Keywords Lower Canada & Quebec

Some historians state that the Patriotes' political program included a comprehensive economic-development project for all Lower Canada, designed to benefit the majority of its inhabitants and, of course, their representatives. Others argue that, behind a liberal façade, this was really a retrograde and conservative socioeconomic goal. The Patriotes, except for those of 1838, favoured the retention of the SEIGNEURIAL SYSTEM and more readily supported agricultural than commercial interests. By blocking the economic projects of their adversaries, they delayed the development of British capitalism in the colony. But their positions were neither that clear nor that rigid. As social and economic conflict intensified during the 1830s, the party radicalized both its tactics and its goals, though not without some schisms between its moderate and extremist factions.

In 1834 the Patriotes listed their major complaints in the "Ninety-Two Resolutions" sent to the British government. Britain rejected this call for reform and settled the quarrel over subsidies through the Russell Resolutions of March 1837, which authorized the governor of the colony to obtain his budgetary estimates without a vote of the assembly. This decision caused many demonstrations; verbal violence soon gave way to physical violence. The Rebellions of 1837-38 were followed by the torching of Patriotes' homes, imprisonments, exiles, trials and hangings. The failure of the rebellions led to the disappearance of the Parti patriote. Some former leaders, however, returned to active politics in the united PROVINCE OF CANADA.

See also FILS DE LA LIBERTÉ.

Papineau, Louis-Joseph (Daguerrotype)
Complex and contradictory, Papineau was the first effective political leader of his people and a fitting symbol of their discontent (daguerrotype, courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-66899).

Nelson, Wolfred
Wolfred Nelson, one of the leaders of the Patriote movement, by Jean-Joseph Girouard (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-18408).

Saint-Eustache, Battle of
The Patriotes who had taken refuge in the village church were smoked out and killed by the British soldiers in the Battle of Saint-Eustache (courtesy Library and Archives Canada/C-6032).

Author FERNANDE ROY

Links to Other Sites
Political Polarization
A historical overview of the political turmoil and military action that engulfed Lower and Upper Canada during the Rebellions of 1837 – 1838. Many illustrations and interesting historical minutiae.

Manoir-Papineau National Historic Site of Canada
This Parks Canada site features a detailed profile of Patriot leader, Louis-Joseph Papineau, and background notes about the seigneurial system of land tenure.