Canada and the Durham Report 1837-40

Question 1

When was the Durham Report published?

Answer 1

February 1839

Question 2

What was the key theme of the Durham Report?

Answer 2

responsible self-government

Question 3

What Act created Upper and Lower Canada?

Answer 3

1791 Constitutional Act

Question 4

Which of Upper and Lower Canada had a significant French population?

Answer 4

Lower Canada

Question 5

Name the two other colonies of Canada (ie not Lower or Upper Canada).

Answer 5

Nova Scotia
Newfoundland

Question 6

When did the Upper Canada revolt begin?

Answer 6

December 1837

Question 7

When did the Lower Canada revolt begin?

Answer 7

November 1837

Question 8

What was the term that was used to describe a small group of men who controlled the Upper Canada executive council from 1810s to 1840s?

Answer 8

Family Compact

Question 9

Did the American War of Independence have more effect on Upper or Lower Canada?

Answer 9

Upper, as was close rest of North America and lots of loyalists settled there to take advantage of free land.

Question 10

Who chose the member of the executive councils in Upper and Lower Canada?

Answer 10

The lieutenant governors

Question 11

Who appointed the lieutenant governors of Upper and Lower Canada?

Answer 11

British government

Question 12

Who were responsible for raising taxes in each of Upper and Lower Canada?

Answer 12

legislative assemblies

Question 13

How were the legislative assemblies of Upper and Lower Canada appointed?

Answer 13

elected by fairly wide franchise of land-owning males

Question 14

Who had to approve laws passed by legislative assemblies in Upper Canada or Lower Canada?

Answer 14

Legislative councils who were appointed for life

Question 15

What economic issues faced Upper Canada?

Answer 15

lack of infrastructure
small population from which to raise tax revenues

Question 16

What was the population of Upper Canada in 1835?

Answer 16

350,000

Question 17

Although most of land of Upper Canada was free for Crown to keep or give to settlers, what was one-seventh designated as?

Answer 17

Clergy Reserves ie profits from sale or rent were supporting the Anglican Church in the province

Question 18

What was the system of land ownership in Lower Canada?

Answer 18

feudal system with land granted to a seigneur who rented to tenants who subsistence farmed

Question 19

What was the principal language of Lower Canada?

Answer 19

French

Question 20

What was the Chateau Clique?

Answer 20

group of wealthy (mainly British) families in Lower Canada who controlled power through executive council

Question 21

What was the name given to supporters of reform to the system of political power in Lower Canada?

Answer 21

patriotes

Question 22

Who was the governor of Lower Canada 1820-28?

Answer 22

Lord Dalhousie (the one who was then posted to India)

Question 23

What did the 1791 Constitution allow for French-Canadians?

Answer 23

• religious freedom
• preservation of their system of land tenure

Question 24

What four key things did the Quebec Act 1774 do?

Answer 24

• incorporated New France into British Empire
• guaranteed religious freedom to French-Canadians
• allowed Catholic Church to collect tithes
• maintained French laws in civil matters, eg land tenure system and division of land for inheritance rather than going to oldest son

Question 25

Why was the Canada Committee formed in 1828?

Answer 25

to report to British Government on grievances in Canadas and suggest remedies

Question 26

What did the Howick Act 1831 do?

Answer 26

transferred revenue from duties on Canadian goods to control of local assemblies in the provinces

Question 27

Why was the Howick Act 1831 agreed by British parliament?

Answer 27

belief that American Revolution stemmed purely from taxation issues so everything would be OK if Canada in financial control

Question 28

What were the four short-term issues that caused the revolt in Upper Canada?

Answer 28

* more radical voices within Reform Party * impoverished new emigrants arising in 1830s * actions of Colborne and then Head as lieutenant governors * results of 1836 election

Question 29

Who organised the 1837 rebellion in Upper Canada?

Answer 29

William Lyon Mackenzie

Question 30

What was the Ops Township Scheme?

Answer 30

It administered official help by the Upper Canada government for poor immigrants, eg temporary shelters and cheap supplies.

Question 31

What action caused Sir John Colborne to be removed from role as lieutenant governor of Upper Canada in 1835?

Answer 31

allocation of income from clergy reserves to ongoing support of 44 Anglican parishes to further establish the Anglican Church

Question 32

What was the key outcome of the 1836 election in Upper Canada?

Answer 32

Reformers removed from legislative assembly

Question 33

When was the revolt in Upper Canada?

Answer 33

December 1837

Question 34

What happened in the revolt in Upper Canada?

Answer 34

Several hundred poorly armed and organised rebels exchanged gunfire with some loyalistsl, most rebels fled, three days later the rest fled after loyalist reinforcements arrived from Toronto, many to America.

Question 35

What were the three short-term causes of the revolt in Lower Canada?

Answer 35

* leadership of patriotes by Papineau * economic and social issues * Gosford Commission of Enquiru and decisions resulting from it

Question 36

Who led the Patriot Party in the 1820s and 1830s?

Answer 36

Louis-Joseph Papineau

Question 37

What were the *92 Resolutions*? (not asking for a list!)

Answer 37

long list of political demands of the patriotes

Question 38

Who drafted the *92 Resolutions*?

Answer 38

Louis-Joseph Papineau

Question 39

How many *Russell Resolutions* were there?

Answer 39

10

Question 40

What were the *Russell Resolutions*? (not asking for a list)

Answer 40

Resolutions passed by British House of Commons relating to political demands of Lower Canada

Question 41

How many patriotes ended up in Montreal jails due to the Lower Canada revolt?

Answer 41

500

Question 42

How many rebels were estimated to be involved in the Lower Canada revolt?

Answer 42

10,000 (though largest gatherings were only about 1,000)

Question 43

During what period was martial law in force in Lower Canada?

Answer 43

December 1837 to April 1838

Question 44

Which was the only Durham Report recommendation that became law soon afterwards?

Answer 44

unification of Upper and Lower Canada

Question 45

Which province of Canada first got self-government and when?

Answer 45

Nova Scotia in 1848

Question 46

Which relevant people group did Durham not mention in his report?

Answer 46

native Americans

Question 47

What two things made Lord Durham popular in Canada?

Answer 47

* consulted widely and speedily with the population * publically discounted the views of those who previously had executive power - he removed the executive council and replaced with own advisers

Question 48

How long was Lord Durham in Canada before he resigned?

Answer 48

4.5 months

Question 49

What happened to political prisoners under Durham?

Answer 49

He pardoned most but banished the "most guilty" to Bermuda

Question 50

What was the *Bill of Indemnity*?

Answer 50

bill in British parliament declaring Lord Durham's actions re political prisoners illegal

Question 51

Why did Lord Durham resign?

Answer 51

* During debates on Bill of Indemnity, Lord Melbourne (prime minister) didn't defend Durham so he felt undermined * He may also have been suffering from ill health.

Question 52

Name two of Lord Durham's key advisers.

Answer 52

Gibbon Wakefield (a convicted criminal) Charles Buller

Question 53

What was Wakefield's theory of *systematic colonisation*?

Answer 53

Land should be sold to immigrants are relatively high price (rather than given away or sold cheaply), as this would benefit the economy of a colony both through raising money and because would only attract settlers who could afford it.

Question 54

Why did Lord Durham think uniting Lower and Upper Canada was a good idea?

Answer 54

to weaken influence of French-Canadians (who he thought had caused the problems in Lower Canada)

Question 55

Why did Upper Canada vote for unification?

Answer 55

* Lower Canada in better economic position * British settlers would be in majority

Question 56

Why was there little Lower Canada opposition to unification?

Answer 56

rebels in exile assembly suspended

Question 57

Why was Lord Durham's report important to the empire in general?

Answer 57

It led to responsible self-government in many parts of the empire settled by whites so kept Empire together (as if not allowed to self-govern would probably have left the Empire like USA)