French and English Clashes in the first decade of the nineteenth century & the Birth of French-Canadian Nationalism For nearly two centuries the inhabitants of New France lived their day to day lives under the French Regime. The colony of New France was shaped by such institutions as the Catholic Church, and the seigneural system. After the Conquest of 1763, the inhabitants of New France now found themselves under the control of the British monarch. However, the life for the inhabitants of New France, virtually remained unchanged. It was not until the American Revolution, that the inhabitants of New France began to feel the British presence. As a result of the American Revolution many British subjects, who became known as the United Empire Loyalists migrated north to the British colonies. The loyalists who settled in colonies were uneasy by the lack of government and demanded that some form of government be established. The British, who feared another war in North America, were quick to appease the loyalists concerns. Thus in 1791 the Constitution Act was implemented. From its implementation major clashes developed between the French and English populations. These major clashes in Lower Canada in the first decade of the nineteenth century were caused by the implementation of the Constitution Act of 1791. It will be shown that the French-Canadian response to these tensions gave way for the birth of French-Canadian nationalism. The Constitution Act of 1791, which was a result of loyalists demands, left some English feeling somewhat dissatisfied, particularly with the division of the colony into Upper and Lower Canada. In Lower Canada the French population held an overwhelming majority with 146, 000 over the English population which was only 10,000. The French population, who were pleased that they were a majority in their o...
