GOVERNMENT IN UPPER CANADA

AND THE REFORMERS

L.O.: SWBAT explain the reasons for the discontent and rebellion in Upper Canada.

1) Supporting Paragraph Notes

2) Life in Upper Canada Notes

3) HW

1) Chapter 7 Vocabulary Booklet2) Upper Canada Worksheet

3) Rough Copy Loyalist Paragraph

4) EXTRA: 1) Read Chapter 7 Booklet2) Begin Major Assignment

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY WORDS

Moderate – a person who does not hold extreme opinions

Radical – holding extreme opinions; wants fundamental social, economic, and political changes.

Treason – the crime of betraying one’s country

Puppet – leader who is not independent, who waits for orders or does what someone else tells him or her to do.

Political reform – changes to make the government better.

GOVERNMENT IN UPPER CANADA

Two major political groups in Upper Canada were: The Tories (also known as “The Conservatives”) (lead

by the Family Compact) The Reformers (wanted political reform)

RULERS OF THE COLONY

Governor headed government in colonies

Sent out from Britain Personal representative

of monarch Depended on advice of

his executive and legislative councilors

Councilors always chosen from wealthy and influential people

Who Were Chosen?

JudgesUnited Empire LoyalistsBusiness Men

Military OfficersBankersLawyersClergy

FAMILY COMPACT (TORIES)

A group of powerful, elite citizens who were members of the Legislative and Executive Councils

Most were from Loyalist descent and did not want Americans to be included in government or have any land

They believed that only people who had fought against the Americans could be true Upper Canadians

They did not like change and supported traditions

Believed the Church of England should be powerful

Were loyal to Britain and the British government

BISHOP JOHN STRACHAN 1778-1867

An Anglican who was born in Scotland and arrived in Upper Canada in 1799 where he taught school

He was a powerful advisor to the Family Compact

He and his friends controlled most of the government in Upper Canada

Today there is a famous privategirls’ school named after himin Toronto.

LAND ISSUES IN UPPER CANADA

Many Aboriginals moved off to reserves (Francis Bond Head)

Best land granted to members of Family Compact—often hundred’s of acres of beautiful water front property

Best farmland in hands of non-farmers

Clergy Reserves also upset farmers

Anglican Church given huge tracts of prime land

Land often undeveloped and new settlers stuck with poor land

TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

Road conditions poor and impassable—couldn’t move farmers’ goods to markets

Gov’t spent money on canal building instead

Benefited Family Compact and business friends

Private businesses granted huge loans to build Welland Canal

THE REFORMERS...A PUSH FOR CHANGE

A powerful group in Upper Canada who was against the Family Compact

They wanted changes in government and in the society of Upper Canada

They did not like how the Family Compact treated the Americans

They were divided into 2 groups: Radicals: Wanting extreme change in society,

politics and economy; wanted it right away; even using violence

Moderates: Wanting change but not extreme; through legal means

WHO WERE THE TORIES?Tories

Friends and supporters of the Family Compact Known as Conservatives or Tories Wanted to “conserve” existing form of government Approved Britain’s way of governing colonies Members of Legislative Council and Executive Council

always chosen from this group

ROBERT GOURLAY 1778-1863

A reformer who was born in Scotland His plan was to bring people over from Britain to farm Farm land at the time was taken up by Crown

Reserves, Clergy Reserves and land for the rich people

Many immigrant farmers were angry with the Family Compact because they owned large pieces of land

Gourlay was seen as a trouble maker by the Family Compact

He was banished from Upper Canada in 1819(See page 145 for lots)

GOURLAY’S ADVERTISEMENT IN BRITAIN

WILLIAM LYON MACKENZIE 1795-1861

A reformer who was born in Scotland He created the newspaper The Colonial

Advocate that he used to speak out against the Family Compact

He was elected into the Legislative Assembly but other members in the Assembly found him to be to radical and voted to expel him

The voters loved him and 6 times they re-elected him back into the Assembly

He became the first mayor of the city of Toronto in 1834

He later became one of the leaders of the Armed Rebellions of 1837

IMAGES OF MACKENZIE

SIR FRANCIS BOND HEAD Appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada in 1835 He had two Reformers in his group of advisors but

ignored them The Legislative Assembly did not want to cooperate with

him because they supported the Reformers. The Legislative Assembly stopped collecting money and

work on infrastructure stopped. He called for an election and fought for the Tories The citizens were worried about the pro-American

feelings the Reformers had and that work on infrastructure had stopped

In the end, they voted for the Tories and many Reformers lost any power they had previously gained

(See page 155 for more information on Elections)

ELECTION VIOLENCE

Election violence was common during the 1830s. There was no secret ballot like today. Instead people shouted their choice which usually resulted in shouts and insults. Voters often threw stones and swung clubs at one another.

ARMED REBELLIONS IN UPPER CANADA

Pages 156-157

WHO WERE THE RADICAL REFORMERS? Wanted change

immediately—including though violence

Many were restless moderate reformers

William Lyon Mackenzie urged independence from Britain

Hoped for empowered Legislative Assembly

In late 1837, Mackenzie made a “call to arms”

MACKENZIE’S ACTIONS

Unhappy with the government in Upper Canada and wanting a government more like the one in the USA, Mackenzie decided to start an armed rebellion

Other reformers did not agree with him because he was too radical

He got 4000 people to sign a petition for a new government but when it was time to fight on December 5th 1837, only 800 men joined him.

LOOKING AT THIS PICTURE WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT OF MACKENZIE?

THE END OF THE REBELLION

On December 6th 1837 the Colonial militia, fighting for the British Government went into Toronto and chased the rebels away

Mackenzie escaped to the USA were he tried to create another army of rebels

When the American Government heard about this they put him in jail for 11 months

The Americans did not want him to break the legal neutrality laws that now existed between them and BNA

THE RESULT OF THE REBELLIONS

Both Upper and Lower Canada suffered because of their rebellions

In Lower Canada there was no Legislative Assembly for 4 years

In Upper Canada people were afraid to speak out because they would be called rebels and put to jail

The British Government was surprised with the rebellions

In response they send Lord Durham to investigate the causes to the rebellions and to offer solutions to the problems

HOMEWORK

Chapter 6 Paragraph PEER EDIT FINAL COPY DUE DEC. 2 FRIDAY WILL GO OVER CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Major Assignment due Dec. 6 Tuesday Chapter 7/8 Vocabulary due Dec. 9 Friday Chapter 7/8 TEST Dec. 9 Friday