Transcript Rebellions of 1837

BELLWORK
• Read pgs. 9093 and
complete the
graphic
organizer on
the Rebellions
of 1837.
• Be ready to
discuss!!!
Causes of Rebellions of 1837
• Both advocated responsible government: embodies
the principles of a parliamentary democracy.
– Similar to U.S. “no taxation without representation!”
• Influenced by the republicanism of the United States
• Rebels believed the most important right was the
ability of citizens to participate in the political process
through the election of representatives
• Sought to make the legislative council elective rather
than appointed
• The rebellion in Lower Canada began first, in
November 1837, and was led by Joseph Papineau
• The Lower Canada rebellion inspired the much
shorter rebellion in Upper Canada, which began in
December 1837 and was led by William Lloyd
Mackenzie
Rebellion of Lower Canada
•
•
•
•
Commonly referred to as the Patriots’ War by Quebeckers
Date: 6 November 1837 – 10 November 1838
Location: Lower Canada (Quebec)
Conflict: Divisions between Chateau Clique (English loyalists, fur trade,
wealthy, urban, control of gov) vs. French Patriotes (farmers, rural, angry at
↓ ag. prices)
• Result: Military suppression of Patriote rebellion and defeat of American
interventions.
• Effects: Unification of Upper and Lower Canada into The Province of
Canada
Great Britain
Lower Canada
Parties
Involved
Great Britain
Lower Canadian Loyalists
Patriotes
United States sympathizers
Military
Strength
10,000 British soldiers (mid-1838)
23,000 militia
4,100 Patriotes
25,000 Americans
Casualties
32 dead
47 wounded
73 dead, 1600 wounded, 29
executed for treason, 58
deported to Australia
Rebellion of Lower Canada
Flag used by the Patriotes: 1832-1838
Louis-Joseph Papineau
• Born in Montreal, Quebec
• Politician, lawyer, landowner,
reformist
• Elected Speaker of the Legislative
Assembly of Lower Canada in 1815
• In 1815, he became leader of Parti
Canadien (opposed abuses of
appointed legislative council)
• Published his demands in 1834 – 92
Resolutions
– resolutions called for an elected
Legislative Council and an Executive
Council responsible before the house of
the people's representatives.
Louis-Joseph Papineau mural by Jean
Cartier found in the Papineau Metro station
of Montreal.
Rebellion of Upper Canada
• Date: 7 December 1837 – 4 December 1838
• Location: Upper Canada (Ontario)
• Conflict: Divisions between Family Compact (English loyalists, business
oligarchy, wealthy, urban, control of gov) vs. Reformers (Members of elected
assembly, farmers, wanted public education, angered over no rep in gov,
wanted responsible gov & elections, and ↓ role of church)
• Result: Rebellion was defeated shortly after it began; government victory.
• Effects: Unification of Upper and Lower Canada into The Province of
Canada; Resistance lingered until 1838 (became more violent) – mainly
through the support of the Hunters’ Lodges, a secret anti-British American
militia
Great Britain
Upper Canada
Parties
Involved
Great Britain
Upper Canadian Loyalists
Members of Reform Party
Hunters’ Lodges
Military
Strength
1,500 men
800 Reformers
Casualties
12 dead/wounded
400 arrested, 200 fled to U.S., 2
executed, 150 deported to
Australia
Rebellion of Upper Canada
William Lyon MacKenzie
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Born in Scotland; migrated to Canada in
1820
Journalist, politician, rebel
Colonial Advocate – 1824
Tory-dominated assembly expelled him in
1831
1st Mayor of Toronto – 1834
The Constitution – 1836
In 1837, decided violent rebellion was
necessary
On December 12, 1837 he declared
himself leader of the provisional
government of the “Republic of Canada”
His planned invasion of Navy Island
failed and he escaped to US
American citizen in May 1843
Granted amnesty in 1849; returned to
Toronto & advocated annexation
Elected back to the assembly - 1851
Emanuel Hahn’s "Mackenzie Panels" (1938) in the garden of the Mackenzie House;
Toronto. It shows Mackenzie presenting his historic Seventh Report of Grievances to the
House of Assembly of Upper Canada. Names of those executed during the rebellion
appear on one of the panels.
Similarities
• Shared a common constitution based on the principle
of a “mixed monarchy” (combination of monarchy,
aristocracy, and democracy)
• Angered at non-elected Legislative Councils who
were dominated by local oligarchies that controlled
local trade and the institutions of state and religion
– Chateau Clique (Lower) & Family Compact (Upper)
• The Atlantic economy was thrown into recession and
farmers barely survived debt & crop failures
• Both provinces organized radical, democratic,
political unions (Papineau & MacKenzie)
– Formulated boycotts, protests, and eventually, revolt!
Differences
• Rebellion in Lower Canada revolved around tensions between
English and French; conflict considered "'racial”
• In Lower Canada the wealthy and ultra-conservative Catholic
clergy supported the continuation of a feudalistic, agrarian
society
– discouraged economic and political liberalization, which upset the rising
French-Canadian middle-class who were fighting for reform.
• Lower Canada rebellion was widely supported by the
population, resulting in mass actions over an extended period
of time, such as boycotts, strikes and sabotage.
– Drew harsh response from government troops and militias (concentrated
in Lower Canada to deal with the crisis); burned entire villages
• In contrast, the Upper Canada Rebellion was not as broadly
supported by local populations to begin with, was quickly
quelled by relatively small numbers of pro-government militias
and volunteers, and so was consequently less widespread and
brutal in comparison.
Post-Rebellions (1840-1860)
•
•
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
After the rebellions, the business/government elite
advocated a union of Upper and Lower Canada.
The Union Act combined Quebec & Ontario to
create one new colony: The Province of Canada
There were four reasons for this:
The Province of Canada changed governments
often; difficult to make decisions
Would help make the economy stronger
Prevent possible threat of the United States
Create a railroad across the country
Political instability and underrepresented majority
will create the push for confederation………