Great Enterprise 1a Notes

History Unit 1A: The Great Enterprise

Summary Notes John A. Macdonald • • • • •

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Born in Scotland, but spent most of his life in Canada West. A politician from Kingston, he spent much time away from home, even as his first wife suffered from a mysterious illness. He suffered personal tragedy. His first wife, Isabella, died from her illness, and an infant son died before reaching his first birthday. He thought about leaving politics and withdrawing from public life, but the threat from the United States compelled him to remain a politician. He was known as the “Sly Fox,” due to his ability and willingness to do whatever might be necessary to advance a cause. In Kingston, where there was a strong anti-Catholic feeling, Macdonald joined the Loyal Order of Orange in order to win support. Yet, at the same time, he was negotiating an alliance with Georges-Etienne Cartier to gain the support of French Catholics in Quebec (Canada East) Macdonald was a regular drinker, and would often use social events as a way to create contacts and forge alliances. Macdonald knew that, in order to break the political deadlock in the government of the Canadas, there would need to be a breakthrough for his party in Canada East. This was the basis for his alliance with Cartier. Macdonald was a political enemy of George Brown.

Georges-Etienne Cartier • • • • • •

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In his youth, he participated in the Lower Canada Rebellion. After it was crushed by the British, Cartier fled to the United States. Missing his home, Cartier applied to the Governor of Canada East to be allowed to return. He pledged an oath of loyalty to the British Crown, and promised to be a faithful subject. Cartier was a lawyer. He fit in very well with the upper class of Quebec society, especially with the powerful English minority that held most of the power. Cartier was very out-going. He was a gifted talker, and would often play original music at dinner parties where he was a guest. His marriage to his wife Hortense was an unhappy marriage between two prominent French-Canadian families. Hortense was Cartier’s opposite, an introverted, quiet woman who kept to herself and shunned social events. Cartier was elected to the legislature, and worked tirelessly to advance the cause of French-Canadians within a Canada owned by Great Britain. His dream was to transform Montreal into a city that would be the rival of any of the great American cities of the time. Cartier was a political enemy of George Brown.

George Brown • •

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Born in Scotland, moved to Canada West an began the operation of a newspaper called the Globe. Also became a politician sitting in the Canadian legislature. Brown used his newspaper to constantly attack his political opponents, especially Macdonald and Cartier. He particularly hated Macdonald, who he accused of “selling out” the interests of English-Canadians by making a political alliance with Cartier and French Catholics. He also thought of Macdonald as a “drunk.” Brown was very proper and religious. He did not drink. Brown disliked Quebec, mostly for being French and Catholic. He felt that Quebec was always complaining about never being treated properly and, as a result, got a better deal than the English Protestants of Canada West. He believed in “representation by population,” or rep by pop, in which Canada West would get more seats in the legislature due to its larger and growing population.