Today In HistoryFebruary 12th

1949 – Team Canada Beats Denmark 47-0 in hockey.

1982 – Wayne Gretzky scores 153rd point of season, tying the NHL season scoring record

Its also Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin’s birthday.

The Life and Times of Upper Canada

TODAYS TOPICS:

• Who headed the government in Upper Canada? • What were the sources of discontent in Upper Canada? • Who were the Tories and the Reformers? • Who was William Lyon Mackenzie? • What happened in the Rebellion in Upper Canada?• What resulted?

Leadership in Upper Canada

• THE UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS were originally Americans who had settled in British North America because they opposed the American Revolution against Britain.

• THE FAMILY COMPACT: United Empire Loyalists from the highest social class. They Controlled the government of Upper Canada.

• THE GOVERNOR, also a loyalist appointed by the government in England, appointed all these officials. He also was the head of the military, decided where colony money was spent, and gave land grants

• OLIGARCHY: Rule by a small group of people.

John Strachan: Member of the Family Compact and Anglican Bishop. Founded Upper Canada College and also a University that is now known as the University of Toronto.

Why Were They Mad inUpper Canada? • Land was granted by the Governor

to the people. The Governor was a loyalist and so was the FAMILY COMPACT

• They are buddies SO all the best land is granted to the FAMILY COMPACT and their friends.

• The Family Compact in many cases did not use the land for farming and it lay unused. They were waiting to sell it as demand grew higher.

• LESS THAN 10% OF LAND WAS PRODUCING CROPS.

1. The Way Land Was Granted to Settlers

Why Were They Mad in Upper Canada? • 1/7th of all of the useable

land in Upper Canada were given to the ANGLICAN CHURCH.

• Anglican Church was a loyalist institution from England.

• Did not use most of their land either. Did not build roads through them making it hard for farmers to bring their crops through massive reserves.

• Made TRANSPORTATION difficult.

2. Clergy Reserves

Why Were They Mad in Upper Canada? • The government in Upper

Canada built CANALS with taxpayer money which benefitted the Family Compact.

• Had fish and could sell the fish to the people for HIGH prices.

• The government encouraged PRIVATE BUSINESS and divvied out free land and huge loans to these businesses.

• Farmers didn't’t get any money or land.

3. Money Was Being Made but the People Never Got Any

Tories and Reformers..What’s

the Difference? TORIES: Tories wanted to

“conserve” or keep the existing form of

government. They support the FAMILY COMPACT.

REFORMERS: The Reformers wanted the system of

government changed or reformed so that ordinary

people had more influence. They are more liberal and

want RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT

William Lyon Mackenzie: A RADICAL REFORMER in Upper

Canada• William Lyon Mackenzie was the

leader of the rebellions in Upper Canada and wanted change right away.

• He used his newspaper The Colonial Advocate, to demand change against the British Government and Family Compact.

• He was a supporter of the American Revolution and the republic it created, so he went out to accomplish the same thing in Upper Canada.

Governor and Less Intense Radicals Get Worried• Some less radical reformers

become worried that Mackenzie is going too far and is testing the Governor.

• New Governor in 1836, SIR FRANCIS BOND HEAD says “ A vote for the Reformers is a vote against Britain,” and takes away all the Reformer seats in the Assembly.

• LAST STRAW FOR MACKENZIE

Upper Canada Rebellion: Dec. 5, 1837• Assembly attempted to reprimand Bond

Head for aligning himself with the family compact. He dissolved the Assembly.

• REBELLION BEGINS

• Mackenzie trains farmers to be fighters

• Mackenzie plans to seize weapons and ammunition, take the government prisoner, and set up a new government.

• Reformers gather at Montgomery’s Tavern and march, 500 strong on Toronto armed with pitchforks, staffs, clubs, and guns.

• The first rebel flank fired and then dropped to the ground when they met Bondhead’s Loyalist troops. The flank behind them thought they had all been shot and fled the scene.

Failed Rebellion!• Mackenzie flees to

American soil.

• Mackenzie’s leading supporters are captured, convicted, and sentenced to hang.

• Ninety-two other rebels are sent to British prisons in Australia.

• 25,000 citizens from Upper Canada leave for the U.S after the rebellion.