|
Guy Carleton | Jay's
Treaty | Black
Loyalists | Alexander
Mackenzie | Simon Fraser |
David Thompson |
John Graves Simcoe |
Captain George Vancouver |
The Northwest Company |
Prevost's Conciliation |
Tecumseh |
The War of 1812 | Lord Selkirk
| Newfoundland |
Constitution Act 1791
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This act was
the result of William Grenville's attempt to
reorganize the British Colonies in North America
for heritage and governing reasons. The colony
of Quebec was essentially divided into two
separate colonies - Upper Canada (present day
Ontario) and lower Canada (present day Quebec).
This followed the policy established in 1784
when New Brunswick and Cape Breton were created.
The intent of this was to keep the colonies
small, ad dependant upon Britain. Many of the
decisions taken concerning the British North
American |
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colonies during this
period were a direct result of what had happened during
the American Revolution. Many in Parliament believed
that giving the colonial legislatures too much power had
led to their rebellious temperament and Grenville had no
intention of letting this happen again.
This Act was intended
to standardize British Parliamentary traditions and
systems and to ensure that the individual rights and
liberties were maintained through all of the colonies.
It was also a different way to handle the delicate
question of taxation in the colonies. Rather then impose
taxes and levy's from England, the Governor of the
colony was responsible for imposing revenue generating
policies in the colony in conjunction with his appointed
council. This increased the real power of the Governor
and removed Parliament in London from any blame
concerning fiscal and taxation issues in the Canada's.
The appointed council
developed into an upper class ruling autocracy which did
not consider the needs and opinions of the lower and
working class. This would eventually lead to the Two
rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada in the 1830"s.
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