In the year 1837, a radical movement in the British colony of Lower Canada took part in an armed rebellion to attain by force what they had failed in attempt to secure by lawful political action. The primary goal to which the rebellion was focused had been given several names by historians such as democracy, political freedom and representative government. The uprising took arms in attempted efforts to discontinue the appointed minority 's control of the colony 's governing institutions and to establish a responsible government. The Lower Canadian Rebellion is believed to arise as specific affirmations and was prosecuted on the development of republicanism and liberty. Within the North American context, the 1837 Rebellion expressed the significance
…show more content…
It was clear to them that if they could not obtain a majority of the seats in the Assembly, the problem was the way of the representative system itself ().In early 1837, throughout Lower Canada several meetings were held near the Montreal region, criticizing British policies. In 1836, there already existed an organized secret paramilitary body composed of radical British Canadians called the Doric Club. Which was trailed by “Les Canadien” in 1837 who formed “Sons of Liberty” (Fils de la Liberté) a Patriote group based in Montreal named after a surreptitious society that had formed resistance to the British in the 13 colonies prior to the American Revolution.[18][19]. By the beginning of 1837, talk of revolt was increasingly prevalent. Harvey Herstein in his interpretation of history of Canada argued that the radical followers of Papineau had lost all hope in gaining reforms insisted by the people from the British constitution in early 1837. The only way to get what they wanted was through the use of force which would persuade Britain of French-Canadian Determination (171). This point of view demonstrates that French-Canadians had come to realize that there existed a clear division between the advocacy of a parliamentary system of government established by the Constitutional Act and the concepts of responsible government, which valued accountability and self-governance. Jean Hamelin in Brève histoire du Québec further heightens this notion by stating “Do not be mistaken, the law of 1791 introduced the parliamentary system in Lower Canada, not a democracy.”(). manifesto on October 4 which proclaimed their belief in the
It was clear to them that if they could not obtain a majority of the seats in the Assembly, the problem was the way of the representative system itself ().In early 1837, throughout Lower Canada several meetings were held near the Montreal region, criticizing British policies. In 1836, there already existed an organized secret paramilitary body composed of radical British Canadians called the Doric Club. Which was trailed by “Les Canadien” in 1837 who formed “Sons of Liberty” (Fils de la Liberté) a Patriote group based in Montreal named after a surreptitious society that had formed resistance to the British in the 13 colonies prior to the American Revolution.[18][19]. By the beginning of 1837, talk of revolt was increasingly prevalent. Harvey Herstein in his interpretation of history of Canada argued that the radical followers of Papineau had lost all hope in gaining reforms insisted by the people from the British constitution in early 1837. The only way to get what they wanted was through the use of force which would persuade Britain of French-Canadian Determination (171). This point of view demonstrates that French-Canadians had come to realize that there existed a clear division between the advocacy of a parliamentary system of government established by the Constitutional Act and the concepts of responsible government, which valued accountability and self-governance. Jean Hamelin in Brève histoire du Québec further heightens this notion by stating “Do not be mistaken, the law of 1791 introduced the parliamentary system in Lower Canada, not a democracy.”(). manifesto on October 4 which proclaimed their belief in the