british north america 1791-1867
TRANSCRIPT
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.