Lower Canada

1791–1841 British colony in North America

Province of Lower Canada

Province du Bas-Canada (French)

1791–1841

Union Flag (1801 version)[1][2]

Seal

Anthem: "God Save the King/Queen"

Status| British colony
Capital| Quebec City
Common languages| French, English
Government| Château Clique oligarchy
Sovereign|

• 1791–1820

| George III

• 1820–1830

| George IV

• 1830–1837

| William IV

• 1837–1841

| Victoria
Lieutenant-Governor and Executive Council of Lower Canada|
Legislature| Parliament of Lower Canada

• Upper house

| Legislative Council

• Lower house

| Legislative Assembly
Historical era| British Era

• Constitutional Act of 1791

| 26 December 1791

• Act of Union 1840

| 10 February 1841
Area
1839[3]| 534,185 km2 (206,250 sq mi)
Population

• 1839[3]

| c. 700,000
Currency| Canadian pound

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Province of Quebec (1763–1791)

|

| Province of Canada |

|

Colony of Newfoundland |
Today part of|

Canada

* ∟Quebec
* ∟Newfoundland and Labrador

The Province of Lower Canada (French: province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841). It covered the southern portion of the current Province of Quebec and the Labrador region of the current Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (until the Labrador region was transferred to Newfoundland in 1809).[4]

Lower Canada consisted of part of the former colony of Canada of New France, conquered by Great Britain in the Seven Years' War ending in 1763 (also called the French and Indian War in the United States). Other parts of New France conquered by Britain became the Colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

The Province of Lower Canada was created by the Constitutional Act 1791 from the partition of the British colony of the Province of Quebec (1763–1791)[5] into the Province of Lower Canada and the Province of Upper Canada. The prefix "lower" in its name refers to its geographic position farther downriver from the headwaters of the St. Lawrence River than its contemporary Upper Canada, present-day southern Ontario.

Lower Canada was abolished in 1841 when it and adjacent Upper Canada were united into the Province of Canada.[6]

## History

[edit]

### Establishment

[edit]

Before Lower Canada there was the Province of Quebec which was established from conquered French lands from the French and Indian War. The Quebec Act officially set up governance in those lands and incorporated French elements into the province's government. The Province of Quebec was split in 1791 by the Constitutional Act 1791 into Lower Canada and Upper Canada. The Constitutional Act placed English Law in Upper Canada, and French Law and institutions in Lower Canada. Catholics were also granted the ability to freely practise.

### Transition into the British Empire

[edit]

Society in New France was deeply dependent on nobles, clergy, and the military. After the British conquest, British aristocrats and military personnel replaced their French equivalents. A conflict arose between the British aristocrats and the French-Canadian middle class, which was worsened by the introduction of parliamentarianism. By the end of the 18th century, the nobility's power was totally dependent on the colonial government. These problems came to ahead when the British merchants wanted to build canals on the St. Lawrence River to help with navigation across the river. The French nationalists held a majority in the legislative assembly and refused to allow the construction. This led to feelings of vulnerability in Lower Canada amongst British aristocracy.[7]

Anglophone aristocrats, often looked for the support of governor, colonial bureaucrats and the government in London, mostly because they could never form a majority in the legislative assembly. Their political defeats led them to defend their colonial ties to Britain and support conservative ideas. At the turn of the century the Anglophones began to control more and more the economic activity in Lower Canada, which lead to the French-Canadians viewing them as a threat.[7]

### Political Tensions

[edit]

The tensions between Anglophone aristocrats and the French-Canadian middle class culminated in the formation of the Parti canadien,[7] the first Canadian political party.[8] The party advocated for the independence of the legislature from the Lieutenant-Governor and fought plans to unify Upper Canada and Lower Canada.[7]

In 1810, the Governor James Henry Craig had editors of the Parti canadien's newspaper arrested to suppress them before dissolving the legislature. Louis-Joseph Papineau, leader of the party, decided then to focus on more limited results and to stray away from being views as an extremist party. He gained the support of Irish Catholics in Lower Canada which also gave him the support of the clergy.[7]

In 1827, after pressure from militant groups, Papineau became more radical and began to turn towards the idea of independence. Taking from the ideas of the American government, all positions that held power then became elected positions. This nationalism gave the Parti canadien support amongst French-Canadians but almost completely lost them the support of Anglophones in Lower Canada.[7]

The clergy in Lower Canada were also very unhappy with the political situation at the time and wanted their old privileges restored. They wanted the ability to educate in Lower Canada and were briefly granted that ability in 1824, with the passage of Parish Schools Act. In 1829, the Parti canadien established assembly schools, which removed the Catholic Church from education, creating another political divide.

### Rebellion

[edit]

Main article: Lower Canada Rebellion

The three divides in Lower Canada ultimately reached a breaking point. To combat this the British government adopted the Russell Resolutions, which rejected the 92 Resolutions created by the Parti canadien. After the Patriote Rebellion in the Rebellions of 1837–1838[9] was suppressed by government troops and Loyal volunteers, the 1791 Constitution was suspended on 27 March 1838 and a special council was appointed to administer the colony. An abortive attempt by revolutionary Robert Nelson to declare a Republic of Lower Canada was quickly thwarted.

The provinces of Lower Canada and Upper Canada were combined as the United Province of Canada in 1841, when the Act of Union 1840 came into force. Their separate legislatures were combined into a single parliament with equal representation for both constituent parts, even though Lower Canada had a greater population.[10]

* William Lyon Mackenzie, rebellion chief in Upper Canada[11]

* Louis-Joseph Papineau, rebellion chief in Lower Canada[12]

## Constitution

[edit]

Constitution of Lower Canada in 1791

The Province of Lower Canada inherited the mixed set of French and English institutions that existed in the Province of Quebec during the 1763–1791 period and which continued to exist later in Canada-East (1841–1867) and ultimately in the current Province of Quebec (since 1867).

## Population

[edit]

Main article: Population of Canada

Lower Canada was populated mainly by Canadiens, an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to French colonists who settled in Canada from the 17th century onward.

Population of Lower Canada, 1806 to 1841  Year | Census estimate[13]

|

1806 | 250,000
1814 | 335,000
1822 | 427,465
1825 | 479,288
1827 | 473,475
1831 | 553,134
1841 | 650,000

## Transportation

[edit]

Current route marker seen along the Chemin

Travelling around Lower Canada was mainly by water along the St. Lawrence River. On land, the only long-distance route was the Chemin du Roy, or King's Highway; it was built in the 1730s by New France.[14] The King's Highway was, in addition to the mail route, the primary means of long-distance passenger travel until steamboats (1815) and railways (1850s) began to challenge the royal road.[14] The royal road's importance waned after the 1850s and would not re-emerge as a key means of transportation until the highway system of Quebec was created in the 20th century.

## See also

[edit]

* Canada portal
* History portal

* Canada East, period after the Act of Union 1840
* Former colonies and territories in Canada
* French and Indian War
* French and Indian Wars
* French colonial empire
* List of lieutenant governors of Quebec
* National Patriots' Day
* Ottawa River timber trade
* Province of Quebec (1763–1791)
* Rebellion
* Republic of Lower Canada
* The Canadas
* Timeline of Quebec history
* Upper Canada

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Early flags". Government of Canada. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
2. ^ "Royal Union Flag". The Flags of Canada. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
3. ^ The emigrant's handbook of facts concerning Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Cape of Good Hope, &c. Open Library. pp. 2–3\. ISBN 978-0-665-95282-1. Retrieved 22 December 2013.2-3&rft.pub=Open+Library&rft.isbn=978-0-665-95282-1&rft_id=https://archive.org/stream/cihm_95282#page/n35/mode/2up&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Lower+Canada" class="Z3988">
4. ^ "Labrador–Canada Boundary". marianopolis. 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2008. "Labrador Act, 1809. – An imperial act (49 Geo. III, cap. 27), 1809, provided for the re-annexation to Newfoundland of 'such parts of the coast of Labrador from the River St John to Hudson's Streights, and the said Island of Anticosti, and all other smaller islands so annexed to the Government of Newfoundland by the said Proclamation of the seventh day of October one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three (except the said Islands of Madelaine) shall be separated from the said Government of Lower Canada, and be again re-annexed to the Government of Newfoundland.'"
5. ^ Fernand Ouellet (4 March 2015). "Lower Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
6. ^ James Maurice Stockford Careless; Richard Foot (4 March 2015). "Province of Canada 1841–1867". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
7. ^ a b c d e f "Lower Canada". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
8. ^ "Parti canadien". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
9. ^ David Mills; Richard Foot (20 March 2017). "Durham Report". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
10. ^ Jacques Monet, SJ; Richard Foot (4 March 2015). "Act of Union". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
11. ^ "Mackenzie, William Lyon". Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
12. ^ Marsh, James H. (9 February 2017) [January 20, 2008]. "Louis-Joseph Papineau". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
13. ^ "Censuses of Canada 1665 to 1871: The 1800s (1806 to 1871)". Statistics Canada. 26 August 2015. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023.
14. ^ a b "History". Le Chemin du Roy. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Robert Christie. A History of the Late Province of Lower Canada, Quebec City: T. Cary/R. Montreal: Worthington, 1848–1855 (Internet Archive: All 6 volumes)
* François-Xavier Garneau. History of Canada : from the time of its discovery till the union year, Montreal : J. Lovell, 1860 (Internet Archive: All 3 Volumes)
* Saul, John Ralston. Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin (2010) online

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lower Canada.

Look up Lower Canada in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

* Lower Canada – The Canadian Encyclopedia
* Canada East and Lower Canada – Encyclopædia Britannica
* Governors of Lower Canada – Histoire du Québec (in French)
* Lower Canada – Quebec Parliament library (in French)

* v
* t
* e

Former colonies and territories in Canada

Norse|

Named territories
Vinland
Sites:
L'Anse aux Meadows

French|

Claims
New France

Acadia
Isle St-Jean
Île Royale
Canada
Domaine du roy
Louisiana
Pays d'en Haut
Terre Neuve

Important sites
Port Royal (Annapolis Royal)
Quebec
Trois-Rivières
Montreal
Louisbourg
Plaisance
List of towns
List of forts

Spanish|

Claims
New Spain
Important sites
Fort San Miguel, Nootka Sound
Expeditions
Newfoundland
Pacific Northwest

Scottish|

Claims
Nova Scotia (1621)
Sites
Port Royal Colony

Russian|

Claims
Russian America

American|

Claims
Oregon Country

Danish|

Claims
Nova Dania

English and
British|

Claims
Newfoundland (1583)
British Arctic Territories
New Albion (?)
New Britain
New Yorkshire
Rupert's Land
Nova Scotia (1710)
Quebec
Lower and Upper Canada
New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island
Cape Breton
United Canada
New Caledonia
Columbia District
Queen Charlotte Islands
Vancouver Island
British Columbia (1858–1866)
British Columbia (1866–1871)
Stickeen
North-Western Territory (districts)
Red River
Important sites
Cuper's Cove
Avalon (1620)
York Factory
Halifax
Victoria
Fort Langley

Norwegian|

Claims
Sverdrup Islands

Related|

* Territorial evolution after 1867
* Areas disputed by Canada and the United States
* Proposed provinces and territories of Canada
* Population of Canada

* Category
* Canada portal

* v
* t
* e

Former British Empire and Current British Overseas Territories

Legend
Former territory
Current territory
*Current Commonwealth realm
†Current member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Europe

* Akrotiri and Dhekelia since 1960 (before as part of Cyprus)
* Corsica 1794–1796
* †Cyprus 1878–1960
* Gibraltar since 1713
* Heligoland 1807–1890
* Ionian Islands 1809–1864
* Lordship of Ireland 1177–1542
* Kingdom of Ireland 1542–1800 (integrated into the UK)
* Free State 1921–1931
* †Malta
* Protectorate 1800–1813
* Colony 1813–1964
* Minorca 1708–1757, 1763–1782 and 1798–1802

Africa

* Ascension Island23 since 1815
* Basutoland (†Lesotho) 1868–1966
* Bechuanaland (†Botswana) 1884–1966
* Cameroons13 1919–1961
* Cape Colony 1795–1803
* Cape of Good Hope 1806–1910
* Central Africa 1891–1907
* East Africa 1895–1920
* Egypt 1882–1922
* †The Gambia 1816–1965
* Gold Coast (†Ghana) 1874–1957
* †Kenya 1920–1963
* Lagos 1862–1906
* Madeira 1807–1808
* †Mauritius 1810–1968
* Natal 1856–1910
* Niger Coast 1884–1900
* †Nigeria 1914–1960
* Northern Nigeria 1900–1914
* Northern Rhodesia15 1924–1964
* Nyasaland 1891–1964
* Orange River 1900–1910
* Saint Helena23 since 1658
* †Seychelles 1903–1976
* †Sierra Leone 1792–1961
* Somaliland 1884–1960
* †South Africa 1910–1931
* South-West Africa12 1915–1931
* Southern Rhodesia14 1923–1965 and 1979–1980
* Southern Nigeria 1900–1914
* †Swaziland 1893–1968
* Sudan 1899–1956
* Tanganyika13 1922–1961
* Transvaal 1900–1910
* Tristan da Cunha23 since 1816
* †Uganda 1890–1962
* Zanzibar 1890–1963
* Zululand 1887–1897

* 12Now †Namibia
* 13League of Nations mandate. British Cameroons is now part of †Cameroon, while Tanganyika is part of †Tanzania.
* 14Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003.
* 15Now †Zambia

Asia

* Aden Colony 1839–1967
* Afghanistan 1839–1842
* Protectorate 1879–1919
* Bencoolen 1685–1824
* Banka and Billiton 1812–1824
* Bengal 1757–1947
* Bhutan (protectorate) 1907–1949
* Borneo 1874–1963
* British Indian Ocean Territory since 1965 (before as part of Mauritius and Seychelles)26
* Burma 1824–1948
* †Brunei 1888–1984
* †Ceylon 1795–1948
* †Cyprus 1878–1960
* Hong Kong 1841–1997
* †India18 1858–1947
* Java 1811–1816
* Kuwait 1918–1961
* Labuan 1848–1946
* Malaya 1819–1826
* Federated States 1895–1946
* Unfederated States 1885–1946
* Union 1946–1948
* Federation 1948–1957
* Malacca 1824–1946
* Crown Colony 1946–1957
* †Maldives 1796–1965
* Manila and Cavite 1762–1764
* Mesopotamia19 1920–1932
* Muscat and Oman 1891–1971
* North Borneo 1882–1963
* Crown Colony 1946–1963
* Padang 1781–1784 and 1795–1819
* Palestine19 1923–1948
* Penang 1786–1946
* Crown Colony 1946–1957
* Pulo Condore 1702–1705
* Sarawak 1841–1946
* Crown Colony 1946–1963
* †Singapore 1946–1963
* South Vietnam 1945–1946
* Straits Settlements 1826–1946
* Transjordan 1921–1946
* Trucial States 1892–1971
* Weihai 1898–1930

* 18Now †India, †Pakistan and †Bangladesh
* 19League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty
* 26Legitimacy of territorial establishment disputed

North America

* Anguilla since 1650
* *Antigua 1632–1860
* *Antigua and Barbuda 1860–1981
* †*Bahamas 1670–1973
* †Barbados 1624–1966
* Bay Islands 1643–1860
* †*Belize 1871–1981
* Bermuda since 1619
* British Arctic Territories 16th c.–1880
* British Columbia 1858–1866
* 1866–1871
* Cape Breton Island 1754–1820
* †Dominica 1763–1978
* East Florida 1763–1783
* †*Grenada 1762–1974
* †*Canada
* Lower 1791–1841
* Upper 1791–1841
* Province 1841–1867
* Dominion 1867–1931
* Carolina 1663–1712
* Cayman Islands since 1670
* Columbia District/Oregon Country 1818–1846
* Connecticut 1636–1776
* Delaware 1701–1776
* East Jersey 1674–1702
* Georgia 1733–1776
* †*Jamaica 1655–1962
* Leeward Islands 1671–1816, 1833–1960
* Massachusetts Bay 1629–1691
* Province, 1691–1776
* Maryland 1632–1776
* Montserrat since 1632
* Mosquito Coast 1655–1860
* Nevis 1628–1983
* New Albion 1579
* New Brunswick 1784–1867
* New England 1686–1689
* New Hampshire 1680–1776
* New Haven 1637–1662
* New Jersey 1665–1674 and 1702–1776
* New York 1664–1776
* Newfoundland 1907–1949
* Newfoundland and Labrador 1583–1907
* North Carolina 1712–1776
* North-Western Territory 1859–1870
* Nova Scotia 1713–1867
* Paulet affair 1843
* Prince Edward Island 1763–1873
* Pennsylvania 1681–1776
* Plymouth 1620–1691
* Quebec 1763–1791* Queen Charlotte Islands 1853–1863
* Rhode Island 1636–1776
* Rupert's Land 1670–1870
* Saint Croix 1625–1650
* Saint Kitts 1623–1983
* †*Saint Kitts and Nevis 1882–1983
* †*Saint Lucia 1605–1979
* †*Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1627–1979
* Saybrook 1635–1644
* South Carolina 1712–1776
* Stickeen 1862–1863
* †Trinidad and Tobago 1889–1962
* Turks and Caicos Islands since 1799
* Vancouver Island 1849–1866
* Virgin Islands since 1666
* Virginia 1607–1776
* West Florida 1763–1783
* West Indies Federation 1958–1962
* Associated States 1967–1983
* West Jersey 1674–1702
* Windward Islands 1833–1960

* v
* t
* e

Oceania

| 18th and 19th centuries| 20th century

|

* New South Wales 1788–1901
* Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1803–1901
* Auckland Islands20 1807–1863
* New Hebrides21 1824–1980
* Queensland 1824–1901
* Swan River/Western Australia 1829–1901
* South Australia 1836–1901
* Pitcairn Islands since 1838
* New Zealand 1841–1907
* North Australia 1846–1847
* Victoria 1851–1901
* †Fiji 1874–1970
* Western Pacific Territories 1877–1976
* Papua 1884–1902
* Rarotonga/Cook Islands20 1888–1901
* Union Islands20 1889–1948
* Gilbert and Ellice Islands22 1892–1979
* †*Solomon Islands 1893–1978

* †Tonga 1900–1970
* Niue20 1900–1974
* †*Australia 1901–1942
* †*New Zealand 1907–1947
* †Samoa 1914–1962
* †Nauru 1919–1942 and 1945–1968

* 20Now part of the †Realm of New Zealand
* 21Now †Vanuatu
* 22Now †Kiribati and †*Tuvalu

South America

* Providence Island 1631–1641
* Willoughbyland 1651–1667
* Saint Andrew and Providence Islands4 1670–1688
* †Guiana 1831–1966
* Falkland Islands5 since 1833
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands5 since 1908

* 4Now a department of Colombia
* 5Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982.

Antarctica and the South Atlantic

* Saint Helena23 since 1658
* Ascension Island23 since 1815
* Tristan da Cunha23 since 1816
* Falkland Islands since 1833
* †Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1933
* †Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand) 1841–1947
* British Antarctic Territory24 since 1908
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands25 since 1908

* 23Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena.
* 24Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1962; overlaps portions of Argentine and Chilean claims, borders not enforced but claim not renounced under the Antarctic Treaty.
* 25Claimed in 1908; territory formed 1985

* Historical flags of the British Empire
* Anglosphere culture
* Category
* Portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Israel

50°N 69°W﻿ / ﻿50°N 69°W﻿ / 50; -69
*[c.]: circa
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template