War, Expansion and Confederation: The War of 1812 to Canada 1867
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Flip to reveal answersWhat triggered the US declaration of war against Britain in 1812?
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All 12 Flashcards — War, Expansion and Confederation: The War of 1812 to Canada 1867
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Question
What triggered the US declaration of war against Britain in 1812?
Answer
A mix of impressment of US sailors, British trade restrictions (Orders in Council), and British support for Tecumseh's Indigenous confederacy blocking US expansion.
Question
Impressment
Answer
The British practice of seizing American sailors and forcing them into Royal Navy service — a key grievance behind the War of 1812.
Question
What happened to Tecumseh and why did it matter?
Answer
He was killed at the Battle of the Thames in 1813; his death shattered the Indigenous confederacy's ability to resist US expansion after the war.
Question
What did the Treaty of Ghent (1814) actually settle?
Answer
It restored pre-war borders (status quo ante bellum) — no territory changed hands, despite three years of fighting.
Question
Manifest Destiny
Answer
The 1840s American belief that the US was destined to expand across the whole North American continent; ideological driver of the Mexican-American War.
Question
What border dispute sparked the Mexican-American War?
Answer
The US claimed the Rio Grande as Texas's southern border; Mexico said it was the Nueces River further north. Polk sent troops into the disputed zone, provoking a clash in 1846.
Question
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Answer
Ended the Mexican-American War; Mexico ceded ~55% of its territory (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, parts of New Mexico) to the US for $15 million.
Question
Compare the causes of the 1837 rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada.
Answer
Lower Canada (Papineau): French-Canadian reformers vs an unelected British elite. Upper Canada (Mackenzie): reformers vs the Family Compact clique. Both shared the same core grievance — no responsible government.
Question
What were Lord Durham's two main 1839 recommendations?
Answer
1) Unite Upper and Lower Canada into one province; 2) grant responsible government so elected representatives, not appointed officials, controlled policy.
Question
Name the three key conferences that produced Confederation, in order.
Answer
Charlottetown Conference (1864) → Quebec Conference (1864, drafted the 72 Resolutions) → London Conference (1866, finalised with Britain) → BNA Act (1867).
Question
What was the central compromise built into the British North America Act (1867)?
Answer
Federalism: a strong central government (favoured by Macdonald) balanced against provincial powers over education and civil law (protecting Quebec's French, Catholic identity, backed by Cartier).
Question
Name two groups/issues left unresolved by Confederation in 1867.
Answer
Indigenous peoples were not consulted at all, and Maritime provinces felt dominated by the political weight of Ontario and Quebec.
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Topic 19.7 hub
Nation-building and challenges (c1780–c1870)
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