POG 110 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: American Revolutionary War, Quebec Act, The Elected
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POG110- Midterm
Lecture 1
Visions of Canada
Visions of Canada
Vision 1- regionalism
Vision 2- French/English Canada
Vision 3- Three people in Canada; English, French and Aboriginal
Vision 4- Canada as individuals not groups
Lecture 2
History and confederation
Pre-confederation
- First Nations were first people in Canada
- European settlement then came
Seven years’ war
- Massive war in which empires all fought against each other
- Took place in Europe, Asia and Africa
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
- British and French fought over New Quebec, Britain won and both generals passed
- Let French inhabitants stay but the French have little power
Treaty of Paris
- Ended the seven years’ war between European countries
- Signed by France, Britain and Spain
- France gave up Canada to Britain, Spain gave up territories to Britain as well
- As part of treaty, Britain does not boot out French inhabitants because does not want
another war and we will let them keep religion and language
- Americans unhappy Britain is allowing Quebec to keep their language
Post war developments
Quebec Act
- British set out rules that had to be followed in Quebec
- Guaranteed that Catholics can practice religion, French civil system will stay in Quebec
alongside British common law
- The Quebec Act did not create an elected assembly, but had a council to advise the
government which was appointed by Britain
- Governor also appointed by Britain, did not speak English along with council while
Quebec is predominantly French speakers
- Aimed to keep Canadians loyal to Britain
American Revolution
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
- War between American colonies and Britain because colonies unhappy about being taxed
by Britain and not having British representation (cannot be taxed without representation)
- Heavy taxes on tea so rather than paying, throw tea in ocean, British punish Americans
by closing port of Boston and more
- Revolution began and Quebecers did not participate because their language and religion
was being protected
- Argued that the revolution strengthened British colonies loyalty to the crown
- Canada did not receive mass immigration even though British won seven years’ war,
there is a boom in population when American loyalists come up because they did not like
revolution
Constitutional Act (1791)
- Passed to give loyalists and people of Quebec same rights as the rest of British North
America
- Gives colony of Canada representative government, appointed legislative council, and
elected assembly
- Separated Canada into Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) with
representative government in both colonies
Representative government
- Elected officials represent group
- Still have strong ties to Britain because they’re appointed by Britain and not elected
- The elected assembly is the only one with the potential to be French but does not have
real power- no authority over appointed body and officials
- Rebellions start in Upper and Lower Canada which is brought down, so British send
someone to resolve the matter
- Demanded more power for elected assembly
Durham Report
- Lord Durham, British politician sent to investigate causes of rebellions
- Recommended that Upper and Lower Canada be reunited- he hoped this would lead to
assimilation of Francophones into Anglophones
- Recommended a responsible government- executive (cabinet) is responsible to an
elected, legislated body and can only stay in office as long as majority support it
- Elected assembly now has a link to government and is responsible for keeping assembly
happy
- Each colony is given decision making power
- Merge Upper and Lower Canada so debt of Upper Canada can be paid off with help of
Lower Canada
- French voted as a block, English voted in Liberals, Conservatives etc.
- Seats not divided equally and French speakers denied request for equal representation
even though there are 650 000 French and 450 000 English
Road to confederation
- Reason for confederation was because of political problems with governing Canada
encouraged looking to a larger union to avoid political problems in Canada
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find more resources at oneclass.com
- Economic- creates a large domestic market by financing a railway link across Canada
which is beneficial for trade within Canada, there are no tariffs for Canadian goods going
to Britain so the US would export goods through Canada
- Political- Pre confederation, double majority rule after confederation made it easier to
pass laws
- Military- in case America tried to attack Canada, easier for colonies to defend themselves
in a union from potential American invasions
Confederation
- Charlottetown conference- delegates from Canada attended a conference with Maritimes
leaders to discuss united British North American colonies
- Quebec conference- conference in Quebec City where resolutions adopted to unite
- Power of central government-
- British North America Act passed based on resolutions of colonial leaders
- Opposition to confederation- majority of Nova Scotia opposed union, French Quebecers
opposed it as well fearing language and religion security, Maritimes feared being
- dominated by Ontario and Quebec
Principles of confederation
- First principle- federalism: power divided between at least two federal governments
- POGG- responsibility for power over good government
1. Residuary power
2. National dimension
3. Emergency power
4. Federal paramountcy
British Parliamentary System
- Second principle
- Three parts- structure (house of commons, senate, crown (monarchy)
- House of commons- 338 representatives sit in commons, elected, based on presence by
population, common people (elected officials)
- Senate- upper chamber, senate powerful in theory but not in practice, have some
important responsibilities but more responsibilities than power, appointed by PM
- Crown- constitutional monarchy, constitution lays out rules, also a monarchy, things are
the way they are because of the way they were, we still have a crown and monarch
- For anything to become a bill, it must first start in house where it is voted on, then senate,
then monarch and monarch signs it (giving the bill royal consent)
Ministerial responsibility
- Ministers being held responsible for their department and they are responsible for the
actions of their ministry and department and could possible lose their job (responsible to
parliament)
- Adds accountability to ministry
- Some ministers bigger than other and had for a minister to be responsible for whole
departments (Joe Clark refused to step down over immigration ministry)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Vision 3- three people in canada; english, french and aboriginal. First nations were first people in canada. Massive war in which empires all fought against each other. Took place in europe, asia and africa. British and french fought over new quebec, britain won and both generals passed. Let french inhabitants stay but the french have little power. Ended the seven years" war between european countries. France gave up canada to britain, spain gave up territories to britain as well. As part of treaty, britain does not boot out french inhabitants because does not want another war and we will let them keep religion and language. Americans unhappy britain is allowing quebec to keep their language. British set out rules that had to be followed in quebec. Guaranteed that catholics can practice religion, french civil system will stay in quebec alongside british common law.
