O, Canada!

The Road to Confederation, 1763-1867

Background

• Much of modern-day Canada first claimed by France in 1534; “New France” stretched from Hudson Bay to Gulf of Mexico by 1712

• Beginning in 1600s, England competed with France in N. America; made inroads on East Coast & Hudson Bay

• In 1713, France ceded Hudson Bay & Newfoundland to UK in the Treaty of Utrecht

New France in 1712

1713-1750

• French territory eroded after 1750• Seven Year’s War (French & Indian War):

fought between 1754-1763, France loses to Britain

• Treaty of Paris (1763): France cedes all of Canadian lands to Britain, Louisiana to Spain

• Britain now controlled all of Canada, but inherited 70,000 French settlers

North America in 1763

Royal Proclamation of 1763• Issued by King George III,

renamed New France the Province of Quebec

• Organized Canadian borders, forbade settlers from crossing Appalachian Mountains

• British-appointed governor would run Canada, and could appoint an assembly when necessary

• British laws & customs established, Catholics excluded from jobs; first attempt to Anglicanize Canada

Quebec Act (1774)

• Anglicanization quickly proves impossible. Why?• Newly arriving British are constantly at odds

with French Canadiens. They demand an assembly that will exclude French-speakers & Catholics

• James Murray: Canada’s first British governor; encouraged compromise between French & British Canadians

James Murray & Guy Carleton

• Territory: expands Quebec’s borders west & south (into modern-day U.S.)

• Religion: Canadians could legally practice Catholicism; still had to swear oath to the king, but did not mention Protestantism

• Government: appointed governor assisted by council, no elected assembly

• Law: French law & customs could be used in civil & private matters; British law used in criminal & public matters

Effects of the Quebec Act

• Appeased British & French Canadians for almost 20 years

• Actually angered citizens of the Thirteen Colonies, and helped lead to the American Revolution. Remember why?

• After US Revolution ended in 1780s, thousands of Loyalists poured into Canada

• New influx of British Canadians provided need for a change in government structure

Constitutional Act of 1791

• Designed to accommodate Loyalists, but still keep French Canadians happy

• Divided Canada into Upper Canada (Ontario) & Lower Canada (Quebec)

• Governor & council remained intact, but elected assemblies for both provinces formed

• Upper Canada used British law & customs only, while Lower Canada used French & British

• Problems emerge: Governor & council had ultimate power; elected assembly had little

Canada from 1791-1830s

• Canada faced two main concerns: absorption into the United States, and friction between Upper & Lower provinces

• Though some Canadians admired republican-style government, considered US too radical

• War of 1812 furthered suspicions of southern neighbor, but also shaped Canadian identity

• Canadians began to want political & economic reforms to compete with US

• Loyalists flock to Upper Canada between 1780s and 1815

• Industrialization, economic stress, overpopulation cause immigrants from British Isles to come to Canada

• Influx of Anglos help to Anglicanize Canada, make Canadiens increasingly anxious and nationalist

• 1830s saw economic distress, many faced starvation

Family Compact

• Family Compact: a “clique” of British Canadians who emerged after 1812

• Canada did not have an official aristocracy, like Great Britain did; the FC was an attempt to essentially create one

• Rich people made up the FC; those who had land or were influential businessman; must be Anglo & connected to the English Church

• Centered in York (Ontario)• Quebec equivalent called “The Chateau Clique”

1837 Rebellions

Lower Canada

• LC was a divided society by 1837, in terms of language, religion, & economics

• Friction between executive councils (English) and elected assembly (French), especially over control of revenues

• Assembly viewed British rule & constitution favorably, but wanted an expansion of powers & liberties

• Union Bill of 1822: secret bill proposed to parliament in London

• Proposed uniting UC & LC, making English the only official language, and establishing strong government control over Catholic Church

• Once uncovered, angered Lower Canadians and made many more radical

• Would eventually lead to 1837 rebellion

Moderate turned Radical: Papineau

• Louis-Joseph Papineau would embody the LC rebellion

• Served in War of 1812, proclaimed himself loyal subject & admirer of Empire, though he was proud Canadien

• Elected Speaker of LC Assembly in 1815

• Papineau became radical lead of the Patriote movement after the Union Bill of 1822

• Hysteria over mass immigration & cholera outbreak in LC in the 1830s

• Montreal Election Riot of 1832, British kill 3• 92 Resolutions of 1834 demanded more power to

the elected assembly• Radicals take up arms in 1837, but suppressed by

British; Papineau flees to US

Battle of Saint-Eustache

Upper Canada• Elected assembly frustrated by lack

of power, rule of the Family Compact

• Assembly wanted end to political corruption & special privileges for Anglican Church, but demands were ignored

• William Lyon MacKenzie: Scottish radical, moved to York in 1820 & immediately started trouble; est. newspapers arguing for a more republican style government

• British parliament passes Ten Resolutions in 1836, which limits assembly’s powers; last straw for MacKenzie & republicans

• MacKenzie “trains” paramilitary forces, they seize the York armory in Dec 1837, then consume large amounts of booze; British forces crush rebels

• Rebels retreat to Navy Island & proclaim “Republic of Canada”

• Rebellion completely crush by November 1838 at the Battle of the Windmill

The Durham Report• Britain did not want to

lose anymore colonies, so a fact-finding commission was conducted

• John Lambton, Lord Durham sent to Canada to submit official report on the state of affairs

• “Two nations warring in the bosom of a single state”

1. Unite Upper & Lower Canada into 1 province2. Encourage Anglo immigration to Canada3. Roll back the freedoms given to French

Canadiens in Royal Proclamation & Quebec Act4. More responsible government: governor-

general more of a figurehead, while real power lies w/ elected assembly

• Durham’s recs were controversial

Confederation

• British Parliament adopts Durham’s recs• Act of Union 1840 unites LC & UC into a single colony –

The Province of Canada• Province would have a single legislature, British still

hope to assimilate Canadiens• Appointed leg. councils abolished in 1849• Reciprocity Treaty: signed with US in 1855, boon for

economy• Britain encourages confederation in order to cut costs of

its growing empire

• Charlottetown Conference 1864: Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PE Island agree to greater Canadian union

• Quebec Conference 1864: delegates agree on Confederation plan

• Delegates propose bi-cameral parliament: house of commons based on pop., senators will be selected by governor-general

• Impetus for Confederation supported by suspicions of the US

• Proposal sent to London, passed British North America Act of 1867

• Province of Canada becomes Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867

• Dominion composed of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, & Nova Scotia

“Father of Canada” John A. Macdonald

• Born in Scotland, came to Canada in 1820

• Instrumental in Confederation process

• First Prime Minister of Canada• Usually conservative, but open-

minded• Dreamed of united Canada, and

a transcontinental railway linking the country from sea to sea