Consequences of the American Revolution and the War of 1812

Consequences of the American Revolution

• Recap of the American Revolution:
  • The United States declared independence on July 4, 1776.
  • Great Britain officially acknowledged their existence with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
• Loyalist Immigration to Canada:
  • The American Revolution led to a significant influx of Loyalists into Canada.
  • These British colonists wished to remain loyal to the King and migrated to the Province of Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The Birth of a Loyalist Colony

• Loyalist Dissatisfaction in Nova Scotia:
  • Loyalists arriving in Nova Scotia felt distinct from the existing colonists.
  • Most existing colonists favored a democratic government, while Loyalists were staunch monarchists.
• Creation of New Brunswick:
  • Loyalists petitioned the British government for their own colony.
  • In 1784, King George III divided Nova Scotia to create the Loyalist colony of New Brunswick.

Impact of Loyalists on the Province of Quebec

• Cultural and Political Differences:
  • The arrival of thousands of Loyalists in the Province of Quebec highlighted their differences from the French-Canadians.
  • Loyalists were English colonists, while the inhabitants of Quebec were primarily French-speaking and culturally French, but living under British rule.
• Constitutional Act of 1791:
  • The British Parliament decided to divide the Province of Quebec into two parts via the Constitutional Act of 1791.
  • One part was designated for French-Canadians, and the other for Loyalists.
• Division of Quebec:
  • The Province of Quebec was divided into Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) for the Loyalists and Lower Canada (present-day Quebec) for the French-Canadians.

The Constitutional Act of 1791

Upper Canada (Loyalists)

• Government Structure:
  • A Lieutenant-Governor was in charge of Upper Canada; in 1791, this was John Graves Simcoe.
  • The government included:
    • A Legislative Assembly elected by the people.
    • A Legislative Council composed of 15 individuals appointed for life.
    • An Executive Council composed of 9 individuals appointed for life.
  • The Governor-General of Upper and Lower Canada (Guy Carleton) had veto power over any law proposed by the Assembly or the Councils.
• Population and Demographics:
  • At its creation, Upper Canada had approximately 10,000 Loyalists, primarily English speakers.
• Legal and Land Systems:
  • English civil and criminal laws (Common Law) were implemented.
  • "Clergy Reserves" were created: lands allocated to the Anglican Church.
  • The remaining lands were divided into townships.

Lower Canada (French-Canadians)

• Government Structure:
  • A Governor-General was in charge of Lower Canada; in 1791, this was Guy Carleton.
  • The government included:
    • A Legislative Assembly elected by the people.
    • A Legislative Council composed of 15 individuals appointed for life.
    • An Executive Council composed of 9 individuals appointed for life.
  • The Governor-General of both Upper and Lower Canada had veto power.
• Population and Demographics:
  • The population consisted of approximately 160,000 citizens, predominantly French-speaking.
• Legal and Land Systems:
  • French civil laws were maintained (seigneurial system).
  • English criminal laws were maintained (Common Law).

The War of 1812

• Emergence of National Unity:
  • The provinces of Lower Canada, Upper Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland faced a common enemy: the United States of America.

Causes of the War of 1812

• Napoleonic Era:
  • In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power in France.
  • In 1800, he acquired Louisiana from Spain and sold it to the United States in 1803 for $15,000,000$ to finance his wars.
  • Great Britain declared war against France in 1803.
• American Neutrality and Impressment:
  • The United States remained neutral until 1807, but their quality of life deteriorated.
  • The British Navy intercepted French ships trading with the United States.
  • Britain began kidnapping American citizens and forcing them into the British Navy (impressment).
• Strategic Considerations:
  • Knowing that the Americans had insufficient ships to challenge Britain in the Atlantic (16 vs. 400), they aimed to retaliate by attacking Upper and Lower Canada.
  • On June 12, 1812, President James Madison declared war against Great Britain.

Manifest Destiny

• Concept: The idea that Americans were destined to control all of North America.
• Opportunity: The War of 1812 presented an opportunity for the United States to realize this destiny.
• Thomas Jefferson's Belief: He believed that taking Upper and Lower Canada from the British would be "a mere matter of marching."
• Population Disparity: The American population was 8 million, while the population of Upper Canada, Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland totaled approximately 295,000 (a ratio of 27:1).
• Quote from John O’Sullivan (1845): "The right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us."

Tecumseh

• Shawnee Leader: Chief of the Shawnee nation who formed a military alliance with the British, consulting with General Isaac Brock.
• Capture of Fort Detroit: Together, they captured Fort Detroit from the Americans in August 1812.
• Tactics: Despite being outnumbered, Tecumseh’s warriors and Brock’s soldiers used deceptive tactics (running in all directions in the woods) to make General Hull of the United States believe that they were far more numerous, leading to his capitulation.
• Objective: Tecumseh sought a territory reserved for Indigenous peoples in exchange for his military support.
• Death and Legacy: He died at the Battle of Thames, and his request was never fulfilled.

Isaac Brock

• Victory at Fort Detroit: Known for his victory at Fort Detroit with Tecumseh; much of the success is attributed to the letter he wrote to Hull, making him fearful of the numerous Indigenous warriors at his disposal.
• Death at Queenston Heights: Brock was killed at Queenston Heights (near Niagara Falls) when the Americans attacked the fort. Approximately 80 Indigenous warriors defended Queenston Heights from the American attack.

Tito Lelièvre

• Battle of York: During the Battle of York (present-day Toronto), Lelièvre and his troops were invaded by the Americans.
• Defense of Fort York: Fort York, containing a large storehouse of ammunition, was at risk of falling into American hands.
• Explosion: Lelièvre decided to detonate the munitions, causing a large explosion.
• Sacrifice: Although dozens of British and American soldiers died, Lelièvre prevented the explosives from being used on other British forts and citizens.

Laura Secord

• American Occupation: In 1813, near Queenston in Upper Canada, American soldiers occupied Laura Secord’s house.
• Eavesdropping: During the night, she overheard them planning to attack the British Fort in the region, which could severely jeopardize the British war effort.
• Perilous Journey: Secord decided to risk her life to warn the British army and ran approximately 30 km through the forest.
• Indigenous Assistance: Lost, she encountered Indigenous warriors who escorted her to the British Fort to deliver the warning.
• Counterattack: The British soldiers ambushed the Americans, thwarting the attack.

Charles de Salaberry

• Defense of Montreal: When 4,000 American soldiers invaded toward Montreal, de Salaberry assembled an army of 1,500 French-Canadians, Indigenous warriors, and Black Loyalists to defend the city.
• Ambush: De Salaberry planned an ambush just before the city and a battle ensued. Realizing the Americans greatly outnumbered his forces, he improvised and ordered buglers to run around playing their instruments.
• Deception: This tactic was effective because the Americans believed British reinforcements were arriving. They retreated and did not return.

Treaty of Ghent of 1814

• Signing: Signed on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, this treaty ended the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain.
• Territorial Objectives Abandoned: By signing the treaty, the Americans abandoned their objective of expanding their territory northward into Canada.
• Stipulations:
  • All seized lands were to be returned.
  • Hostilities toward First Nations were to cease on both sides.
  • Great Britain was prohibited from arming Indigenous peoples for military operations against the United States.
• Indigenous Buffer State: The British proposal to create a buffer state for American Indigenous peoples in Ohio and Michigan was rejected after the dissolution of the Indigenous coalition (promise to Tecumseh).