1. Life in Upper & Lower Canada 1815-1855
Rebellions of Upper & Lower Canada

2. Geography of Upper and Lower Canada
Borders what is now New Brunswick; northeast area of United States; & Great lakes
Upper Canada- Southern Ontario
Lower Canada- Quebec and Newfoundland
Upper and Lower Canada both British Colonies
Lower Canada mainly French speaking “Canadiens”
Upper Canada mainly English speaking people

3. Map of Upper & Lower Canada

4. 4 Main Groups in Lower Canada:
Habitant: (French) tenant farmer; rent land; poor
Seigneur: (French) land owner; wealthy and powerful
Merchant: (English) business owner; fur & timber industry; wealthy and powerful
Professionals: (French & English) doctors, lawyers, etc.; middle class; seeking democracy

5. Louis-Joseph Papineau
Lower Canada wealthy seigneur and member of the Legislative Assembly
Had strong support of French land owning and political elite
Conservative- favored doing things traditional & slow way
Served as officer in militia by defending British North America from Americans during war of 1812
Elected speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Became leader of the Parti Canadien political party

6. Government in Lower Canada
Governor-British appointed
Legislative Council- English-speaking merchants and seigneurs; friends of Governor; appointed not elected; veto power
Legislative Assembly voted by citizens
Two political parties dominated- Chateau Clique, Parti Canadien (Parti Patriote)
Chateau Clique- Wealthy British and French who supported British rule
Parti Canadien- Wealthy and poor French- early separatists

7. Government in Upper & Lower Canada- Constitutional Act, 1791

8. Unrest in Lower Canada
British merchants wanted to increase taxes for canals, harbors and roads for merchant use- few roads were built to help farmers
Increased immigration from Great Britain began to threaten French culture and language
1832, immigrant ship brought disease cholera, killed 5500
Legislative assembly(French-speaking) hard to make laws
1836, crops failed, Canadians face starvation
1837, economic depression, English merchants blamed

9. The Armed Rebellion In Lower Canada
British Army versus Patriote Army (Rebels)
Began on November 23, 1837 at St. Denis; rebel victory
Rebels built a fortress at St. Charles to fight the British but lost there and later at Saint-Eustache – Baker's Farm – Lacolle – Odelltown & Beauharnois
Pappineau fled to U.S
After all the fighting 12 were hung 58 were sent to Australia and 12 hundred were set free.

10. Life in upper Canada
Pioneer homestead start from scratch and forced native inland
Most habitant were subsistence farmers meaning they only farm for their family
Life in towns was easier
Town were hubs
Town supplied a people with basic service
Transportation mostly walking

11. Government of upper Canada
Lieutenant(British appointed) highest ranking
Legislative and Executive Council 2nd highest
Executive and Legislative dominated government business and social life
Legislative assembly (Elected by voters) 3rd highest
Had little power law has to be approved by council and Lieutenant

12. Family Compact Small group of powerful people in upper Canada
As well as friends and supporters known as Tories
Didn’t want US government to be part of Canadian government
Defended tradition
Believed power should be in the hands of few capable people (themselves)
Believed Church of England should have power
Loyal to Great Britain

13. Who are the reformers,and what did they oppose?
Opposed the power of family compact
Wanted changes in government and society of upper Canada
Divided into moderate and radical groups.
Robert Gourlay - plan to bring people from Britain to farm in upper Canada
William Lyon Mackenzie , established “the colonial advocate” a newspaper that spoke out on land problems, power of family compact and question to who was a upper Canadian
Sir Francis Bond Head - Appointed Lieutenant - governor of Upper Canada in 1835, was Reformer for short period but rejected

14. Armed Rebellion of Upper Canada
William Lyon Mackenzie turned people against government in Northern Toronto
Radicals wanted upper Canada like the American government
December 5 Mackenzie led 800 men down Yonge street in Toronto
In the United States Sir Francis bond head tried to raise an army to liberate upper Canada giving 120 hectares of land for whoever would join him
Caught for breaking legal neutrality between Canada and the US jail 11 months

15. Aftermath of the rebellion
Lower Canada became even worse than before the rebellion
Upper Canada afraid to speak out because moderate reformers were branded as rebels
Prime minister decided to send Lord Durham as governor general

16. Lord Durham And his Report
John George Lambton (Lord Durham) sent to Quebec City as governor general.
Suggested solutions for rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada.
Wrote “report on Affairs of British Canada” also known as Durham report
Named “Radical Jack” in British House of Commons because of radical policies.
Upper and Lower Canada unite and become one colony, called United Province of Canada - would unite English speaking people, would give them majority in gov’t
New colony should have responsible government - Local powers handled by colony: Imperial powers written, Governor advised by Executive Council only.

17. The Act of Union, 1841
Aim: create single government, establish English as official language
Was first step toward Confederation
Canada was split as Canada West (Upper Canada) and Canada East (Lower Canada, Ontario)
In 1847, Lord Elgin became governor
Executive Council/Cabinet got most power and are responsible to Legislative Assembly
Many members formed political parties to achieve power.
Nova Scotia:1847, New Brunswick: 1854, Newfoundland:1855, Prince Edward Island: Received responsible gov’t in these years.

18. Bibliography
Unknown author.The Canadas. Retrieved May 30, 2007 from the internet: pic/the-canadas
Canada Revisited textbook-pages