GOVERNING THE PEOPLES OF BRITISH NORTH
AMERICA
THE ROYAL PROCLAMATION OF 1763
Reserved the western interior for the First Nations
Reduced the size of Quebec
Introduced government by a Governor and Counsel appointed by the
British Monarch.
Promised an Elected Assembly.
Introduced the British Legal System.
Summary- Good for First Nations (first treaty) Bad for French
THE QUEBEC ACT OF 1774
Enlarged the size of Quebec.
Did not provide for an elected assembly.
Opened the appointed council to French Canadians.
Re-established French Civil Law.
Retained the Seigneurial System.
Re-introduced the Tithe
United Empire LOYALISTS
The Loyalists were the
first large group of
English speaking
settlers to come to
what is now Canada
(about 50,000 came)
They came in the
1780's from the
Thirteen Colonies
in the United
States.
They were people who remained
loyal to Britain during the American
War of Independence 1776 - 1783
(they did not want the U.S to become
an independent country).
Because of their loyalty to Britain they
became REFUGEES and were
FORCED to leave the U.S. (they were
beaten and even executed in some
cases, had their homes and property
confiscated, put into jail etc).
They settled mostly in Upper Canada
(Ontario), Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick (which was made an
independent colony in 1784 as a
home for the Loyalists)
Once they arrived in
Canada the British
government helped them
to settle by giving them
things like land, crop
seeds, fabric to make
clothing, and tools.
4 Main Groups of Loyalists
Civilian Loyalists
Soldier Loyalists
Native Loyalists
Black Loyalists
1) Civilian Loyalists
Mostly farmers and merchants,
majority came from the Northeastern
U.S (Connecticut, New York, Vermont,
Massachusetts, etc.)
Settled in Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick and Upper Canada
2) Soldier Loyalists
Soldiers who fought for Britain in
the American War of
Independence- known as "Butler's
Rangers'
Settled mostly in Upper Canada
3) Native Loyalists
Members of the Iroquois Confederacysupported Britain in the war because the
Americans were taking away their land and
destroying their villages
Lead by Joseph Brant, they were eventually
forced to flee to the Grand River area in
Upper Canada
4) Black Loyalists
Mostly slaves from the southern U.S (Virginia, Alabama,
Georgia etc.)
British promised them freedom and protection in Canada in
exchange for deserting their rebel masters (which was very
dangerous)
Most settled in Nova Scotia where they continued to face
discrimination- some eventually left N. America to establish a
new nation of free slaves in West Africa (Sierra Leone)
The Constitutional Act 1791
Divided the colony into two sections: Upper and Lower Canada
Provided for each colony to be governed by an appointed governor
and council and an elected assembly.
Reserved land to pay for the expenses of government (Crown
Reserves) and for the maintenance of the Protestant Church.
Provided British legal and landholding systems for Upper Canada.
Preserved French-Catholic rights in Lower Canada.
