Canada and the 1837 Rebellions Notes

Causes of the 1837 Rebellions

1. In the early 19th century, both Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) faced growing discontent with British colonial rule.
2. The Family Compact in Upper Canada and the Château Clique in Lower Canada were small, elite groups that monopolized political and economic power, frustrating reformers who demanded responsible government.
3. In Lower Canada, tensions were also ethnic and cultural, as the French-speaking majority felt marginalized by the English-speaking colonial elite.
4. Economic issues such as crop failures, high taxes, and unemployment in the 1830s added to widespread anger against colonial authorities.
5. These grievances led to the 1837–1838 rebellions, led by William Lyon Mackenzie in Upper Canada and Louis-Joseph Papineau in Lower Canada, calling for democratic reform and greater local control.

Effects of the 1837 Rebellions and the Durham Report

1. The rebellions were quickly crushed, but they alarmed Britain and revealed deep structural problems in colonial governance.
2. In response, Britain sent Lord Durham to investigate. His Durham Report (1839) concluded that unrest stemmed from a lack of responsible government and the cultural divide between English and French Canadians.
3. Durham recommended uniting Upper and Lower Canada into a single colony (the Act of Union, 1841) to promote assimilation of French Canadians and streamline administration.
4. He also proposed granting responsible government, meaning colonial executives would be accountable to elected assemblies rather than the governor.

Challenges to Confederation (1850s–1867)

1. The united Province of Canada faced political deadlock: English- and French-speaking regions had equal representation, leading to constant gridlock between conservatives and reformers.
2. Economic pressures, including the end of British trade preferences (1846) and the need for intercolonial trade and railway expansion, encouraged leaders to consider uniting all British North American colonies.
3. External threats also played a role. The U.S. Civil War (1861–1865) and the Fenian raids (Irish-American attacks on Canada) pushed for stronger defense through unity.