1. Unit 2: Our Developing Nation
Chapter 2
Horizons: Canada’s Emerging Identity

2. This unit helps investigate these questions.
Why might people have immigrated to Canada between 1815 and 1867?
What was the impact of interactions between Aboriginal peoples and European settlers?
How did responsible government evolve in Canada?
How and why did Canada become a nation?

3. The Colonists: Land and Government
Chapter 2

4. Chapter Outcomes
In this chapter we sill study the changes that came with the colonists who arrived in Upper and Lower Canada between 1814 and 1840.

5. Think Pair Share
Imagine what British North America was like in the early 19th century.

6. Robinson Sisters: 1845 portrait depicts three sisters, all born in York (Toronto) the Capital of Upper Canada.

7. This painting depicts settlers with a typical rural cabin
This painting depicts settlers with a typical rural cabin. Do you think the people in these images would agree with the following quote?
“A highly civilized and densely populated state possesses extensive waste lands in the colonies. In a state possessing those waste lands (now Canada,) all citizens have equal rights- all have a share in the collective rights to these waste lands”. – editorial in a British newspaper the Spectator, Sept 18, 1847

8. “A highly civilized and densely populated state possesses extensive waste lands in the colonies. In a state possessing those waste lands (now Canada), all citizens have equal rights- all have a share in the collective rights to these waste lands”.
– editorial in a British newspaper the Spectator, Sept 18, 1847

9. Land of Yesterday
In 1791, the Constitutional Act created Upper and Lower Canada.
Eastern part of country- growing and developing.

10. Many colonists found British North America to be challenging and unlike their homeland.
The environment seemed harsh; wilderness.

11. British North America
Newcomers poured into Upper Canada- southern and eastern Ontario
Lower Canada- Quebec and along the St. Lawrence, had a busy trade capital, Montreal.
The Maritimes were long settled and stable.

12. The HBC
The Hudson’s Bay Company claimed all lands drained by rivers flowing into the Hudson’s Bay.
A large part of the continent fell under HBC control.
As a result, the fur trade expanded west.

13. Colonial Growth and Aboriginal People
The growth of the colonies came at the expense of Aboriginal peoples.
They had once been military allies of the British, and were a vital part of the fur trade.

14. First Nations were often forced to give up their land to make way for the European immigrants.
Most immigrants paid little attention to the hardships and injustices that Aboriginals faced as a result of colonization.

17. Upper Canada

18. British colony “up” the St. Lawrence River.
In the early 19th century, Upper Canada was the newest colony in the British Empire.

20. Few roads.
Forest was very dense; trees massive.
Clearing the land was a newcomers first task.
It proved to be a very difficult chore; a hectare a year. It was generally a quiet place and most lived near water routes.

22. Continued fears of American Invasions reinforced colonists’ ties with the British Empire.
Important community leaders were often Loyalists, former members of the British army or members of the British gentry.

23. Loyalists- Americans who did not support the American Revolution, many of whom moved to the British Colonies, like Upper Canada.
Gentry-the upper class

24. As a result of this leadership, life in the colony was very “British”
As a result of this leadership, life in the colony was very “British”. (laws, traditions)

25. Daily life
People depended on each other and formed close communities- (church).
Making a living on a farm was difficult. Often took years to raise a crop for sale.
Most were in debt; mortgages common.
People depended on a barter economy.

26. Barter economy- an economy based on trading services and products instead of using money.

27. Social Class
Family background important, especially to the upper class.
Upper class people wanted to keep the privileges they had enjoyed in Britain.

28. Social boundaries were removed.
Many discovered they would have to do the back-breaking labour themselves, as cheap labour and servants were not readily available.

29. People needed their neighbours.
Many continued to think of Britain as “home.”
Some sent their children back to England to be educated.

30. The efforts of the ruling classes in both Upper and Lower Canada eventually brought conflict.
Poorer colonists were attracted to American style democracy.

31. To counter this, Britain tried to duplicate its own society in the Canadian colonies:
1. Gentry
2. Large Estates
3. Tenant Farmers

32. This angered immigrants who had left their homelands in order to escape the class system.

33. Family Compact
A small group of upper-class officials who made up the Executive Council of Upper Canada after 1812
Snobs!
All members knew each other, were often related and even dressed alike

34. The people of Lower Canada had a similar ruling body known as the Chateau Clique.
Mostly made up of wealthy English speaking merchants.

35. Think Pair Share
Why do you think the Family Compact operated as a clique?
How does a clique maintain control?
Are there modern equivalents to the upper class?
Do they still have political power?

36. Land Problems in Upper Canada
Almost everyone wanted to own and farm land.
Those who did not worked in industries that supported farming.
Many arrived to find that the good land was already owned by absentee landlords and land speculators.

37. Absentee Landlord
A person who owns and rents out a property, but does not live in the region.

38. Land Speculators
People who buy property at a low price and sell it at a much higher price, usually without spending much of their own money.

39. This was not what immigrants had expected.
Advertising campaigns =good, cheap farmland close to thriving towns and markets.

40. Those who held the best land in Upper Canada were members of the Family Compact.
Many colonists had no option but go to remote areas to farm, leading to lives of hardship and resentment.
People felt tricked by land speculators.

41. Land!
The problems associated with land was at the root of anger and resentment towards the Family Compact and the colonial government of Upper Canada.
Major cause of the Rebellions of 1837

42. Unfair land policies and bad government based on privilege set the stage for violent confrontation of classes.

43. Crown and Clergy Reserves
Blocks of land set aside to provide income for the government and for the Anglican Church.
2/7th of all land in Upper Canada.
For the most part the land was un-cleared and unoccupied.

44. This often led to more problems when roads were being constructed; had to go around these blocks instead of through.
Often tied up prize farmland
This led to more resentment.

45. The Role of the British Government
Land problems mainly the result of attitudes of the British Government and a desire to duplicate English models in Canada.

46. English model (large estates controlled by aristocrats) was contrary to the view of many immigrants, especially those from the United States.
-discriminatory
-undemocratic

47. British Government did not want colonists to adopt American attitudes and values. (feared another revolution)
The government plan had been to attract important aristocrats to Upper Canada. (often younger sons who had little hope of inheriting land in Great Britain)

48. Canada Land Company
The government had also allowed land speculation companies such as the Canada Land Company to buy large tracts of land.
By 1815, almost half of good farmland was owned by speculators (often also part of the Family Compact)

49. First Nations leaders
Often worried that their lands would be sold off by Britain.
Some signed treaties in an attempt to protect their land, which were not completely successful.

50. The Immigrant Experience
Waves of immigrants arrived after the War of
Settled in Upper and Lower Canada.
Soon farmland became a problem.
Most immigrants came from Britain, the United States and Europe.
No one who lived in the colonies could have been prepared for the waves of immigrants that arrived after the War of They settled in both upper and lower Canada. Many English speaking immigrnats settled in the Eastern Townshops. Elsewhere in Lower Canada, French culture was prevailed and life based on the seigneureial system continued as it had for generations. Soon however the lack of farmland became a problem. Most immigrants came from Britain, the United States and Europe. Attracted by the promises and hopes of a new land, there were harsh realities involved in leaving home. For many the first rude awakening was the journey across the Atlantic which was both dangerous and expensive

51. The journey across the Atlantic was dangerous and expensive.
Many never returned to their homeland.
The journey took over a month.
Many did not survive, especially the poorest people who often endured passage in coffin ships.

52. Coffin Ships
Death ships; disease and death were common on the cargo vessels used to carry passengers at the time.
The poor were often forced to travel in steerage (below deck), equipped with bunks but no bathrooms.
Poor food, bad hygiene and crowded conditions made disease inevitable.
Immigrants were expected to feed themselves during the voyage which could take weeks. If they didn’t bring enough food, they would face starvation.

53. Smallpox, cholera and other diseases killed thousands.
Ships quarantined when they reached North America.

54. Cultural Diversity in Colonial Canada
Upper Canada- many did not consider themselves to be “English.”
Lower Canada-mostly Francophone (French speaking people) who desired to remain distinct from English speaking groups.
This often led to conflict.
We’ve talked about cultural perspective in history. How is history written, and who tells it? The most popiular journals and accounts of life in the colonies of British North America were written by relatively well-to-do English speaking people. However many immigrants to Upper Canada did not consider themselves to be English- they were American, Irish or Scottish and brought their own language, culture, music, valise and traditions with them. In Lower Canada people were predominately Francophones and desired to maintain their distinct language and culture.
In the past historians have often ignored the achievements and histories of Aboriginal peoples and non-English immigrants. Contributions of women were also not discussed. This tells us a great deal of how history was recorded. If the contributions of some groups are highlighted, and other groups ignored, how accurate is our knowledge of the past? By detecting this kind of discrimination, we can learn to pay more attention to those who have been historically ignored.

55. Black Canadians Slavery had existed in New France until the mid 1600s.
Many Loyalists brought slaves with them into Canada after the American Revolution.
In 1793, Chloe Cooley, an enslaved Black woman was forcibly taken from Upper Canada to the United States to be sold. Governor John Simcoe added this incident to his arguments against slavery in Upper Canada. By July of 1793 an Act was passed to prevent the slave trade in Upper Canada.

56. Slavery was abolished everywhere in the British Empire by 1833.
Courts in Upper and Lower Canada refused to support slavery long before that.

57. Many Black Canadians were already free and had come as refugees from slave states in America.
Many were Loyalists and were promised land.

58. The Black Militia fought against the rebels in the Rebellions of 1837; believed a victory for the rebels would result in American domination and a return to slavery.

59. The Underground Railway
Upper Canada became a refuge for Black Americans escaping slavery.
They used a network of secret routes and safe houses called “The Underground Railway”.

60. The fugitives often traveled hundreds of kilometers by foot.
Those who supported them often very religious; believed slavery was a sin against God and humankind.

62. Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and, during the American Civil War, a Union spy

63. Travelling the Underground Railway was extremely risky and dangerous.
If caught, escaped slaves were severely punished,
While Upper Canada offered hope of a new life, it was not free of racial discrimination.
You will learn in later chapters that Black Canadians were invited to British Columbia by its Governor, James Douglas who himself had a Black mother. They took up residence on Salt Spring Island.

64. There were Black immigrants in every colony of British North America.
In B.C., many Black Canadians initially settled on Salt Spring Island.

65. Immigrant Women in Upper Canada
Defined themselves by social class.
Tended to think of their own success in terms of that of their fathers or husbands.
Divorce did not exist, so choosing the right partner was important.
A good marriage gave a woman status in ways that are difficult to understand today. Even resourceful educated colonial women such as Susannah Moody, Catherine Parr Trail and Mary O’Brien seemed preoccupied with the activities of their husbands.

66. Finding a good marriage prospect was so important to families that many social events included matchmaking.
Romantic love was less important than friendship and duty.
A man might “marry down” but a woman would never do so because she took on the social status of her husband.

67. There was too much work to be done for anyone to be idle.
Even upper class women had a lot to do.
Clearing the land involved hard work and often depended on help from everyone.
Hard work and long hours were normal.
Clearing the land was hard work and often depended on help from everyone. This broke down many social barriers. For immigrant women hard work and long hours were normal.

68. Division of labour was one sided.
Women might do a “man’s work”, (planting, harvesting, etc.)but not the other way around.
Women learned how to preserve food and make candles and soap.
Were expected to have large families.

69. Childbirth was risky.
Medical help expensive and hard to obtain.
Overcrowding and poor sanitation increased health risks

70. Colonial Government and the Need for Reform
Government in the colonies of BNA was neither representative nor responsible.
Representative government: a government made up of official elected to office by people.

71. Responsible government: a government subject to the votes of the people.
Democratic governments are both representative and responsible.

72. Colonial governments were indirectly run from Britain.
This placed power in the hands of a small group of wealthy, influential men- The Family Compact.
Oligarchy- rule by a small, select group of people.

73. The government of Upper Canada had been established in 1791 by the Constitutional Act.
This Act divided Upper Canada from Lower Canada and gave an elected law making Legislative Assembly, a governor, and two councils.

74. Since all males who owned property could elect Assembly members, the government appeared to be democratic.
Actual power was in the hands of the governor and two councils he appointed.
Aaince the councils, whose memebers came from the Family Compact had different priorities than those of ordinary colonists they used their veto powers often. They could shut down important projects such as building roads. They also ignored land speculation issues and problems with the crown and clergy reserves. So conflict was bound to happen and it did.

75. They could veto any laws passed by the Assembly;
They shut down projects such as road building and ignored land speculation, and crown and clergy reserve issues.

76. Government Structure
1791
1849

77. 2015

78. A List of Grievances People complained loudly about land and roads.
Land speculators and absentee landowners overpriced or tied up prime land.
Crown and clergy reserves blocked the building of roads.
Most blamed the Family Compact.

79. He was arrested and sent out of the colony.
Robert Gourlay drew up a list of grievances and a petition demanding change.
He was arrested and sent out of the colony.
The government saw no need to change its policies.
Gourlay’s arrest hardened opposition to the Family Compact.
Robert Gourlay, a land agent, surveyed the farmers about life in Upper Canada. He was shocked to discover the extent of their discontent with the government and its policies so he drew up a list of grievances, and a petition demanding change. He was not so successful, as he was arrested and then sent out of the colony. The government had no interest in listing to complaints and was not about to change its polices. Gourlays arrest hardened opposition to the Family Compact and eventually another radical reformer- Willam Lyon Mackenzie, would take his place

80. William Lyon Mackenzie
Had strong political convictions.
Took an aggressive approach to bringing about change.
Started a newspaper, the Colonial Advocate, that strongly criticized the government and the Family compact.

81. When the Compact ransacked his office and smashed his printing press- he sued.
Was elected to the Legislative Assembly in
Became one of the most important leaders in the reform movement

82. William Lyon Mackenzie

83. The Situation in Lower Canada
Also had serious political problems; the ruling class was English but most of the population was French.
French-Canadians had never completely adjusted to British rule.
Many French-Canadians found the lack of democracy intolerable
Chateau Clique (Lower Canada’s equivalent of the Family Compact) controlled government and business.
The Chateau Clique was supported by merchants, former army officers, the Church hierarchy and even wealthy French Canadian landowners.
Exposed to the democratic ideals of the French and American Revolutions, and to the democracy of the United States, many French found the lack of democracy intolerable.

84. The English speaking minority in Lower Canada controlled most of the wealth and power even though they formed less than ¼ of the population.
Many French believed that they had been “sold out” by the Catholic Church and seigneurs.

85. Economic Woes
Lower Canada didn’t experience the same kinds of land problems as Upper Canada
However as the population increased the amount of arable land was limited and soil was becoming less fertile.

86. Failure of wheat crops forced imports from Upper Canada, and this led to a huge economic deficit.
The agricultural economy failed.

87. Many turned to forestry.
Not everyone had a share in the profits.
New limits on farmland, created more dissatisfaction.

88. Nationalism
Nationalism= devotion to the support of one’s culture and nation, sometimes resulting in the promotion of independence.

89. French Canadians mistrusted the English and feelings of nationalism were strengthened.
French Canadian felt the need to protect their language and religion.
They believed that the English were trying to solve its “French problem” by bringing more English speaking immigrants to the province.

90. When a cholera epidemic arrived in many thought that Britain was trying to kill of the French population.
Many were struggling to pay taxes, which paid government salaries, but they still had no voice in politics.

91. Three Issues for Reform in Lower Canada
Discrimination against the French.
Lack of representation in government
Taxes
These became the key issues of radical reformers such as Louis-Joseph Papineau.

92. Louis-Joseph Papineau
A seigneur and lawyer
Originally supported British rule; changed his mind when British rule did not improve the lives of French Canadians.
Joined the cause for reform

93. Became a Speaker for the Legislative Assembly in 1815.
Became leader of the Parti Canadian, which actively lobbied for reform.

94. Not all reformer leaders were French- Wolfred Nelson, Edmond O’Callaghan.
In rival newspapers and in the Assembly, the Chateau Clique and the Reformers faced off against one another.
Not all reform leaders in Lower Canada were French. Wolfred Nelson, an English doctor, was mayor of Montreal and later became leader of the rebel Patriots. Edmond O’Callaghan, the Irish publisher of the radical newspaper The Vindicator also joined forces with the Patriots.

95. After British soldiers shot protestors in Montreal, Papineau and the other reformers submitted “Ninety Two Resolutions” to the Governor.

96. Lord John Russell, who was in charge of the Colonial Office in Britain replied three years later with “Ten Resolutions”.
These resolutions denied the rights of the Assembly.
After 30 frustrating years of attempting political reform, Papineau and his Patriotes openly rebelled against the government.

97. The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838
Task: Rebellions Booklet Assignment