British North America1791-1867

Britain and Early Canada:Unrest and Responsible Government

© Ruth Writer

Constitutional Act of 1791a.k.a. Canada Act

Direct result of American Revolution BNA divided into 2 colonies @ Ottawa R.

Lower Canada—Francophone Upper Canada—Anglophone

British and French centers separated French Catholics given voting rights, civil law Government outline

No democracy Some self government

New Map of Canada 1791

https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-5003-e.html

Canada at turn of century--1800 Maritimes—Newfoundland, NS, NB, PEI [St. John]

Lower Canada [Quebec] Upper Canada [Ontario] Rupert’s Land—Hudson Bay Company Jay’s Treaty 1794—Ohio Valley & Great Lakes Metis population growing due to movement

west by fur traders

War of 1812Second War of Independence

USA = 8,000,000 BNA = 500,000 Impressment of sailors—no brainer Tecumseh—Battle of Tippecanoe 1811 June 1, 1812, Declaration of War Could not attack Britain but BNA close enough Not all in USA agreed—i.e. New England

Classic Routes of Invasion St. Lawrence Lake Champlain Detroit

BTW--US record was 3-19-1 according to Canada Won Lake Erie, Lake Champlain, New Orleans

http://www.westpoint.edu

http://www.westpoint.edu/history/SiteAssets/SitePages/War%20of%201812/OperationsNorth.gif

Major Battles Queenston Heights [Niagara region] Oct. 1812 Detroit—surrendered without shot Aug. 1812 Lake Erie—Oliver H. Perry in October 1813 York [Toronto]—took Royal Standard--1813 Washington—August 1814 Baltimore and Fort McHenry—Sept. 1814 New Orleans 1/8/15—After Treaty—Oops

http://www.westpoint.edu/history/SiteAssets/SitePages/War%20of%201812/OperationsNiagara.gif

Laura Secord Loyalist family from Massachusetts 1795 to Upper Canada Married United Empire Loyalist member Walked 19 miles with cow [?]—June 1813 Warned British of attack Heroine of Canada

Portrait of Laura Secord by Mildred Peel [1904] Government of Ontario Art Collectionwww.thewarof1812.net

Battle of York [Toronto] Burned public buildings, destroyed Br. Naval

supplies, open jail, burned churches, looted, sang YANKEE DOODLE

“Just as long boats brought the Am. Army to shore in morning, 500 barrels of gunpowder exploded. This is nearest thing to an atomic blast seen in that age. Trees and tons of stone fell on Americans, killing or maiming more than 300.”

Including Zebulon Pike He was expected to be President

Record 3-19-1

Lundy’s Lane without clear victor US won at L. Erie, Plattsburgh, Fort McHenry Other battles went to British North America

Treaties Treaty of Ghent—December 24, 1814

At the end of War of 1812—a draw Battle of NOLA followed U.S. and Canada never at war again Disputes resolved peacefully

Rush Bagot Agreement—1817 Limited development of navy on Great Lakes Disarmament agreement Future differences resolved with negotiation

Rebellions of 1837 War of 1812 developed BNA national spirit Disagreed with lack of democracy Loyalists who fled north--hope of new society Lower Canada—Louis Joseph Papineau Upper Canada—Wm. Lyon Mackenzie

Upper Canada Family Compact controlled wealth

Control politically Welland Canal built with favoritism in play Church of England got privileges Rejected reform

William Lyon Mackenzie—leader of rebelshttp://www.biography.com/people/william-lyon-mackenzie-9393096

Lower Canada Chateau Clique

Anglophone elite Influence over governor Poverty among habitants Govenment called for end of francophone rights Call for union of Upper and Lower Canada

Louis Joseph Papineau and Habitantshttp://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/qc/manoirpapineau/natcul/natcul1/a.aspx https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saint-Eustache

Rebellions Both rebellions were armed Both groups of rebels too weak Meeting of leaders in brewery in 1837—WAIT Papineau defeated in Lower Canada Mackenzie defeated at Yonge St. Rebellion Both fled to USA and became heroes to north Trials with some hanged others exiled LOST BATTLES BUT WON WAR

Durham Report Fact finding team sent 1838 Lord Durham—aristocrat, short visit, parties Friend of reform Three recommendations

1. End conflict between Anglo/Franco2. Step toward blending cultures yet bilingual3. Democratic responsible government

Rebels failed but did influence history

Preview of BNA in 1850s Population Natives Religion Education Economy Transportation Boundary Issues

Population at 2,500,000 Natural increase

Revenge of the cradle Immigrants

Loyalists Scots to Cape Breton Irish—potato famine in 1840s Blacks—loyalists and fugitives later Germans—Lunenburg, NS Other Europeans

Underground Railroad

See separate power point presentation

Natives Disease—smallpox, measles, consumption Diet and alcohol Disruption of life--War Distribution of land—taken by whites Depression—emotional toll

From 4-5 million in 1492 to ½ million by 1700

Religion Vital to every day life Christians in vast majority

Catholics—Francophones, Acadian, Irish Separate parishes across street—French and Irish

Protestant Anglican in Upper Canada Presbyterians [Scots] in Cape Breton Baptists

Education Churches shaped education in Catholic areas Formal education only for rich at first Ryerson—reformed education

Methodist minister Schools open to all regardless of wealth

Higher education religious based No separation of church and state in Canada Tax supported church schools

Economy Primary activities—worked with hands

Fishing—Grand Banks Fur trade—western reaches, exploration Forests—New Brunswick, Ottawa River Farming—subsistence also wheat, tobacco

Trade and banking Business in large urban areas Factories—ships, mills, textiles, beer, glass,

paper, potash, leather

Fishing Grand Banks Especially after War of 1812https://fishandpeople.wordpress.com/page/2/ ; http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/economy/19th-century-cod.php

Fur Trade Continued into western regions Manitoba and prairies plus HBC Metis population growthhttp://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/20/fortchurchill.shtml

Clearing the land One acre per year the norm

Jefferies, C.W. The Picture Galley of Canadian History; Vol. 2. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1945.

Threshing and Winnowing Subsistence first Wheat sold eventually Hard work—entire family Few horses or oxenJefferies, C.W. The Picture Galley of Canadian History; Vol. 2. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1945.

Lumbering New Brunswick Ottawa River On to Michigan and U.S.

Denise Boiteau, et.al. Origins: A History of Canada. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd, 1989.http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/timber-trade-history/

Transporation Water—still best

Steam, sail, canoes Canals built

Lachine—1825 at same time as Erie Welland—1829 around Niagara Falls Rideau—1832—south of Ottawa for protection

Roads—poor, dirt, logs, gravel Rail—1836 near Montreal Winter best travel on land—sleds, sleighs

Jefferies, C.W. The Picture Galley of Canadian History; Vol. 2. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1945. http://www.wellandcanal.com/hist.htm; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welland_Canal; http://www.canadashistory.ca/Magazine/Online-Extension/Articles/History-Spotlight-Canada%E2%80%99s-First-Railway

Boundary Issues New Brunswick/Maine

Maine a state in 1820 no worry re: boundary Aroostook War—1839 Loggers wanted trees Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842

Western boundary 54-40 or fight 49th parallel except Vancouver Island in 1846

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h357.html

http://maineanencyclopedia.com/webster-ashburton-treaty/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_boundary_dispute

Trade with US 1848 suggestion of union with USA

No favored trade status with Britain No real support for union with USA Still fear

1859—dropped tariffs Farm Fish—rights to both in coastal waters Forest Minerals

Resources

Boiteau, Denise et.al. Origins: A History of Canada. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd, 1989.

Jefferies, C.W. The Picture Galley of Canadian History; Vol. 2. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1945. See, Scott. History of Canada. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001. [pages 57-76] http://www.warof1812ibook.com Writer, Ruth. “1837,” Teaching Canada. Plattsburgh: Center for the Study of Canada, Fall

1995.