Rebellion 1837 Essay
The rebellion of 1837 were armed uprisings that took place in Upper and Lower Canada, which is now Ontario and Quebec, in 1837 to 1838. The two rebellions had similar causes. The British believed the lesson of the American Revolution was to restrain the power of the people. This resulted in small groups of well off men in each colony having a great deal of power. During the 1820s, tensions increased in both colonies, reformers demanded change, and the government resisted it.
In Lower Canada, the heart of the troubles was the conflict between French and English. The British did not like the fact they had a completely different culture and language, and wanted the assimulate the entire culture. As well, although the French Canadians had held the majority in the elected Legislative Assembly since the first election in 1792, the British governor still held the real power. He gave most of the government jobs to the English. Then came the Patriotes, a more extreme group of French-Canadian politicians that emerged in the late 1820's led by Louis-Joseph Papineau. When the governor refused to grant them the reforms that they demanded in the 92 Resolutions they send over, they brought the business of the Assembly to a halt to force the British authorities to changes.
In Upper Canada, the main discontent was about the government's land policies and its favouritism towards the Clergy and its supporters. 2/7 of the best land in Upper Canada was set aside for the clergy and Family Compact as a source of income, resulting in many bitter farmers. Many had to move to rural areas with poor farming conditions and had to travel around the land set aside, wasting precious time and energy. Immigrants from America resented the fat that the government denied them from their political rights. In the 1820s, William Lyon Mackenzie, a crusading journalists with great enthusiasm and little judgement, launched a fierce attack on the Family Compact. Despite several attempts to silence him,
In Lower Canada, the heart of the troubles was the conflict between French and English. The British did not like the fact they had a completely different culture and language, and wanted the assimulate the entire culture. As well, although the French Canadians had held the majority in the elected Legislative Assembly since the first election in 1792, the British governor still held the real power. He gave most of the government jobs to the English. Then came the Patriotes, a more extreme group of French-Canadian politicians that emerged in the late 1820's led by Louis-Joseph Papineau. When the governor refused to grant them the reforms that they demanded in the 92 Resolutions they send over, they brought the business of the Assembly to a halt to force the British authorities to changes.
In Upper Canada, the main discontent was about the government's land policies and its favouritism towards the Clergy and its supporters. 2/7 of the best land in Upper Canada was set aside for the clergy and Family Compact as a source of income, resulting in many bitter farmers. Many had to move to rural areas with poor farming conditions and had to travel around the land set aside, wasting precious time and energy. Immigrants from America resented the fat that the government denied them from their political rights. In the 1820s, William Lyon Mackenzie, a crusading journalists with great enthusiasm and little judgement, launched a fierce attack on the Family Compact. Despite several attempts to silence him,