Hey, I thought you told us the formation of independent Canada was all sweetness and light. These guys claim it just wasn't like that, that there was shooting and rebellion involved.
collections.ic.gc.ca
collections.ic.gc.ca
Fenians
A group of Irish Americans formed in 1857 to help Ireland become
independent. The group split in two, one intent on taking over Canada. In
1866 they landed in New Brunswick. They were defeated easily, but helped
push the Maritimes in favor of Confederation.
Fils de la Liberté
An association of 700-800 young French patriots founded in Montreal in
1837, who were inspired by the American Revolution. They believed in the
right to choose their own government and to become independent. The
group developed a violent wing and fought in the Rebellions of 1837. The
group died out as the Revolution was put down.
Reform Movement
The political party that opposed the political patronage system used by the
people in power, the so-called Family Compact. They controlled the
Assembly in 1828 and 1834. In the late 1830's it split into three factions -
moderates, radicals, and extremists. The extremists were the cause of the
Rebellion in 1837 in Upper Canada. All three were wiped out when the
rebellion failed, but the moderates reappeared as a force in the United
Province of Canada.
Riel, Louis
The great Metis Leader, he led the Northwest Rebellion and the Red River
Rebellions. He is credited with founding the Province of Manitoba. He was
executed in 1885 for treason.
edunetconnect.com
1837: the Year of the Rebellions
March 1
The 92 Resolutions, a list of political and economic reforms drawn up by Papineau and his supporters, called the patriotes, are rejected
by the British government.
March through August
Assemblies held throughout Québec in protest against the British decision.
Early September
Race riots in Niagara. Two African residents of Niagara are killed by the police, and 30-40 are jailed.
September 5
500 young patriotes in Montréal organize a radical political organization called Fils de la Liberté, (Sons of Liberty). They meet at the
Nelson Hotel.
October 4
The Fils de la Liberté publish a manifesto calling for the election of a republican government in Lower Canada.
October 23-24
The radicals hold the Grande Assemblée des Six-Comtés, a mass meeting of patriotes, at Saint-Charles-sur-le-Richelieu.
November 6
The Bishop of Montréal speaks against the patriotes.
The patriotes raise a liberty pole carrying the inscription "A Papineau, ses compatriotes reconnaissants, 1837. "
Brawls in Montréal between the Fils de la Liberté and the anti-patriotes Doric Club occur. The loyalists ransack the workshops of the
English-language patriote newspaper, The Vindicator, and the house of André Ouimet, president of the Fils de la Liberté.
November 18
Brown, named general of the Fils, seizes the manor of Seigneur Debartzch in Saint-Charles and establishes a camp. A detachment of
British troops under the command of Wetherall leaves Montréal and goes to Chambly.
November 23
Battle of Saint-Denis: The British commander, Gore, at the head of six companies of infantry and a detachment of artillery attacks the
patriotes forces under Wolfred Nelson entrenched at Saint-Denis. After seven hours of fighting, Gore retreats in defeat, losing six men
killed and 11 wounded, a rare defeat of British regulars. The rebels lost 12 killed and eight wounded.
November 25
Battle of Saint-Charles: Two days later Wetherall's loyalist force attacks the patriote army at Saint-Charles. Barricaded around the
manor of Saint-Charles, the rebels are routed after just two hours of fighting, losing 28 killed and more than 30 wounded. The British
lost seven dead and 23 wounded, but the spirit of the patriote forces, elated after the victory of Saint-Denis, is crushed.
November 30
Wetherall and his troops make a triumphal return to Montréal with 30 prisoners and the Liberty Pole that had been erected at
Saint-Charles. The patriote leaders, Girod and Chénier, with 200 men seek to secure weapons at Oka.
Papineau leaves the colony.
December 2
Gore torches Saint-Denis.
December 5
Martial law is declared in Montréal.
December 6
A group of 80 patriotes attempting to reach the United States are intercepted and scattered at Moore's Corner (Philipsburgh) by 300
militia.
In Upper Canada, Dr. Duncombe with a rousing speech launched open rebellion in the western half of the colony. Hearing news of the
beginning of the Mackenzie Rebellion at Toronto, he began to assemble a force of Rebels which reached 500 to 600 in number by
December 13. Duncombe's men were gathering in Scotland Township and Oakland (Malcolm's Mills) on the road to Dundas (Hamilton).
December 7
The skirmish at Montgomery's Tavern. The main rebel forces under Mackenzie and Van Egmond gathered north of Toronto are
dispersed by the local militia.
Colonel Allan Napier MacNab is ordered to exit Toronto, assemble a force and confront the Duncombe rebels.
December 10
British troops threaten Saint-Eustache and Saint-Benoît in Lower Canada.
December 12
Colonel MacNab approaches Duncombe's rebel force at the village of Sodom. That and the news of Mackenzie's defeat results in the
break up of rebel force.
December 13
Governor Colborne leaves Montréal with his main army of 1300 men for Saint-Eustache.
December 14
Battle of Saint-Eustache: the last main rebel army is easily scattered by Colborne's regulars.
MacNab makes a surprise attack on Duncombe's camp, but most of the rebels have already fled. He takes 500 prisoners from the
surrounding area over the next few days. MacNab freed the prisoners pending the approval of the lieutenant-governor. Only the most
active rebels were later again arrested and tried.
December 15
Last patriote resistance is crushed at Saint-Benoît.
December 29
In Upper Canada, at Navy Island, east of present day Niagara Falls, Ontario, Mackenzie's ship Caroline was burned while moored at Fort
Schlosser, New York.
1838: a Second year of Troubles
January / February
Around Amherstburg, Upper Canada, sporadic fighting on the Detroit River frontier between British regulars and Canadian militia on the
one hand and rebels and American sympathizers on the other.
January 5
The United States government affirms its neutrality, although no real measures are taken to stop rebels based in the United States
from raiding Canada. In Lower Canada the exiled rebels and their American supporters called themselves the Frères Chasseurs, and in
Upper Canada they were called the Hunters' Lodges.
The 60-year-old AnthonyVan Egmond dies as a result of disease, likely pneumonia, contracted in unsanitary jail conditions while held in
Toronto awaiting trial.
February 26-27
Patriotes raid Potton in the Eastern Townships. 600 patriotes assemble at Plattsburg in the United States and cross Lake Champlain to
Alburg, Vermont.
February 28
Robert Nelson and Dr.Côté, commanding the patriote army, invade Lower Canada at Week's House and declare the independence of
the colony.
March 1
Nelson and the patriotes are forced to retreat back into the United States in the face of loyalist opposition. The American authorities this
time arrest Nelson and Côté.
March 3, 1838
At Pelee Island, Upper Canada, a sharp struggle occurred as British regulars accompanied by cavalry (including the St. Thomas troops
under Captain James Ermatinger) repelled a rebel raid.
April 12
Rebel leaders Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, captured after Montgomery's Tavern, are hanged for treason in Toronto.
April 27
Martial law is repealed in Montréal. 501 people in the city are jailed for "treasonous" activities.
May 27
Lord Durham arrives in Québec as the new governor.
June 11
In Upper Canada, 26 rebels under James Morrow invade the Niagara Peninsula from their base on Grand Island, joining up with 22
supporters at Short Hills (now the town of Fonthill). After defeating a group of 13 British soldiers, the raiders were defeated by a second
force of loyalist troops. Morrow was hanged while other rebels were sent to the penal colony on Tasmania.
June 28
Lower Canada proclaims a partial amnesty for those involved in the rebellion.
November 3
The Frères Chasseurs reassemble at various points outside of Montréal marking the start of the second rebellion in Lower Canada.
November 4
At Napierville, Robert Nelson for a second time proclaims the independence of Lower Canada. 700 patriotes gather.
November 5
A patriote army of 300 is defeated after 30 minutes of fighting by British regulars under Colborne at Lacolle. Eight rebels are killed.
November 9
Main patriote army of 600 men is defeated at Odelltown. Attempt to capture Robert Nelson fails.
November 10
Colborne arrives at Napierville at the head of 8000 soldiers.
November 11-16
Battle of the Windmill: in Upper Canada, a serious invasion by the New York Hunters' Lodge is made at Prescott near Kingston. About
200 men, most of them Americans, under the Swedish soldier of fortune, Nils von Schoultz attack Fort Wellington. On November 11,
the rebels, carried across the river in two schooners and steamer, land and unopposed capture the windmill here (the main structure of
the mill still exists, later rebuilt into a light house). The Hunters are counter-attacked the next day by 470 loyalists but beat off the
assault leading to a four day siege. On the 16th, a new attack is made with reinforcements from two regulars regiments, the 83rd and
93rd and 300 more loyalist militia. Von Schoultz finally surrenders and 159 prisoners are taken.
November 13
Patriotes at Boucherville disperse without a fight, marking the definitive end of the second rebellion in Lower Canada.
November 27
In Lower Canada 855 people are arrested under a new martial law (that would be the equivalent of 10,000 people in 1970)
December 4
The Battle of Windsor results when a force of rebels and Americans crossed the Detroit River, attacking Windsor, killing four militiamen
and burning the steamer Thames, before retreating. The Loyalist defenders numbered about 300 men. Reports of the number of
rebels and Americans vary wildly from 100 to 400 men. Twenty Five rebels are killed in the fight and many prisoners are captured
including Joshua Doan of Sparta (a village near London), who was later hanged for treason. Colonel John Prince ordered that four rebel
prisoners be shot.
December 8
Nils von Schoultz and 11 other rebels captured at the battle of Windmill are executed.
December 12
12 rebels in Lower Canada are executed. 58 are deported to penal colonies in Australia.
December 21
Two more rebel leaders, Joseph Cardinal and Joseph Duquet, are executed.
AND finally, you got quite a bit of help from the US:
nlc-bnc.ca
Since 1850, William Seward, the American Secretary of State during the Civil War,
had been an annexationist who felt that British North America (BNA) was destined
to become part of the United States. As it became obvious that the North would
emerge victorious there was a fear that American expansionism would rear its head
and turn its eyes to the north.
In the Canadas and the Maritimes many thought that invading BNA would give the
victorious Union army something to do. The possibility of annexation was even
more real in the northwest of what is now Canada. In 1860 Seward praised the
people of Rupert's Land for conquering the wilderness and creating a great state for
the American Union.
In the election of 1864 the Republican Party used
annexation as a means to gain support from Irish
Americans and the land-hungry. In 1865-66
annexationism was a factor in the American abrogation
of reciprocity. An annexation bill introduced by General
Banks was passed in the United States House of
Representatives in July of 1866. It intended that the
United States acquire all of what is now Canada.
Whether based in reality or not, the fear of annexation played a definite role in the
achievement of Canadian Confederation and in shaping its constitution. Seeing the
horror of war that resulted from the divisiveness of American federalism, the Fathers
of Confederation decided that Canada should have a stronger federal government
than the one south of the border. |
