
Rebellions of 1837 and 1838. [Online] Available https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/military/025002-3000-e.html, January 17 2006.
E. Ouellet, Fernand. Lower Canada. [Online] Available http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/lower-canada/, August 20 2013
Steckley, J., & Cummins, B. D. (2008). Full circle: Canada's First Nations (2nd ed.). Toronto:
Upper Canada was in the tumultuous process of settlement during the nineteenth century. From 1800-1860, wheat and flour exports went from a negligible amount to peak at 13 billion bushels in 1860.1 It is important to understand the rapid nature of settlement to contextualize life in rural Upper Canada. From 1805-1840, the population increased by over eight hundred percent.2 Many of these were Irish emigrants, even in the period preceding the famine; these pre-Famine Irish emigrants were predominantly “middling farmers,” «c'est à dire des fermiers cultivant des terres petite oucharacterizedes, Simmons, et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al., et al.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Canada’s Little War. James Lorimer & Company LTD. Toronto [7] Canadians and Conflicts. Edmonton Public School Board [8] Haas. Suzanne. History Television.
...ton, Pierre. Marching as to War: Canada's Turbulent Years, 1899-1953. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 2001. Print.
To start off, I’ll be writing about the life of people in British North America and its significance towards unifying Canada, as well as background knowledge of conflicts that existed. Life in British North America was changing at an alarming rate. New technology and services were being introduced such as railways and steamships. Industries such as building, producing and farming were being introduced. This was in part due to the many immigrants from Britain and France who’d settled. This was dreadful for the First Nations as their land had been taken away even more so than before. More resources were needed for the growing crowd so trade agreements were made. As more people came, the First Nations were even more distanced from the Europeans. Meanwhile, the French and the British wanted the other’s culture to be erased from the
Stevenson, Garth. "Canadian Federalism: The Myth of the Status Quo." Reinventing Canada: Politics of the 21st Century. Ed. M. Janine Brodie and Linda Trimble. Toronto: Prentice Hall, 2003. 204-14. Print.
Patriquin, M. (2014, April 11). The epic collapse of Quebec separatism. Retrieved May 15, 2014, from Maclean’s website: http://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-epic-collapse-of-separatism/
Newman, Garfield et al. Canada A Nation Unfolding. Toronto: Mc Graw – Hill Ryerson Limited, 2000.
Do you know that despite Canada being called multicultural and accepting, Canada’s history reveals many secrets that contradicts this statement? Such an example are Canadian aboriginals, who have faced many struggles by Canadian society; losing their rights, freedoms and almost, their culture. However, Native people still made many contributions to Canadian society. Despite the efforts being made to recognize aboriginals in the present day; the attitudes of European Canadians, acts of discrimination from the government, and the effects caused by the past still seen today have proven that Canadians should not be proud of Canada’s history with respect to human rights since 1914.
Thompson, John Herd, and Mark Paul Richard. "Canadian History in North American Context." In Canadian studies in the new millennium. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2008. 37-64.
Robert, Jean C. “The Deportation of the Acadians: 1755-1762.” Canada in the Making. Canadiana. 2005. http://www.canadiana.ca/citm/specifique/deportation_e.html#boundaries (accessed Feb. 20, 2012).
Two history texts by Bumstead and Silver will be considered. The manner in which they organize Canadian history into logical and comprehensive periods will be taken into account. Each text establishes a chronological framework and within this, creates historical periods. Each period is intended to represent as logically as possible, the major cultural inclinations, political and social events, and thematic trends occurring within that period. Bumstead and Silver outline several broad periods, then delve into each period with a precise focus. Silver has a social focus within each period, and Bumstead has a thematic focus.
"We must cherish our inheritance. We must preserve our nationality for the youth of our future. The story should be written down to pass on." (Louis Riel, 1884). Louis Riel, a man of great nature and abiding love for his western Métis heritage, is proven to be one of the most revolutionary men looked upon in the chronicles of the Dominion of Canada. In spite of this, he remains as one of the most controversial and cryptic figures throughout the course of Canadian history, leading to the question, is he recognized as the Father of Confederation or a treasonous rebel? A period of revolution lasting from the 1870’s to the late 1880’s was condemned with constant revolts justified as an intervening year for those involved; initiated by Riel. Although his actions may have struck him as a villain, Riel’s actions benefitted Canada greatly. Louis Riel is regarded as a hero by preserving the civil liberties and identities of the Métis and leading two memorable resistance movements against the Canadian government, in which to sustain their heritage. Louis Riel is claimed to be a valiant but flawed conqueror. However, despite all these flaws, he is known to be one of Canada’s national heroes, as he left a substantial impact on Canadian history as a dominant individual within civilization.
The British North America Act went into effect July 1st, 1867 creating a union known as the Dominion of Canada, but this did not complete the debate on the Confederation issue. Many Nova Scotians continued their opposition to the idea and it would take considerable time before all Nova Scotians would accept the fact of Confederation. “These Nova Scotians, disgruntled at their treatment by Great Britain, found that their loyalty had markedly diminished. The more they considered taking over the responsibility for their own affairs from England, however, the greater trust they had to place in Confederation.”25 Confederation struck a balance between the rights of English and French speaking Canadians. Nevertheless, many divisions, conflicts, and debates would occur not only in Quebec but also in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over this balance. Economic disparities between the Maritimes and the rest of Canada would also create many problems for the years following 1867. As a result, Confederation can be viewed as a beginning and not an end.
MacDougall, Brenda. One of the Family: Metis Culture in Nineteenth-Century Northwestern Saskatchewan. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2010.