Canadian Identity: History and Evolution

A Complex Identity

• People are more complex than just gender, hair colour, and mannerisms.
• The more you know about humans, the better you understand them.
• Countries and cultures are intricate.
• Canada's complex identity includes it being the second largest country, having 600 First Nation groups, and a varying East Coast from West.

An Emerging Identity

• Identity evolves over time, rooted in history.
• Between 1763 and 1850, identity became more complex through war, immigration, migration, and new values and traditions.
• Identity often leads to stereotypes of groups.

Rebellion in the Thirteen Colonies

• The rebellion began in 1775 in the Thirteen Colonies.
• Conflict forced many to flee as refugees seeking shelter in the North.
• Refugees altered the look of British North America.

Growing Restless

• The Thirteen Colonies were prosperous but growing tired of life under British rule, which restricted trade and imposed high taxes.
• The Quebec Act (1774) gave the Ohio Valley to Quebec instead of the Thirteen Colonies.
• The War of Independence began in April 1775.
• Americans expected Canadiens to help an invasion of Quebec which failed though the war continued.
• Great Britain acknowledged the United States of America in 1783; The United States recognizes in 1776.

Invaders or Liberators

• Americans believed Canadiens would see them as liberators because they were seen as oppressed.
• The Quebec Act, which favored keeping fur trade French, gave the seigneurs government influence, and allowed the French to be Catholic and habitants to keep the French language.
• Invasion of Quebec failed because of a massive snowstorm and Americans getting lost in maze of Quebec City.

Citizens Loyal to the King

• Not everyone in the Thirteen Colonies supported Americans; ½ remained loyal to Britain.
• United Empire Loyalists remained loyal because they didn't want to use violence, they had business with Britain, they were former British soldiers, enslaved African Americans looking for freedom, or First Nations who lost land to Americans.
• Americans viewed loyalists as traitors, taking away land and possessions, and inflicting physical punishment and jail time.
• Loyalists fled north as refugees.

Loyalists Head to Nova Scotia

• 40,000 Loyalists migrated, with many going to Nova Scotia, doubling its population.
• Britain promised free land and supplies to Loyalists, with those who fought being benefitted and others getting nothing.
• Black Loyalists faced worse conditions: less and poor farming land, tenant farming by paying rent to farm fertile land, and racism.

New Colonies

• Loyalists remained unhappy in Nova Scotia and wanted their own colony.
• In 1784, Nova Scotia divided; the West became New Brunswick, Cape Breton became a separate colony, and Ile Saint-Jean renamed Prince Edward Island.

The Loyalists Come to Quebec

• Loyalists also went to Quebec temporarily.
• Language and religion were unfamiliar to them and the best land was taken.
• In 1784, The Quebec governor, Sir Frederick Haldimand gave Loyalists land along the upper St. Lawrence River and northern shore of Lake Ontario.
• The land promised by Haldimand belonged to Anishinabe.
• Haldimand purchased land between 1781 and 1783.

Land, Identity, and the First Nations

• Paid with guns and other goods.
• Anishinabe didn't view land ownership same way as Europeans; Everyone should share and they thought they were only giving permission to use land.
• First Nations in the United States who refused to give up land were forced to and Britain used force against Anishinabe?.
• The land is essential to life and belonging.
• First Nations lost land, so Mohawk land was promised to Mohawk Loyalists.
• After war, land west of Mississippi was given to Americans despite promise to Mohawks
• Mohawk leader, Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) negotiated for land north of Lake Erie.

Building a Bilingual Country

• Most Loyalists were English speaking and needed their own colony to survive, along with their traditions and customs.
• The Constitution Act of 1791 divided Quebec into two; West of Ottawa River becomes Upper Canada (upstream) and East of Ottawa River becomes Lower Canada (downstream), both with elected assemblies.
• French kept all their rights (Quebec Act) and French and English co-exist.

Conflict Renewed: The War of 1812

• After a period of peace, tensions rose again between Britain and the USA, leading to the War of 1812 and affecting all of North America.
• Britain, at war with France, prevented Americans from trading with French, kidnapped American sailors to serve for Britain, and supported First Nations in land struggles.
• Americans wanted British colonies.
• Tecumseh (Shawnee leader) led an army of about 3000 in the Ohio Valley and allied with the British at Battle of Detroit and died at Moraviantown.

The War Unfolds

• British soldiers, the militia, and First Nations fought American invaders in April 1813
• Americans bombarded York (Toronto), looted shops and homes, and burned down government buildings.
• British retaliated in August 1814 and invaded Washington DC.

The Impact of the War

• The War ended in deadlock.
• The Treaty of Ghent officially ended the War in December 1814, with both sides returning gained territory and agreeing to make the 49th parallel a political boundary, from the Great Lakes to the Rockies.
• Americans and Upper/Lower Canada viewed it as a win, but the First Nations claimed no victory.
• 15,000 died and they didn't get the British proposed First Nation state.

The Great Migration

• Open up the backwoods, bringing in Irish, Scots, English, and Welsh.
• 1815 to 1850 saw 800,000 immigrants arrive.
• People came because of scarce jobs in England, farmland being taken away, poverty and hunger (Irish famine), safer ocean travel, and free land and new opportunities in the colonies.
• The journey from England to Canada took weeks, with immigrants crowded in darkness below deck and disease common.
• Ships were called "coffin ships".

The Terrible Year

• 30,000 immigrants arrived annually, ¹⁄3 from Ireland.
• In 1847, Irish immigration exploded to 100,000 because the potato crop failed.
• Typhus broke out on ships and thousands died on route.
• Thousands more died at Quarantine Stations at Grosse-Île and 5,424 died in 1847 alone.

Pioneer Life

• People left the ship, and made way inland to plot of land.
• Challenges: Clear the dense forest, rugged environment, and harsh climate.
• New industries arose, such as logging and mining.

A Very British Colony

• Towns emerged around farming communities with labourers, servants, doctors, teachers, loggers, and miners.
• Newcomers were British and brought customs, traditions, British entertainment, and the English language.

The Underground Railway

• Slavery existed in New France and the Loyalists brought slaves with them.
• In 1792, Upper Canada began phasing out slavery and banned it in all British colonies by 1833.
• Colonies were seen as a safe haven and Canada was seen as a 'land of promise'.
• Slaves went north via the Underground Railroad, a secret network, where "conductors" used the cover of darkness to move slaves.
• Those who went to help a slave could have gone to jail but it was worth the risk.
• 30,000 slaves used the Underground Railroad to reach freedom.
• In 1865, slavery ended in the USA and approximately 15,000 returned from Canada, while the rest stayed to build farms, schools, and churches, creating owned communities and unique identities.

Divided Society

• Population explosion and increased population led to tensions.

Government in the Colonies

• The Constitution Act of 1791 gave the colonies new governments and each colony had its own elected assembly and governor.
• Legislative Assembly (Upper Canada) was elected, but had little power and the Government had real power.
• Council members made up of friends and family: Chateau Clique (Lower Canada) and Family Compact (Upper Canada).
• Reformers saw this as unfair and demanded change.

Rebellion in Lower Canada

• People were unhappy by the 1830s.
• The Partiotes (led by Louis-Joseph Papineau) presented the Ninety-Two Resolutions (1834), calling for sweeping change (won 75% of vote).
• Britain rejected ALL demands.
• Papineau urged Canadiens to fight and fighting happened in 1837 at Saint-Denis.
• The British crushed the uprising and Papineau fled to USA.

Rebellion in Upper Canada

• William Lyon Mackenzie led reformers.
• In 1834, the Seventh Report on Grievances listing demands was issued.
• In 1837, 700 rebels headed to Toronto to topple government.
• The rebellion was suppressed by the British and Mackenzie fled to USA, the unrest continued.

The Impact of the Rebellions

• Only a few hundred people took part but it had a lasting impact.
• They thought Lower Canada and Upper Canada were wronged and now had common goals.

Democracy and the Secret Ballot

• Voting in British North America was public and voters announced the name they were voting for.
• Influence over voters was common and they used bribery, threats and empty promises.
• Voting remained public until 1874 when secret ballots came in and secret ballots still exist today.

The Road to Responsible Government

• Reformers and patriotes shared a common complaint that the governor and councils aren't following the will of people.
• British responded to ignore the wishes of those in colonies or meet the demands of the people who are electing members to represent them.

Lord Durham's Report

• British became concerned about rebellions.
• In 1838, Lord Durham, a wealthy British noble and politician, came to Canada to find answers.
• He spent 5 months in Canada and made two recommendations that Upper and Lower Canada should unite into one colony and be granted responsible government.

The Union of the Canadas

• Durham blamed Lower Canada problems on conflict and showed prejudice by calling Canadiens “a people with no history and no literature", and failed to credit Canadien for contributing to Canada and failed to recognize Canadien.
• Durham wanted to remove French language and unite the two colonies and that British society would absorb French
• Britain agreed.

Achieving Responsible Government

• 1841, the Act of Union created the single colony: Lower Canada became Canada East and Upper Canada became Canada West and becomes only official language.
• Canadiens were unhappy.
• It elected representatives who started representing the citizens
• The Governor would follow wishes and was kept in check.
• The British opposed the idea of responsible government so the Reformers win election.
• In 1848, Lord Elgin becomes governor.
• Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine lead Reformers and advise Elgin
• In 1849, the Rebellion Losses Bill passes even without Elgin liking it.
• Responsible government is reality