William Lyon Mackenzie, born in 1795, was a passionate politician whose encouragement of reformatting the government in Upper Canada carried him into prominence at a time when change was typically sought after by many people (Armstrong and Stagg). The thought of absolute power was phasing out, and Mackenzie’s idea of responsible government became very appealing among many. William Lyon Mackenzie has played a very important role in Canada’s history, whether it has been his fight against the Family Compact, his effort in the Upper Canada rebellion though tragic, or his return to legislature upon returning to Canada, thus labelling him a tragic hero.
From a young age it was clear Mackenzie was a persistent and rebellious sort, and his fight against …show more content…
After years of fighting to change the way Upper Canada was being governed, and with no real success at doing so, Mackenzie and a group of reformers took to the streets with hopes of prompting a large-scale rebellion in 1837. However, while Mackenzie once wished to simply bring responsible government to Upper Canada and achieve a voice for the less fortunate labourers, ever since 1829 his desires had taken a turn. This is because in 1829 Mackenzie visited with President Jackson in the United States, and in this trip grew intensely fond of the republic the American Revolution had brought. Over the years leading up to 1837, Mackenzie’s drastic views of bringing what America now had to Upper Canada became stronger, explaining why he led the more radical faction in the rebellion as opposed to the faction led by Robert Baldwin, who purely sought responsible government. Mackenzie and his faction also sought more colonial independence. When it came to gathering support for the upcoming rebellion, the uprising occurring in Lower Canada led many to believe a change in government was needed (Nichols). Reformists Samuel Lount and Anthony Anderson marched over forty miles (Flint 139-141) and organized armed groups in preparation while Mackenzie published a persuasive …show more content…
By then, responsible government had been instilled into society, and he would return to Canadian legislation the same year. William Lyon Mackenzie would continue to act in politics, winning a by-election to fill a vacancy in the Haldimand County of Toronto. During his time there he motioned the eradication of the Court of Chancery (Flint 181). Later on, Mackenzie accused John Rolph of treason and culprit indiscretion after he negated to support Mackenzie’s claim of $12,000 under the Rebellion Losses Bill. However, the Assembly no longer took Mackenzie too seriously anymore, and merely tolerated him out of respect considering his senior age and history. Things only went downhill for Mackenzie concerning his political career, as many began to question his sanity. William Lyon Mackenzie’s health started to deteriorate and he passed away thirteen years after returning from America on August 28th,
From a young age it was clear Mackenzie was a persistent and rebellious sort, and his fight against …show more content…
After years of fighting to change the way Upper Canada was being governed, and with no real success at doing so, Mackenzie and a group of reformers took to the streets with hopes of prompting a large-scale rebellion in 1837. However, while Mackenzie once wished to simply bring responsible government to Upper Canada and achieve a voice for the less fortunate labourers, ever since 1829 his desires had taken a turn. This is because in 1829 Mackenzie visited with President Jackson in the United States, and in this trip grew intensely fond of the republic the American Revolution had brought. Over the years leading up to 1837, Mackenzie’s drastic views of bringing what America now had to Upper Canada became stronger, explaining why he led the more radical faction in the rebellion as opposed to the faction led by Robert Baldwin, who purely sought responsible government. Mackenzie and his faction also sought more colonial independence. When it came to gathering support for the upcoming rebellion, the uprising occurring in Lower Canada led many to believe a change in government was needed (Nichols). Reformists Samuel Lount and Anthony Anderson marched over forty miles (Flint 139-141) and organized armed groups in preparation while Mackenzie published a persuasive …show more content…
By then, responsible government had been instilled into society, and he would return to Canadian legislation the same year. William Lyon Mackenzie would continue to act in politics, winning a by-election to fill a vacancy in the Haldimand County of Toronto. During his time there he motioned the eradication of the Court of Chancery (Flint 181). Later on, Mackenzie accused John Rolph of treason and culprit indiscretion after he negated to support Mackenzie’s claim of $12,000 under the Rebellion Losses Bill. However, the Assembly no longer took Mackenzie too seriously anymore, and merely tolerated him out of respect considering his senior age and history. Things only went downhill for Mackenzie concerning his political career, as many began to question his sanity. William Lyon Mackenzie’s health started to deteriorate and he passed away thirteen years after returning from America on August 28th,