Defining+the+State+and+Society+and+Road+to+the+Rebellion

__ Competing Visions __
After the loyalist migration there were two races, two religions and two beliefs on the role of the colonies. This was caused by the differences between the French and English settlers in Quebec Colony. In Britain a new theory was beginning to emerge. It stated the colonies were expensive, difficult to defend, impossible to manage, and likely to desire independance. This was countered by the mercantile attitude that colonies were necessary for the well being of the mother country. Advocates of the mercantile system suggested that the cause of the American Revolution was not taxation but that the elected assemblies of the Thirteen colonies had become too powerful and challenged imperial rule. Because of this a change in the style of government was suggested.

The Suggested System: The new system would set up a mirror image of the British system in the colonies.

__**British System**__ - Crown - Cabinet - House of Lords - House of Commons __**Colonial System**__ - Governer - Executive Council - Legislative Council - Legislative Assembly

__**What did it all mean?**__
 * Governer:** The crown representitive
 * Executive Council:** appointed for life, the advisors of the Governer
 * Legislative Council:** appointed for life had to approve any legislation after the Legislative Assembly
 * Legislative Assembly:** had little power but was expected by the Loyalists

This creates a Representative Government. Representative government is praticed when the public elects persons to act on its behalf in deliberations surronding political decision making. Those elected representatives are periodically accountable to the public. This was not the case in Upper and Lower Canada.
 * __Type of Government__**


 * How it worked:** In fact the Governer General acted ad Governer for Lower Canada and the Lieutenant-Governer was his aid. The Lieutenant-Governer of Upper Canada was nearly independant of the Governer General. One seventh of the land was reserved for the government to avoid the assembly gaining power.

LOWER CANADA: In Lower Canada many of the provisions of the Quebec Act were followed.

These included: - French Civil Act - Seigneurial System - The governer general could grant free hold tenur in Lower Canada - Freedom of Religion - The French did not mind the institution of the Legislative Assembly because they were able to dominate it. The only opponents were the English- Protestant minority as they were unable to dominate the assembly.

UPPER CANADA: Upper Canada operated without the provisions of the Quebec Act.

The Consititutional Act created many grievances in both Upper and Lower Canada. Reform movements challenged the oligarchy, known as the "Family Compact". Canada reformers believed the society needed a government that represented the interest of the general population, not a wealthy elite. Women and First Nations peoples were not permitted to vote. Property qulifications restricted the number of males. Members of the elected assemblies were not paid, only the rich could afford to be in government. Electorial practices were created. Polling was centeralized in the chief market towns, which limited the number of voters. Voting was frequently manipulted by election officials in favour of one candidate. Balloting was open to public scrutiny rather than conducted in secret. Voters were often being bribed or intimidated during the public balloting.
 * Government: The Exercise of Privilege**

__**Reform in Lower Canada**__ Leader: Joesph Louis Papineau He was well educated, trained, in British Law and dedicated French-Canadian. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1815-1817. His tool of Reform was the power of purse. The Assembly used their pwoer to block bills that would help English merchants in Lower Canada. Tensions between the English and French in Lower Canada increased. Papineau wanted to reform the colony by forming an elective Legislative Council similar to the American Senate. His radicalsim scared away the moderate reformers and caused the clergy not to back his reforms. Papineau was able to remain popular. After confrontations with the governer and several assemblies were disbanded leading to a revolt in Lower Canada. The English fought the French to gain control of the government. The revolt failed because the army was prepared to act while the rebels were not.

__**Reform in Upper Canada**__ Leader: William Lyon Mackenzie The Refomers in Upper Canada mostly opposed the Family Compact (an elite group of families that controlled Upper Canada). Mackenzie used the newspaper, The Colonial Advocate to harass the Family Compact. Mackenzie was expelled from a Family Compact dominated Assembly but was re-elected all four times. - His popularity increased each time Mackenzie wanted an elected Legislative Council. His fellow reformer advocated an Executive Council responsible to the Legislative Assembly. After a crushing defeat in the election of 1836 the radicals were driven to rebellion. Rebel forces tried to seize the City Hall and weapons stored there and then to overthrow the government. The group was intercepted and dispersed by loyal militia and Mackenzie fled to the United States.