Our Canada - Chapter 7

36 Pages·2006·2.28 MB·English

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C H A P T E R 7
The Great Migration and
the Push for Democracy
What’s Chapter 7 About?
In this chapter, two key developments take place that affected
immigrant:a person intending
Canada’s future. to establish a home and
Between 1815 and 1850, waves of immigrants from Britain began citizenship in a country that is
not their native country
to arrive in British North America. This period, called the Great
Migration, shifted the demographics of British North America. Until emigrant:a person who leaves
the 1840s, Canadiens made up the majority of the population of their native country to
establish a home and
Upper and Lower Canada. By the 1850s, people of British descent
citizenship in another country
made up the majority of the population. (emigrantand immigrant
As this situation unfolded, leaders in Upper and Lower Canada, and describe the same person at
different points in the process
in Nova Scotia, began to demand an end to Britain’s colonial rule.
of moving between countries)
They wanted British North America to have a more democratic form
of government, so that the people living in British North America
would have more control over the government that ruled them.
F O C U S Q U E S T I O N S
• What challenges of coexistence did the Great Migration create?
• Why did peoples in British North America want more democratic
government?
• To what extent did demands for more democratic government
reflect challenges of coexistence in British North America?
• How did the response to demands for more democratic
government shape Canada?
The image on this page,
“Emigrants at Dinner,”
appeared in the Illustrated
London Newsin 1844.
What is the purpose of
this image, in your
opinion? To inform,
persuade or entertain?
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C H A P T E R T A S K
Reimagine the
Past and Present
THE “CANADA MINUS ONE” PROJECT
The Virtual Museum of Canada plans to post a new interactive site called the “Canada Minus One”
Project. The project focuses on the years 1815 to 1850, when British North America underwent
some fundamental changes.
Who are the key events or people of this period? What if a key event had not happened, or a key
person had not acted? How would Canada be different today?
We want your ideas! Choose an event or person that, in your opinion, fundamentally shaped
the future of Canada. Provide background information to support your choice.
Then, think creatively! What might Canada be like today if that one event had not occurred or if
that one person had not acted? What would Canada be like, “minus one”?
Plan to submit your ideas to the “Canada Minus One” website in one of the following formats:
• Comic strip.
• Essay, poem or
As Captain Canada, I know about
story.
using powers responsibly! Use your
Oh my gosh!
• Live performance powers responsibly! Remember:
My whole life’s
of a song or when you change the past, you
different!
dramatic scene. change the present!
The site goes live
next Canada Day!
Get to it and have
fun!
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The Great Migration and the Push for Democracy
The Great Migration
G E T R E A D Y
Between 1815 and 1850, British North America underwent an
important demographic change as waves of people began to
leave Britain seeking better lives.
This section provides information that answers the chapter-focus
question:
What challenges of coexistence did the Great
Migration create?
As you read:
• Summarize the change that took place.
• Predict some impacts this change had for First Nations peoples,
Canadiens and English-speaking Canadians.
How could a mind map help you organize the key information in
this section? Check out guidelines for mind maps in the Skills Centre
at the back of this book.
What Triggered the Great Migration?
Poverty in Britain
People left Britain for economic reasons. Many had lost their demographic change:
change in the characteristics
livelihoods during the Industrial Revolution, as machines replaced
of a population
their jobs. Many had lost their farms, as large landowners bought up
unemployment: having no
small farms. A major conflict — the Napoleonic Wars — ended in
work
1815, causing an economic slowdown and more unemployment. In
1840, a famine hit Ireland, forcing many people to leave. famine: a shortage of food
leading to starvation for
many people
This illustration appeared
inthe Irish publication
ThePictoral Times in 1846.
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Our Canada: Origins • Peoples • Perspectives
Opportunity in the Colonies
emigration:leaving one’s
country to establish Britain’s colonies provided places for people to move and start over.
citizenship and a home
Britain encouraged emigration as a way to relieve its economic
in another country
troubles, and to reinforce loyalty to Britain in its colonies. The
cartoon below is about emigration. What do the labels “At Home”
and “Abroad” refer to? How is the situation “Abroad” different from
“At Home”?
This cartoon appeared in the
British magazine Punchin 1848.
What Impacts Did the Great Migration Have?
More Farms
The new wave of colonists created new pressures in British North
America. This painting from 1838 shows settlers clearing land for
farms in Upper Canada.
British painter Philip John
Bainbrigge created this image
in 1838. What do you think
this image tells us about
Bainbrigge’s opinion of the
farm? Why? How might an
Anishinabe person have
viewed the same scene?
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The Great Migration and the Push for Democracy
More British People
This image shows emigrants from Britain
at a dock in Cork, Ireland, waiting to
board ships to North America. Some are
bound for Boston, some for New York,
and some for Québec.
Population Growth of British North America, 1820s–1850s
PEI
1 000 000 Newfoundland
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
800 000
Upper Canada
Lower Canada
600 000
400 000
200 000
0
1820 1830 1840 1850
R E S P O N D
1. Examine the cartoon on the previous page. What message does it
convey about emigration? How realistic do you think this message
is? Why?
2. Think about the painting of settlers clearing land. How would
clearing land put pressure on First Nations such as the Anishinabe?
Make a list of at least three ways clearing land would affect First
Nations.
3. Think back to the Loyalist migration, which you learned about in
Chapter 6. What similarities exist between the Loyalist migration
and the Great Migration? How might the Great Migration pose a
challenge for Canadiens in British North America?
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Our Canada: Origins • Peoples • Perspectives
H i s t o ry H ap p e n s
Nineteenth Century Edition The “newspaper” from the past
Global News for today’s reader.
Not a Pleasure Cruise
— by Beatrix Chronos, your time-roving reporter
QUÉBEC, 1832 — As immigrant ships continue to flood
into Québec’s harbours, there have been increasing
reports of terrible conditions on board. Every new arrival,
it seems, has his or her own tale of filthy, overcrowded
conditions, of disease, starvation and death.
“It was awful, I tell you, awful,” said one passenger,
who arrived with his wife and six children from Ireland
this morning. “Almost from the time we set sail, I began
wishing we had never set foot on board. My own suffer-
ing was bad enough, but it nearly killed me to see my fam-
ily in such misery. We’re here now, though, and all eight
of us alive, thank God. Not everyone was so lucky. A lot
of families buried husbands, wives and children at sea.”
Conditions on board
are so poor, passengers
call them “coffin ships.”
“When we left port, everyone seemed fine,” said
another passenger from Liverpool. “But then one day later
a poor woman took sick, and before long there were
twenty, then forty. And the weather was terrible. Some Crowded conditions on ships spread hardship and
days it would storm, and we would roll from side to side, disease, as shown in this sketch by C.W. Jeffreys
everyone seasick and vomiting. The next day the wind (1869–1951). The artist himself emigrated to Canada
from Britain in 1881.
would stop, and we would sit motionless in the hot sun,
baking below decks in our own filth.”
Experts in the travel industry blame the problems on boats designed to hold half that many. Others are cramming
overwhelming demand. Thousands upon thousands of people into cargo holds, in ships that carried timber to
people are eager to emigrate to Canada, and there simply Britain from Canada. By doing this, the captains make
aren’t enough ships to carry them. As a result, unscrupu- money on the return voyage to Canada, but their passengers
lous captains are packing 150 or even 200 passengers on suffer. The timber ships are not designed for passengers.
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The Great Migration and the Push for Democracy
History Happens Nineteenth Century Edition
Officials in
Québec have lit
bonfires in the
streets, hoping
this will stop
thecholera
outbreak.
Thanks to
1959. Canadian artist
d
hase Joseph Légaré
urc (1795–1855)
p
da, forcapturing
Cana this scene.
of
Gallery
nal
Natio
©
hoto
p
Légaré/
h
p
uebec/Jose
Q
Cholera Plague,
On many ships, passengers are expected to bring their the British may have deliberately sent cholera, to kill and
own food, and to cook their meals in a small kitchen near demoralize the Canadiens. They point out that, despite a
the middle of the ship. Oatmeal, salt pork and beef, and cholera outbreak in Britain, Britain has not taken any
potatoes are the most popular foods. measures to slow the pace of emigration from its shores.
Unfortunately, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, an Local medical officials still have no clear idea what
expected voyage of five to six weeks can end up taking causes the disease, or how it spreads.
ten or even eleven weeks. By the end of the trip, families Some believe the disease is spread by contact between
may have no food left, and ships may be forced to cut sick people and healthy people. The theory has prompted
water rations to the bare minimum. the government to set up a quarantine at Grosse Île,
Amazingly, despite the ordeal, many immigrants don’t about 50 kilometres downstream from Québec. All immi-
express any regrets over leaving Europe. “This was our grant ships must report to the island, and anyone who
one chance for a better life,” said a man from Britain. appears ill must remain there until they recover (if they
“Now that we’ve survived the voyage, I’m determined to recover).
make sure that it was all worth it.” Many of the ill arriving at Grosse Île are Irish, and the
situation has created many Irish orphans. Canadiens fam-
Cholera Controversy
ilies have begun adopting these orphans, who share their
Cholera, which first reared its ugly head earlier this year Catholic faith. “But we want these children to remember
in Lower Canada, has lately become more and more common. where they came from,” remarked one adoptive mother,
Many on the street fear that the disease has been brought holding the hand of a young Irish girl. “She will keep her
here by the immigrants. Some go so far as to suggest that own family name.” ■
cholera:a contagious disease that causes intestinal problems and dehydration
quarantine:a place where people with a contagious disease are required to stay,
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F O C U S O N I N Q U I R Y
Why is Grosse Île important in
Canadian history?
The Topic
FOCUS SKILLS
Grosse Île is connected to the Great Migration as a place of hope and
Processing
tragedy. Why?
Information
This inquiry begins with a general question. As you retrieve and
Share and discuss your process information about that question, new questions will develop.
steps for processing New questions can help you delve more deeply into interesting topics.
information. They will help you focus your inquiry.
Getting Started
Work with a group of classmates to plan your inquiry and to retrieve
information. Here are some questions to get you started:
• What purpose did Grosse Île serve during the Great Migration?
• Why is Grosse Île remembered as a place of tragedy?
• What connection does it have to events in other parts of the world?
• Who visits Grosse île today? Why?
Your Goal
On your own, record your experience with processing information
to establish a focus. Be sure to take these steps and answer
these questions:
• Generate at least three new questions that your research sparks.
• Which of these questions personally interests you most? Why?
Why are your interests an important consideration?
• How valuable are the new questions as a way to answer the
original question? Stay on track! Compare the relevance of the
new questions to the original question.
• Choose one of the new questions and explain your choice.
• Revisit the process of retrieving information. Do you have the
information you need to answer your new question? What steps
will help you retrieve more information?
Finishing Up
Find one interesting fact related to your focus and be prepared to
share it in class.
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The Great Migration and the Push for Democracy
The Push for Democracy
G E T R E A D Y
During the 1820s and 1830s, colonists in British North America began
to call for change — or reform — to their system of government.
Why did peoples of British North America want more
democratic government?
As you read this section, look for:
• Who or what had decision-making power in British North America?
• Where did power come from?
Before you begin to read this section, create a graphic organizer
that will help you contrast information on two different systems of
government: the system British North America had, and the system
reformers wanted.
What Did the Reformers Want?
Who makes the decisions that affect your life? As a young person, reformer:someone who seeks
what authority do you have to make your own decisions? What to change — to reform —
established rules and
authority do the adults in your life have? How do you expect this
arrangements in society
situation to change as you grow up?
In some ways, the reformers who sought to change the
government of British North America wanted Britain to treat them
like adults. They wanted complete authority to make the decisions
that affected their own lives.
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Colonial Government Democratic Government
in British North America in British North America
Britain Britain
Governor of Colony
Governor of Colony
• appointed by Britain
• appointed by Britain
• represented Britain’s responsibility
• gave directions to councils
forsome colonial matters, such as defence
• could not appoint members of the councils
or override the decisions of the councils
Councils
• appointed by the governor
• made decisions about colony’s affairs, Councils
advised the governor
• membership controlled by theassembly
• made legislation
• responsible for all local affairs
Assembly
• elected by voters
• advised the councils Assembly
≠ • elected by voters
• elected the members of thecouncils
Voters
≠
• voters included male property owners
Voters
and widows with property
• voters included male property owners
• elected the assembly
and widows with property
• elected the assembly
direction of power, authority and direction of power, authority and decision
decisionmaking making
shows an advisory role —shows a division of responsibilities
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