The American Revolution - 1776-1812

Republican
Someone who does not accept that countries should have monarchs..

New Englanders
Those living in New England from New Jersey to the northern states. (Maine, Vermont, New
York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey.)

Upper Canada & Lower Canada

Upper Canada is up the St Lawrence River -- now part of present day Ontario
Lower Canada is down the St. Lawrence River - now part of present day Quebec
Tarring & Feathering
The royal british citizens were tarred and feathered by the American Patriots.
Tarring and feathering is a form of public torture and humiliation used to enforce
unofficial justice or revenge.

Tories
an American colonist who supported the British side during the American Revolution.

Patriot
Someone who supported the American Revolution.

Scalp lock
A small strip of hair the First Nations kept to remember their heritage.

Royal Proclamation
An announcement/decree by the king that has a force of law. ​The Royal Proclamation forbade
Western migration, it was illegal for people to move West beyond the mountains, in order
to protect Indigenous people.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

It ended the wars between Britain and France, ending all French efforts of colonizing
North America. It forever ends the French presence in North America. There is no
French soil in North America anymore, except for St. Pierre and Miquelon islands (20
kms off the coast of Newfoundland).

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The peace treaty, between Great Britain and United States, which ended the American
Revolution.

The Stamp Act

Taxes on goods and services; the King/Britain imposed this tax. It was called the “stamp act”
because there would be a stamp or peice of paper that recorded the date and the amount of tax
paid.

The Constitutional Act of 1791

The British Parliament that created the border of Upper and Lower Canada.

Black Loyalists
Black slaves that escaped from America to Canada, they became loyalists and were, therefore,
promised freedom.
***
Reading #1 - due January 12
(Do not do Q. 3 & 4)

#5 - look on page 134 for an example.

Reading #1 - Questions (review)

1. The terms from the English and the Americans to Pontiac:

Indigenous People should be used continually; ie. fur trading/distribution of furs,
etc.
Trade goods in exchange for land.
Respect land boundaries; treaty lines.
A promise to continue helping each other, i.e. food supplies.

2. Royal Proclamation​ - To set guidelines for land claims, land use and possession.

5. PMI Chart
Quebec Act: ​Quebec was no longer belonging to France.

QUEBEC ACT
Plus Minus Interesting

Quebec Act was generally No longer part of France.

very generous to the
Quebecers.
Could speak French as
Quebecers
Quebec grew in size.
Recognizes the Catholic
Church; kept French law.
Quebec grew in size -
unfavourable to the U.S.
Made the Protestants
unhappy.
There was a quiet
suppression of Quebecois
culture.

Britain solidifies control.

Seven Years War
England and France Fight for Control of the New World

“Background Notes to the American Revolution”

Origin of the Conflict

● In 1747, several wealthy Virginians established the ​Ohio Company
○ One of the earliest investors was ​George Washington
○ Trying to make money in land speculation and the fur trade (all the land and furs
were in French territory - leading to conflict with both the French & Indigenous
people).
○ **See Map on pg. 299 in textbook
○ Hoped to buy land west of the Appalachian Mountains from England and then
sell it to settlers at a profit.
● The French responded with forts in West Pennsylvania and Ohio to assert sovereignty
and to exclude Englishmen.

(Turn to page 299 in the textbook)

The Effect of the Royal Proclamation

The red line displayed on the map on p. 299 shows what lands Americans were forbidden to
settle (west of the red line). Unfortunately, some American settlers were already on the wrong
side of the line (west side). Many others saw the Royal Proclamation as a temporary measure
and began secretly scouting out lands for speculation.

**The r​ ed line o
​ n the map (pg. 299) is the exact same issue as we experience today with the
USA Border.

Consequences of the Seven Years’ War?

Treaty of Paris of 1763 concludes (ends) the war:

1. France gives up all rights and colonies in North America to Britain
2. Louisiana and the city of New Orleans go to Spain (pg. 296)
3. Provided limited freedom of worship for Canadian Catholics
Life After the Fall of Quebec
English Efforts to Build an Empire & Colonial Resentment

Background: ​Treaty of Paris officially ends the war in 1763. The First Nations people were
particularly unhappy with the English victory.

Royal Proclamation of 1763

● Decreed there would be no land speculation to the west of the Appalachian Mountains
(map on pg. 299).
○ Settlers could ​not​ move into the Ohio River Valley.
○ Indigenous people could ​only​ sell their land to King George III or his heirs (to
prevent dispute among settlers).
● Colonists along the Atlantic seaboard are furious!
○ Whose territory was it? First Nations? English?

The Quebec Act, 1774

● Expanded Quebec’s borders to include Labrador to the east and the Ohio Territory
(between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers) to the south (pg. 298).
● Rather than elected representative governments, like the 13 colonies had, there was to
be an ​appointed governor​ and up to 23 a​ ppointed councilors​ (appointed by the King).
○ This was very insulting to the Quebecois
● Roman Catholic faith was protected; it even allowed Catholics to hold public office
without converting.
● Allows French civil law to remain in Quebec, but requires English criminal law.

The Quebec Act ​INFURIATES​ the American colonists:

● Whose land is this anyway?
● Why are we accommodating this?
Reading #2 Questions - Class Review

1. List the major causes of the ​American Revolution​:

a. Quebec Act​ (“Intolerable Act”) — caused American Colonists to feel that they
were being treated as second class citizens.
b. Stamp Act​ — colonists were being taxed without consent (“taxation without
representation” — they had no member in parliament to represent them and give
them a voice).
c. Tea Tax​ — forced people to buy expensive teas from English companies.
d. Royal Proclamation of 1763​ — prevented migration west of the Appalachian
Mountains.
e. Boston Massacre
f. Agitators​ — people (especially in the city of Boston) who were successful at
“stirring the pot” and putting the idea of a Revolution into the minds of the people
(eg. Sam Adams).

2. Five Point Plan​ that the British could draw up to get along peacefully with the American
colonists:
a. Sign laws!​ — King George III would not sign any of the bills waiting to become
laws which was very frustrating for the American colonists.
b. Create seats in Parliament​ — the American colonists did not have a seat in
parliament.
c. Standardize taxes​ — institute a 2-6% tax on everything, rather than 1% on
some things and 12% on others.
d. Pay subjects to house soldiers.
e. Have the same tax rules as in England.

3. Why did the ​Declaration of Independence​ fail to bring peace between the British and
the Americans?
a. The Declaration was a very anti-British document.
b. The Declaration didn’t initially hold a lot of power (it did later).
c. The Declaration of Independence was an announcement of the rupture in the
relationship between the British & the Americans — it was too late for the
relationship to be mended.
Translation of the Declaration of Independence

Section 1

We think these thing are obviously true:

● All men are created equal

● All men have some rights given to them by God
● Among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Section 2

Whenever any government is getting in the way of these rights, people have the right to change
it or get rid of it, and to make a new government, in whatever way seems most likely to make
them safe and happy. People should not change their government without a good reason, so
people usually suffer as long as they can under the government they have, rather than change
it. However, when there have been problems for a long time, it is their right and their duty to
throw off that government and to set up a better government.

Section 3 - ​TBC

1. Growing Frustrations (Before the American Revolution)

● The Stamp Act, 1765:​ Like our GST, a tax on most goods and services
○ When they paid their tax, they got a stamp to put on all their purchases
○ The money from the tax was used to pay for the cost of defending the colonies
○ Colonists were very angry because they had no representatives in the English
parliament (Stamp Act was put in place by the English parliament).

● Boston Massacre - 1770:​ British soldiers fire on a mob in Boston, killing five civilians.

● Tea Act, 1773: ​A new tax on tea. Results in the Boston Tea Party.

● Colonists were required to house and feed British soldiers at their own expense.

2. Congress & Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776

● The Americans formed a congress and drafted the Declaration of Independence

○ It was released to the King on July 4, 1776
 ○ (In comparison, Canada was founded on July 1, 1867)

3. Pressure on Canada

● There was pressure on Canada to join in on the side of the rebellion

● Canadians refused and were invaded — the Americans occupied Montreal and lost the
battle for Quebec.
Why Canada did not Join the American Revolution
(January 30, 2019)

Assignment:
Write with a partner, two Haiku poems per page (total: 10 Haikus) or one Limerick per page, to
summarize what has happened.

(Haiku 3 lines 5, 7, 5 syllables.)

Individually: Create a political cartoon, that either supports union with the United States or
supports remaining British from the Nova Scotian point of view.

The main reasons why Nova Scotia did not join the rebellion?

● Influenced clergyman

Assignment - January 31, 2019

Political Cartoon:
Make an argument: stay or go
1776 Nova Scotian Perspective
The cartoon should include:
● Minimal text
● Colour or shade
● Neatness counts
American Revolution

1. How would you characterize the political atmosphere? It was volatile (very
unstable). They were significant difference between the Loyalists and Patriots
wanted. It was violent. There were disputes, “nipping” at heels.

2. How do Patriots and Loyalists differ? What were their specific differences?
Loyalists:
Patriots:

3. Why would you call this a civil war?

Civil war is citizen against citizen. It is brother against brother.

Range of emotion: wide spectrum.

4. House Arrest: They were not able to leave

5.

6. Why would they (Loyalists) say that our relationship with the King is broken?
What did the Loyalists say that the Patriots were part of the problem? They
blame manipulation and bad manners on the part of the Patriots.

9. Do you believe these division more or less likely the result of having a Revolution? More
likely, less people to protest the Patriots and stop them.
Refugees

Test: March 14, 2019

Three Part Definition

[A refugee is someone who “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of
race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion] ​(1)​, ​[​is
outside the country of his nationality] (2)​,​ ​[and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling
to avail himself of the protection of that country] ​(3)​.​”

Results of the American Revolution

The Birth of British North America (BNA)

1. Remember the background…

a. Seven Years War
b. Royal Proclamation of 1763 (Ohio Company)
c. Quebec Act
d. DOI (Declaration of Independence), July 4, 1776
2. Course of the War
a. US invasion of Canada
b. Siege of Quebec City
c. Occupation of Montreal
d. Persecution of Loyalists
e. Exodus of Loyalists (black, white & First Nations)
3. War is Ended with the Treaty of Paris, 1783