Key Figures and Roles in the Rebellions

Rebellions need leaders…  The following key figures played important roles in the rebellions of

 Recall that some reformers (people advocating for change) wanted the government to become more democratic – they wanted more power for the legislative assembly and less for the appointed members of government.

The System in Place:

Sir Frances Bond Head

 Background: He was a soldier in the British Army and retired as a major.  He also worked in South American as an engineer in a mining company.  In 1835, he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada (Ontario).  He was now a representative of the Crown.

A reformer?  In the beginning of his career as lieutenant-governor, it seemed as though he would support reforms to make the government more democratic.  WHAT DOES DEMOCRATIC MEAN?

 A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT – is a system whereby the people choose their representatives by voting in an election.

Sir Francis Bond Head  Although he appointed reformers to the executive council, Bond Head would ignore the council’s advice and if they protested, he would tell them to change their position or resign.  …..they chose to resign.  In 1836, the legislative assembly passed a resolution that criticized Bond Head’s actions.  He responded by shutting down the assembly and calling new elections. NOT VERY DEMOCRATIC.  The tories, who were against reform, won the election.

Louis Joseph Papineau

Papineau  He was one of Lower Canada’s privileged people – his father was a seigneur.  He was elected to the legislative assembly in 1809  Papineau was a supporter of REFORM - He thought that the elected assembly should have more power than the appointed parts of government.  He went to Britain to try to convince the British government to change this, but to no avail.

 Papineau spent years in Lower Canada trying to push for reform.  In 1834 he published the Ninety-Two Resolutions.  (Basically it was a list of demands for reform).  Papineau’s supporters were called Patriotes. Although Papineau wanted to achieve reform through peaceful measures, some of his supporters wanted to rebel against the government.

The Russell Resolutions  The Russell Resolutions of 1837 convinced many people that peaceful measures would not produce change.  The British would not grant reform – it basically shot down any support for the legislative assembly to have more power and any demands by the Patriotes.  Therefore, some of Papineau’s strongest supporters organized a rebellion.  Fighting broke out in 1837 – at first Papineau supported it, but when it appeared that the rebellion would fail, he fled to the U.S.

Russell Resolutions

William Lyon Mackenzie

Mackenzie  He was born in Scotland and moved to Upper Canada in He worked with a newspaper there.  He was elected to the legislative assembly in 1828 as a strong supporter of reform.  In 1831 he was expelled from the assembly for publishing libels (false and damaging statements about a person).  Mackenzie owned a newspaper called the Colonial Advocate. He published articles to insult his critics and opponents.

The Colonial Advocate

 Because of his hot temper and insulting articles, Mackenzie had many enemies.  Despite his unpopularity with some, he was elected back in to the assembly 4 times.  But each time, he would lose his seat there for printing libels.  When the reformers lost the election in 1836, Mackenzie blamed the lieutenant-governor for openly supporting the Family Compact.

 REVOLUTION was the only answer for Mackenzie.  He admired how the U.S. had succeeded in their revolution, therefore, he began to organize a rebellion.  Mackenzie managed to stand up to the Crown in a time where few people had the courage to do so.

 Bond Head, Papineau and Mackenzie are all key figures leading in to the rebellions of  STAY TUNED…