post #7: The Constitutional Act

September 20, 1792

Dear journal,

The loyalists are moving to Nova Scotia mostly in the area of the Bay of Fundy. They thought that Halifax was too far away to understand their needs. In Quebec the loyalists were moving west of Montreal they thought that they should have the same rights as us- Brittan.  But Quebec was still under the Quebec Act of 1774 (the one where the colony used the French civil law and the seigneurial land holding system). This was very offensive to the loyalists. The farmers had a right to occupy the land but did not have ownership of it.

In the next year, the loyalists sent a petition to the king that said that they should be freed from the load of French Tenures. The government responded by last year they passed The Constitutional Act of 1791. This is similar to the systems that made New Brunswick and Cape Breton. 

These are the terms and conditions of the act:

·         Quebec was then divided into two separate colonies: Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

·         The colonies had to have an assembly to raise taxes.

·         Lower Canada is allowed to continue the seigneurial system.

·         Upper Canada is allowed to fully own their land.

·         Part of Upper Canada is set aside as clergy reserves.

·         Part of Lower Canada is set aside as crown reserves.