British North America: Tecumseh, Carleton, Brock.

When an important historical figure is highly regarded they are usually commemorated with a commemoration day, a monument, or taught in classes for the younger generations to comprehend. The actions of a person can create an everlasting effect that will change the world for the worst or the better, and how we perceive things. The efforts of Tecumseh, a Native American Shawnee war chief, Issac Brock, a British army commander, and Sir Guy Carleton, the governor of Quebec have alternated Canada from what it is now on the world stage.

Tecumseh, who emerged as a very prominent war chief leader in the 1800s. He led the First Nations Confederacy along with alliances from the British which formed a resistance towards the American’s intrusion on Aboriginal land claims during the War of 1812. His efforts of assisting Britain at Fort Amherstburg and Michilimackinac while facing American opposition on June 18, and July 17, 1812. Moreover, this forced American forces which occupied the two outposts to surrender both towards Britain. On August 13, 1812, both General Isaac Brock and Tecumseh converged at Amherstburg on how to plan to capture Detroit controlled by William Hull, an American soldier, and politician who was the appointed governor of Michigan Territory.

Tecumseh who was in charge of leading his tributes and Britain towards Detroit and unbelievably Hull surrendered Fort Michigan without a fight. This is due to a more psychological standpoint than a real battle. Lastly, Tecumseh’s final battle at the Battle of the Thames he was finally recognized as a hero by his colleagues, played a critical role in the war and provided a monumental contribution towards modern-day Canada. Finally, these series of events lay the foundation of Tecumseh’s victories leading up to his rightful place in Canadian History.

Additionally, Isaac Brock, a military commander who was later promoted to major general, and appointed administrator of Upper Canada. Brock also united with Tecumseh during the intervention at Fort Michigan in Detroit. However, more importantly, when the Americans invaded Queenston Heights, Brock was alerted to the invasion while still residing at Fort George. He commanded his men to attack without waiting for reinforcements, so Issac Brock was killed in combat. He rallies his remaining men to overcome the conviction of the American intrusion. Major Brock had a short life and died at 43 years and was later honoured with a monument stationed in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Also, Canada has recognized this as well and erected one at Queenston Heights.

His funeral was attended by 15,000 of his former colleagues, families, friends, and Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. As a politician he was the remarkably skilled politician as he negotiated with natives, also with the ability to subdue his government’s opposition, Joseph Willcocks, he was the informal leader of the opposition in the early development of Upper Canada’s parliament. He persuaded Willcocks into becoming allies and was swayed into volunteering to fight for Britain. On the battlefield, Brock’s formulated planning was more proficient than his actual military influence, which ended in his finest victories completely bloodless. This was indeed a major contributor to his and Tecumseh’s victory at Detroit. Overall, Isaac Brock gave Upper Canada reassurance in such a grim time. These endeavors from Isaac Brock have forged Canada’s present for the better.

Sir Guy Carleton, an army officer during the American War of Independence, governor of Quebec, British commander, and succeeded James Murray as governor. He advocated the passing of the Quebec Act in the year 1774 and supervised it to support Roman Catholic Churches and to maintain French civil law. The churches were legally capable of collecting the tithe and the seigneurial system was resurrected. However, the churches and seigneurs were happy about the changes, but the french settlers were troubled that they had to pay the seigneurial taxes. Furthermore, one extensive problem Carleton did not consider when advising the Quebec Act was that it sparked the American War of Independence. In retrospect, John Adams, a patron of the American Revolution who served in Continental Congress said, “The Quebec Act is just another intolerable act”. This is due to the fact the British Crown was in favour of French-speaking papists rather than their own Protestants. Likewise prohibiting settlers from colonizing the Ohio valley.

He also opposed the disunion of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada and the Constitutional Act in the elected assemblies. Moreover, some notable deeds he did was to oversee the evacuation of allied forces, carried out a promise from the British crown to free slaves who have joined the British. He devoted his time in the Seven Years’ War where he first bombarded Fort Louisbourg in Europe and later in Canada where he was responsible for overseeing the operations of the army and engineering supervisor for their artillery of cannons. He was injured in combat at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. He was departing New York; however, this caused an uproar of many loyalists that also began to withdraw from the Thirteen Colonies and Cartelon had them establish outside of the United States. Carleton was able to evacuate some 27,000 refugees and 30,000 troops. He defended the slaves that have retreated from New York City because they were entitled to their freedom as stated in the Proclamation Act. Carleton was able to evacuate some 27,000 refugees and 30,000 troops.