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The Armed Rebellion in Upper Canada of 1873
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Rebecca's Information
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During the political unrest, Mackenzie decided to take advantage of that situation. He began stirring up people against the government as he rode around the country side north of Ontario. The "radicals" were the most rebellious and wanted to have a government like America. On October 9, 1837, Papineau's patriotes in lower Canada were ready for armed action. Thousands of weapons were left unguarded in Toronto as the British troops had left to go defend the lower Canada Government. Mackenzie thought the time was right for armed rebellion, he told his followers to take the weapons and capture Sir Francis Bond Head and demand a new government. Sir Francis Bond Head was the lieutenant governor of Upper Canada. But his rebels were not ready for such action, instead they sent Mackenzie north of the city to collect a petition of names of people who liked the idea of the new government but he was not permitted to talk of armed rebellion. Mackenzie came back with 4000 names on his petition.
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Sean & Justin Information
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On december 5, macenzie donned sevral overcoats as a sort of armor against the rebel bullets,led about 800 men down young street. Some of the men had guns,others had pitchforks,clubs and some even had knives strapped to poles.They fired on a small number of defenders, who retreated as soon as the fired.In responce, some rebel riflemen dove to the ground and returned fire. In the confusion the rebels behind the riflemen thought the rifle men had been killed,and there for retreated back to the way they came.
December 6, approx. 600 of military men marched towards Yonge St. Before the rebels knew it they were flieing for there lives. Mackenzie stayed to the end of the battle. Sir Francis Bond Head had offered $5000 dollars for the caputre of Mackenzie. He tried to start a army to liberate Upper Canada by offering approx. 120 hectares of land for free to anyone who would join him.He was later arrested for breaking law between the Province of Canada and the U.S. He was later put in jail for 11 months. Two rebels, Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews were hanged on 12/04/1838, for teachery. Later Mackenzie returned to Canada in 1849. He started a newspaper and was elected to be on the Legislative assembly. He never regained his popularity from the earlier years.
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Kelly's Information
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Lower Canada temporarily ended up worse off than they were before the rebellion. The colony's legislative Assembly was suspended until 1841, a special council and also the governor ruled! In Upper Canada, the people were very afraid to speak out because the modreate reformers were also branded as rebels. The British response to the rebellions was quite a shock! The prime minister decided to send john George Lambten (Lord Durham) as the governor general. He was told to investigate some of the causes of the rebellions and also to suggest different solutions to the problems.
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