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Upper Canada and the Family Compact. Where was Upper Canada?. 1812. Upper Canada covers modern day southern Ontario At this time Upper Canada was just a British colony The country we know as Canada today did not exist. 2013. Upper Canada.
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Where was Upper Canada? 1812 • Upper Canada covers modern day southern Ontario • At this time Upper Canada was just a British colony • The country we know as Canada today did not exist 2013 Upper Canada
What do you think Upper Canada was like in the 1820’s? Brainstorm some ideas below: - - - - - -
What Upper Canada was like in the 1820’s: • Few roads • Thick forests with a wide variety of trees and vegetation • Most people were in debt at some point due to the amount of time it took to make a profit from crops • Quiet
Who Came to Upper Canada? Discuss with a partner based on what we have already learned about this subject: Why might so many people have been motivated to leave Europe to come to Upper Canada? What factors do we need to consider? • Almost everyone who came was interested in farming • It was advertised in Europe that there was cheap, quality land available in Canada • Land Speculators: people who bought large chunks of land and sold of sections to make a profit
Social Class • People who immigrated to Upper Canada found that the “Playing Field” was much more level than in Europe AKA There were not as many class divisions • Initially there was no “cheap labour” or “lower class” to do the dirty work; people relied on each other
The Family Compact • The Family Compact = group of snobby individuals who saw themselves as superior than others • These individuals made up most of the Executive Council, and therefore had control over parts of the government • E.g. Budget, and appointments into power • *Think of the Family Compact as a very exclusive clique Lord Dorchester
Problems in Lower Canada • French-Canadians living in Lower Canada had a difficult time accepting British rule (especially in the form of an English-speaking Oligarchy style government) • Seigneurial system was still in place This was an old power system where France would give lords and seigneurs land • The common people felt that the church and seigneurs had sold them out for English interests
French v.s. English in Lower Canada • 80,000 English speakers v.s. 420,000 French speakers • 1822 saw an attempt to join Upper and Lower Canada and make English the official language • **The French people saw this as an attack on French society**
On the way to rebellion…. • Reformers were not able to change government or to reduce power of the Chateau Clique (similar to Family Compact in UC) • 3 issues became the focus for reform: 1)Discrimination against the French 2)Unequal taxation 3) Lack of power within government