Events that Shaped Canada During 1770-1820

From catastrophe to triumphs, Canada has had many events from 1770 to 1820 that changed Canada as a whole, for good or for bad. Starting with the Quebec act which changed many parts of the political and social aspects of Canadian society. Next is the American War of Independence, which started from 1775 to 1783, it included the splitting of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain. The last event to have affected Canada greatly is the war of 1812, which secured the Canadian identity for a small number of loyalists amongst other things.

Quebec Act

The Quebec Act, passed in 1774 by government, revoked the Royal Proclamation that was created in 1763, intended to gain the loyalty of French Canadians. Firstly this helped to create a new and improved government for the province of Quebec. They did this by revising the structure of the provincial government, having the governor be appointed by the Crown. This governor would be assisted by the legislative council, helping to have a more solid government compared to its predecessor, The Royal Proclamation. It also allowed people who were not French Canadian, to participate in running Quebec. The act also acknowledged French civil laws to allow the Roman Catholic Church to collect tithe, benefiting the seigneurs as well since the seigneurial system was again put into place. The goal of this act was to appease French Canadians. So the act allowed them to freely practice their religion as long as they took allegiance to the king, which improved relations between the colony and. Whereas before, when the Royal Proclamation in place it was intended to assimilate the French Canadians into Culture. The Quebec Act also had its consequences, as too many people of the thirteen colonies it was very unpopular and was known as one of the five ‘intolerable acts’ that were passed by Britain, as the colonists felt betrayed that they were pampering the Roman Catholic Church instead of the interests of the Protestants. The Colonies were also banned from settling in the Ohio valley which also infuriated the protestants, eventually, all of the consequences leading up to the start of the American Revolution. The Quebec Act affected much of North America from the boundaries of the Thirteen Colonies to the governance of Quebec.

The American War of Independence

The American War of Independence occurred from 1775 to 1783, which was the revolution of the Thirteen Colonies where they eventually split off from to become independent and create their own country, the United States of America. Although it sounds as it only affected the Americans it included the Canadians as they are part of Empire, and the Americans attacked and sieged Montreal and Quebec. After the retreat of the Americans from Quebec after a long siege, it left many Canadians with bad memories of American people, so many American sympathizers were kicked out of Quebec. Through the revolution, the Americans left and became independent, otherwise, they may have become part of the Country of Canada instead of the United States of America. The war also caused an influx of United Empire Loyalists, who were people that came from a wide variety of backgrounds. These Loyalists came to Canada as refugees, boosting the population of Canada, influencing the politics and culture of Canada from various backgrounds of the Loyalists, as well as leading to the creation of Upper Canada. The American Revolution brought new culture, diversity to Canada, the leaving of the Thirteen Colonies from under rule to become independent and the distaste of Americans from their invasion of Montreal and Quebec.

The War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a conflict between Britain and the United States. The war was fought in Upper and Lower Canada as well as the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. The war gave Canada a more solidified identity between all the people of Canada, from the civilian soldiers who fought in the war and repelled the American army. In the repelling of these invaders, the First Nations and Canadian forces lost important historical men, Isaac Brock and Tecumseh, who had an alliance creating better relationships between the First Nations and Empire. Isaac Brock who was lost in the battle of Queenston Heights which was the second victory over the Americans, and Tecumseh who died in the Battle of the Thames, which was very disastrous to the First Nations. As Tecumseh’s Confederacy, which bound many of the First Nations together to create unity, fell apart after his death. The War banded together the Coloured Corps, a group composed of free and enslaved black men, many who were veterans of the American War of Independence. These men fought in many important battles, on side, including the battle of Queenston Heights. Unfortunately, the Coloured Corps veterans faced discrimination after fighting honorably in the war as not getting passage home to Africa after requesting, getting half as much land, as well as lower quality when grants were distributed after the war. The Coloured Corps fought bravely and set an example for the making of other black companies in the future. The War of 1812 gave Canada a more collective, closer mind, caused quality leaders to die and started the formation of the first black company.