The Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837-38: The Cause of Accumulating Events
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The Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837-38: The Cause of Accumulating Events
The Rebellions of 1837 were a pair of Canadian armed uprisings that occurred in 1837 in response to frustrations in political reform and ethnic conflict. The rebellions occurred in two Canadian colonies: Lower Canada and Upper Canada. The Lower Canadian Rebellion was a larger and more sustained conflict pursued by French and English Canadian rebels against the British colonial government. The Upper Canadian Rebellion was an unsuccessful uprising in Upper Canada against the Family Compact. Although the Upper and Lower Canadian Rebellions differed, they shared the common goal of establishing a responsible government. In November 1837 the Lower Canadian Rebellion began and was led by Robert Nelson and Louis-Joseph Papineau. The Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837 stems from a culmination of events that further fuelled the populations discontent with the British Empire. The essential events that led to the Lower Canadian Rebellion gravitate towards the conflict of cultures, the rise in nationalism and the rejection of the Ninety-Two Resolutions. These three elements describe the beginning, the rise and the climax of Lower Canadian Rebellions of 1837-38
The initial conflict that led to the beginning of the Lower Canadian rebellion originates from the clash of the French and English culture. The French and the English first entered into conflict after the first elections of 1792. “The French held the majority of the elected Legislative Assembly and had been gaining power since the end of the war of 1812.” The French prevented the Assembly from granting funding to English projects such as merchant trade routes. The English felt as though they were the minority and were angered by constantly being subjected to the French majority. They also felt as though the British Government was favoring the French. The English had witnessed the lengths to which the British Government had pleased the French in 1774 and were jealous of the power the French held. Later, in a report by Lord Durham, the French and English relation as was characterized as:
“Two nations warring in the bosom of a single state: I found a struggle, not of principles, but of races; and I perceived that it would be idle to attempt any amelioration of laws or institutions, until we could first succeed in terminating the deadly animosity that now separates the inhabitants of Lower Canada into the hostile divisions of French and English.”
The feud between the French and English in Lower Canada needed to be resolved before any progress could be made towards granting Lower Canadians request. This quarrel was the initial problem that would begin the tensions that would further lead to the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837. England could not make any decision without solving the main issue at hand, which would further frustrate all the Lower Canadian citizens.
The increase in tension which contributed to the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837 began with the rise in Canadian nationalism. The effects of nationalism in Lower Canada had begun gaining popularity after the war of 1812. This was inevitable because the war of 1812 was fought for the survival of British North America. The war united the French and English speaking colonies against a common enemy. This unity allowed the French and English speaking colonies to successfully push the Americans back. “After defeating the Americans, the inhabitants of British North America were left with a sense of pride, which sparked the initial growth of nationalism in the two Canadas” . This growing nationalism caused suspicion of American democratic ideas and republicanism, which further frustrated the Canadas with the British Government. This, in turn, prompted Canadian nationalism to diverge in too two different directions. The first form of nationalism was the rally of Canadians of British descents against the perceived threat from the United States. The second form of nationalism was led by Louis-Joseph Papineau and his Partie Patriote. The Partie Patriote promoted French Canadian culture, rights and interests. However, the views became increasingly radical and the party was divided by a conflict of interest. Nevertheless, Papineau remained at the head of the Partie Patriote. In 1834, the Partie Patriote demanded for a responsible elected Legislative Council/Executive Council before the house of the peoples representatives; this was named the Ninety-Two Resolutions. The emergence of nationalism in Lower Canada was unavoidable after the war of 1812. Subsequently, this nationalism provoked the Ninety-Two Resolutions: “A stupendous series of resolutions for submission to the house of assembly, declaratory of the grievances of which the French party in Lower Canada complained.” This would later be the cause for the eruption of the Lower Canadian Rebellions of 1837-38.
The rejection of the Partie Patriotes Ninety-Two Resolution was the triggering event that drove Lower Canadians to armed protesting, causing the Rebellion of 1837. In general, the Partie Patriotes Ninety-Two Resolutions fought for the control of public revenues and a responsible government. However, in March 1837, the Russell Resolutions rejected all the major demands of