The 4th epoch in Canadian history covers British rule from 1763 to the Confederation of the Provinces in 1867. After the conquest in 1763, Canada was for a time governed by the British without creating a special constitution for the country, and not until 1774 did the Quebec Act (q.v.) provide for a permanent system. The Quebec Act played a great part in both American and Canadian history. It set up a despotic system of government, and it aimed to bring the whole western country under this despotic regime at Quebec. While introducing British criminal law in the country, it re-estab lished the French civil law. The seigniors re tained their feudal rights, the Church was given legal power to collect the tithe.
In the English colonies the Quebec Act caused discontent. They did not desire despot ism as a neighbor, they did not wish to be checked in the West, they disliked the legal establishment of Roman Catholicism, and when the colonies revolted the Quebec Act was one of their grievances. They resolved to attempt the overthrow of British rule in Canada and allied, as they hoped, with the conquered French rising against their new masters they planned to make the revolt continental in character. But in 1775 and 1776 the American army failed to take Quebec; and some of the French showed fight on behalf of Great Britain. Soon the plan to drive the British from Canada was abandoned and the country remained firm in its British allegiance.
Probably with this failure the die was cast finally; it is certainly true that the intervening seven score years have never seen any real prospect of the union of Canada with the United States. When the Loyalists, driven from the United States, found homes in Canada they treasured bitter memories of the revolutionary struggle and rendered the prospect of union even more remote. But once settled in Canada these refugees from the United States demanded the self-government which they had enjoyed at home, and at last in 1791 the British Parliament established Lower Canada and Upper Canada each with a legislature of its own and with some, though not a complete, measure of self government. In 1812 the United States and Great Britain drifted into war, and the second failure at that time to overthrow British rule in Canada confirmed the results of the defeat be fore Quebec in 1776. i In 1837 there was armed rebellion in the two Canadas. In Upper Canada the inhabitants claimed the complete control of their own affairs that the Colonial Office in London persistently refused, and to vindicate this demand a few took up arms. In Lower Canada there was a war of races. The French majority demanded that they should dominate in the councils of the country. The English minority, allied usually with the governor, resisted this claim, and at length some of the French also appealed to arms. Each revolt failed completely, but the risings threw into a clear light the causes of dis content in Canada and in time a remedy was furnished.
Lord Durham, an English radical Whig, sent out to rule Canada with despotic authority and to restore order, in a very able report, published in 1839, urged that the English province and the French province should be united under one legislature. This was done. In 1841 Canada
received a new constitution, and, joined together for the first time, the people of the two prov inces could demand respect and consideration. With more than a million people Canada could no longer be treated as the child of the Colonial Office. After a few doubtful years under the new constitution, the Earl of Elgin, the gov sent out from England, defi nitely, amidst some riotous events in 1849, recognized the supreme authority of the Cana dian Parliament in regard to Canadian affairs. Since that time political warfare in Canada has been between Canadian parties and not between Canada and the Colonial Office.
But the union of the two provinces contained nothing of finality. Lord Durham had hoped that the English would dominate the French. Instead the French asserted themselves and, since each province equaled the other in the number of its representatives, the work of gov ernment under the party system proved ex tremely difficult. A better political temper was growing up throughout British North America. Once free to control their own affairs the prov inces saw the advantages of union. Their in sight was quickened when in 1866 an advan tageous Reciprocity Treaty with the United States came to an end, and in self-preservation it became necessary to increase the commercial and political strength of the provinces. With surprising rapidity negotiations were success fully concluded between 1864 and 1866, and in 1867 the Dominion of Canada came into exist The events connected with Confederation furnish a distinct epoch in Canadian history. In the next and concluding epoch the various prov inces have been welded together until a real national life has appeared. The development of Federal government in Canada presents some interesting contrasts with the Federal system in the United States. Sir John Macdonald (q.v.) aimed to make the Federal power strong, the Provincial power relatively weak, and, since his was the master mind that directed Confedera tion, the Canadian constitution reflected his views. The powers of the provinces are strictly defined, the undefined residue remaining with the Federal government. Carrying out his views Macdonald frequently tried to curb the prov inces, and answering him there was a cry for provincial rights. In spite of Macdonald's desires, development in Canada has been rather in the direction of strengthening the authority of the provinces, but it is still true that a prov ince in Canada falls far short of a State of the Union in political authority. The Federal gov ernment can disallow Provincial legislation; it can dismiss a Provincial lieutenant-governor and has done so more than once. But as a result of the experience of half a century, a 'fairly stable balance between the two jurisdictions has now been reached. During this time a real unity has grown up in Canada, and it makes Canadians, as it long since made Americans, one in sentiment from ocean to ocean. The French speaking province of Quebec is perhaps a partial exception. But on most great questions of national interest Quebec, too, is at one with the rest of Canada.