1. Social Changes after 1791-1840

2. IMMIGRATION: Changing Culture  Many immigrants came from the British Isles (Britain, Scotland, Ireland), to work in the timber industry or to build the canals.  Between 1815 and 1850 close to one million immigrants arrived in British North America.  The majority settled in Upper Canada, however large numbers also came to Lower Canada.  A large proportion of the immigrants were from Ireland

3. THE IRISH  The population of Ireland was very poor, and in the 1840s a disastrous potato blight (disease) caused the Great Famine, sending huge numbers overseas, mainly to the USA, but also to Canada.  Conditions for poorer passengers on Atlantic crossings were terrible. They were forced to stay in the lowest parts of the ships, and often got diseases such as cholera on the crossing.  In 1832 and in 1834, a cholera epidemic killed thousands of people in Lower Canada.cholera epidemic  Thousands of Irish died in the fever sheds that were created to quarantine the Irish as they arrived

4. French Canadian Reaction to the Irish  French Canadians saw the immigrants as a threat since they brought disease, competed for jobs and increased the English population of Lower Canada.  Many French thought the Irish were sent here as a form of germ warfare

5. Conflict in Quebec  Lower Canada's society contained two groups that often found themselves in conflict:  French Canadian professionals (Patriotes): consisting of lawyers, notaries and doctors who defended the interests of the French community  The English commercial class (Chateau Clique): consisting of bankers, merchants and businessmen who defended their commercial interests in the colony.

6. Reasons for Opposition: French  The Parti Canadien, also known as the Parti Patriote, was made up largely of French professionals who had the support of the people. They were elected to the Legislative Assembly which they controlled.  They wanted: responsible government  to keep the seigneurial system and French civil law  to protect the French language and culture  taxes on business to pay for roads  to avoid spending money on projects which only benefitted the English  government budgets to be controlled by the legislative assembly  an elected legislative council

7. Reasons for Opposition: English  The British Party, also known as the Chateau Clique, was made up of the British executives and wealthy businessmen.  They controlled the executive and legislative councils. They wanted:  laws which promoted business  construction of canals and railways  assimilation of the French  union with Upper Canada  taxes on property