Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Home > Constitutional Act of 1791

The Constitutional Act of 1791 was a British law which changed the government of the province of Quebec to accommodate the many English-speaking settlers, known as the United Empire Loyalists, who had arrived from the United States following the American Revolution. Quebec was divided in two. The western half became Upper Canada (now southern Ontario) and the eastern half Lower Canada (now southern Quebec). Upper Canada received English law and institutions, while Lower Canada retained French law and institutions, including seigneurial land tenure, and the privileges accorded to the Roman Catholic church. Representative governments were established in both colonies with the creation of a legislative assembly; Quebec had not previously had representative government. Along with each assembly there was also an appointed upper house, the Legislative Council, created for wealthy landowners; within the Legislative Council was the Executive Council, acting as a cabinet for the governor.

The Constitutional Act also tried to create an established church by creating clergy reserves. grants of land reserved for the support of the Protestant clergy. In practice income from the rent or sale of these reserves, which consituted one-seventh of the territory of Upper and Lower Canada, went exclusively to the Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and is the mother branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. Christianity was planted in Britain in the first or second c and, from 1824 on, the Church of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland is the national (established) church in Scotland. It does not regard itself as a " state church", having fought for centuries to prevent government interference in its affairs. It is commonly known as the Kirk ( Scots for church .. These reserves created many difficulties in later years, making economic development difficult and creating resentment against the Anglican church, the Family CompactThe Family Compact was the informal name for the wealthy, conservative elite of Upper Canada in the early 19th century. It was one of a number of Tory dominated Compact governments that ruled the colonies of British North America. The Family Compact devel, and the Chateau Clique.

The act was problematic for both English speakers and French speakers; the French Canadians felt they might be overshadowed by English settlement and increased rights for Protestants, while the new English-speaking settlers felt the French Canadians still had too much power. However, both groups preferred the act and the institutions it created to the Quebec ActThe Quebec Act of 1774 was an act by the British Parliament setting out procedures of governance in the area of Quebec. After the Seven Years' War, a victorious Great Britain achieved a peace agreement through the Treaty of Paris (1763). Under the terms o which it replaced.

1 See also

Constitutional history of CanadaThe Constitutional history of Canada begins with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, in which France ceded most of New France to Great Britain. See Constitutional history of New France for everything prior to the cession of New France. Royal proclamation Main artic
1840 Union ActThe Act of Union passed in July 1840 and proclaimed February 10, 1841, abolished the legislatures of Lower Canada and Upper Canada and established a new Parliament of Canada to replace them. This act effecting the political union of the Canadas was simila

Constitutional Act of the Province of Lower Canada

Canadian history Quebec history Ontario history

<Hide>

Topics: Constitutional Act Of 1791, Constitutional History Of Australia...

Constitutional history of AustraliaEmergence of the Commonwealth of Australia Main article Australian federation After European settlement in 1788, Australia was politically organized as a number of separate British colonies, eventually six in all. By the middle of the nineteenth century,	Constitutional monarchyA constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. Modern constitutional monarchies usually implement the concept of trias politica, and have the	Constitutional lawConstitutional law is the study of foundational laws that govern the scope of powers and authority of various bodies in relation to the creation and execution of other laws by a government. A constitution binds a government or governments, limiting the co
Constitutional Monarchy MovementThe Constitutional Monarchy Movement CMM is a monarchist Iraqi opposition group led by Sharif Ali Bin al-Hussein. He is related to the former royal family which ruled Iraq until 1958. He has succeeded to establish himself as claimant in the international	Constitutional ConventionAlternative meaning: Constitutional convention A Constitutional Convention is a gathering of persons for the purpose of drawing up a constitution, or planning to modify one. In British constitutional law the " Convention Parliament" of the late Stuart era	Constitutional crisisA constitutional crisis is a situation in which separate factions within a government disagree about the extent to which each of these factions hold sovereignty; as such, it is distinct from a rebellion, in which factions outside of a government challenge
Constitutional convention	Constitutional Act of 1791	Constitutional amendment
Constitutional Convention (Australia)	Constitutional Commission	Constitutional Law of Federation
Constitutional Democratic party	Constitutional debate of Canada	Constitutional Court

Non User

Home > Constitutional Act of 1791

1 See also

2 External links

Topics: Constitutional Act Of 1791, Constitutional History Of Australia...