The Rebellions of 1837 Family Compacts The Chateau Clique Council of Twelve Lower Canadian Rebellion Upper Canadian Rebellion

After the War of 1812 the War of 1812 stopped what may have been the conquest of North America by the Americans (Manifest Destiny) Anti-American feelings ran high at least among the English Canadian elite for French Canadians the struggle was not anti-Americanism but anti-Anglicization English and Irish immigrants made the French feel they would lose their language, religion and culture, in short assimilation

The Colonies of British North America Upper Canada – Ontario Lower Canada – Quebec New Brunswick Nova Scotia (with Cape Breton) Prince Edward Island the senior governor was based in Lower Canada the other colonies had lieutenant governors Newfoundland was ruled by a separate governor after the Pemmican Wars in 1816 the NWC and the HBC worked on cooperation in 1821the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company united to form the Hudson’s Bay Company with the merger their was a sharp drop in liquor trade with First Nations Selkirk’s Red River colony struggled on

Lead up to Rebellion Lower Canada lead by Louis-Joseph Papineau (aristocratic) Upper Canada lead by William Lyon Mackenzie (newspaperman) reasons were the same: a colonial administration out of touch with its subjects in Upper Canada political change in Lower Canada political change with language and culture

Political Problems the root problem was having an elected assembly under the control of an appointed council Council and assembly could not get along in Lower Canada the elected assembly were French Canadians and the council were English Canadians

Rule by “Clique” the French Canadians were still able to get French language as the language of government the elected assemblies could only use their power in a negative manner they could block the government from making laws but could make no law British immigrants poured into Lower Canada Two different types of British immigrants; 1) poor Irish coming to Canada to improve their lives came as “human ballast” on lumber ships 2) middle class Brits looking to becoming richer Canada settle by extremes middle class and poor America settled by middle class

Chateau Clique a system of “oligarchy” soon developed in the Canada's Rule by a few wealthy landowners, merchants and government officials the Chateau Clique in Lower Canada because they spent so much time at the governor’s residence (Chateau St. Louis) divided on language grounds

Family Compact in Upper Canada they were called the Family Compact Conservatives, members of the Anglican Church, Loyalists and self proclaimed “defenders of 1812” most often the families were related in one way or another

The Council of Twelve in Nova Scotia these people were called the Council of 12 because they were the 12 men on the non-elected council appointed by the governor Nova Scotia at this time was the most successful colony in the empire Halifax had a population of 15,000 an international seaport Nova Scotia had the most repressive of the colonial governments but it was in Upper and Lower Canada that the rebellions began in Lower Canada the seigneurial system had failed to protect the elites by 1830 more than ½ of the estates were in English hands it was the Molson’s and the McGills that controlled the Clique

The Patriote’s opposed to them stood the French Canadian elite they had gained control of the elected assembly their radical party was the “parti patriote” in 1834 the patriote’s drew up a long list of demands called “the 92 Resolutions”

Louis-Joseph Papineau the demands were totally out of control; 1) the elected assembly control of the public revenues ( a public assembly having control of the public’s taxes) 2) they wanted responsible government ( the governor’s council to be chosen from the elected assembly) the leader of the patriote’s was Louis-Joseph Papineau Papineau was a French Canadian aristocrat fighting for reforms that would have gotten rid of his special status of course he also wanted to preserve French Canadian culture

Fights in the Streets Lower Canada crops had failed Immigrants were flooding into the colony (English, Irish) cholera in the cities killing 1000’s French Canadian youth “fils de la liberte” fought the English Canadian Doric Club

Rebellion Britain sent an answer to the 92 Resolutions the answer was NO! Lower Canada had waited for 3 years Papineau spoke against the British rule Dr. Wolfred Nelson hero of the War of 1812 joined the patriote’s Revolutionary assembly would meet at St.-Denis

Battle of St.-Denis with the Richelieu Valley in revolt the governor sent British troops and Canadian militia to arrest the leaders the patriote’s blockaded the streets in St.-Denis and waited for the British in a few short minutes the British were forced to retreat the patriote’s had won the battle

Battles of St.-Charles and St.-Eustache two days later in November British troops killed 60 patriote’s and arrested many others the battle of St.-Charles was over with the Richelieu rebellion over the governor turned to Montreal the patriote’s had invaded Oka and stole weapons at St.-Eustache British troops and Canadian militia killed a 100 patriote’s and set the town on fire

Death of a Dream the rebellion in collapse Dr. Robert Nelson went south to find Papineau Papineau refused to fight Nelson said “ a man fit only for words, but not of action.” Nelson gathered troops in America and returned in 1838 when he returned to the States he was arrested

Lord Seaton in 2 years of battles 27 soldiers and 300 French Canadians were killed “Lord Satan” John Colborne a former Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada put down the revolt he had no love of the French Canadians he burned estates and arrested 1000’s

The Family Compact the Family Compact fought for Anglican Religion in the schools the rebels in Upper Canada wanted public schools and a separation of church and state Moderates like Baldwin and Ryerson fought within the system William Lyon Mackenzie was a fiery newspaperman Mackenzie a penniless son of a widow Mackenzie was opposed to the large land grants given to the Anglican Church Mackenzie attacked the Family Compact over every matter the Compact even tried to have Mackenzie killed

Muckraker hated by the establishment but loved by the people Mackenzie was a real “muckraker” Mackenzie was first elected to the assembly in 1828 and kicked out by the rest of the members he was quickly re-elected and just as quickly expelled 4 times he was expelled by the ruling “Tories”

Report on Grievances in 1834 he became the first mayor of Toronto “Muddy York” all the while denouncing the ruling families of Upper Canada Mackenzie roamed Upper Canada getting a list of all the wrongs of the ruling elite the complaints came in at 500 pages, Upper Canada’s idea of the 92 resolutions Mackenzie’s was the Report on Grievances demanded everything from responsible government to a new and lower postage stamp

“Galloping Cowboy Bond Head” along came Francis Bond Head appointed as Lieutenant-Governor a real Brit with the ideas of an upper class English gentlemen he did not trust reformers and hated Mackenzie Reformers in the assembly stopped funds from going to the government Bond Head called an election

A Bought Election Bond Head did not stay out of the election he campaigned for the Conservatives and used bribes to get votes only landowners could vote so he gave grants of land to supporters the bribes and scare tactics worked the Conservatives won a majority Mackenzie could worse changed the name of the newspaper from “The Colonial Advocate” to “The Constitution” came up with the “Toronto Declaration” inspired by the Lower Canadian Rebellion Mackenzie preacher rebellion

Montgomery’s Tavern more than 600 men gathered at Montgomery's Tavern on Yonge Street Bond Head had said no reformers would try anything while he was in charge he had sent the garrison to Montreal to put down the Lower Canadian Rebellion

“Bar Room Brawl” Mackenzie’s men and Sheriff Jarvis’s men met Jarvis's men fired and everyone ran the battle was over the next day Bond Head took the militia to Montgomery’s Tavern arrested the rebels and torched the tavern Mackenzie escaped to America

British Values Win Again Mackenzie raised forces and money in America landed on Navy Island and declared himself president of the Canadian Republic it was over quickly, more than 1000 rebels captured 20 hanged 800 prisoners the Judge that hanged them imprison them or sent them to Australia was a member of the Family Compact

A New Party the British pardoned both Papineau and Mackenzie Wolfred Nelson could return and all were re-elected Papineau and his reformers would set up the “parti rouge” later they would join with English-Canadian reformers and become the Liberal Party Mackenzie dropped from sight

Canadian Democracy is Born! Rebellions of 1837 as a struggle for democracy and self rule by elected representatives the rebellions changed both the Canadas and the British Empire as Britain seen it; if rebellions could happen in the most stable of colonies they could happen any were “The Rebellions were American Revolutions in miniature, and though at the time they seemed to have failed, they cleared the way for self-government: and just beyond self-government nationhood.”

News Flash when Canada sent a battalion of volunteers to fight in the Spanish Civil War most call this war the start of World War II, because it was a war of democracy against fascism the battalion was called the “Mackenzie Papineau Battalion” or the “MAC PAPS”

Fight for Responsible Government “Radical Jacks Report” Joseph Howe British Columbia Confederation Waltz