Ninety-Two Resolutions facts for kids

The Ninety-Two Resolutions were a long list of demands for change. They were written in 1834 by Louis-Joseph Papineau and his political group, the Parti patriote, in Lower Canada. At that time, Lower Canada was a colony ruled by the British. These resolutions asked the British government to make important political improvements in the colony.

Why the Resolutions Were Needed

Louis-Joseph Papineau became the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in 1815. This assembly was a group of elected representatives. Papineau's party, the Parti patriote, often disagreed with the colonial government. This government was not elected by the people.

In 1828, Papineau helped write an early version of these demands. It was a list of complaints against how the colony was being run. To make sure their ideas were heard, the Parti patriote sent a group to London. They presented a document and a petition signed by 78,000 people to the British House of Commons.

What the Resolutions Asked For

On February 28, 1834, Papineau presented the Ninety-Two Resolutions to the Legislative Assembly. The assembly approved them and sent them to London.

The resolutions asked for several key changes. One main demand was for an elected Legislative Council. This was the upper house of the government. At the time, its members were chosen by the governor of the colony. The resolutions also wanted an Executive Council that would answer to the elected representatives.

Under the Constitutional Act of 1791, Lower Canada had an elected legislative assembly. However, the upper house members were not elected. The resolutions showed that the elected representatives were still loyal to the British Crown. But they were also frustrated. They felt that the London government had not fixed problems from past colonial governments.

The British Response

The British government largely ignored Papineau's resolutions for almost three years. During this time, the Legislative Assembly tried to oppose the unelected upper houses. They did this without starting a full rebellion.

Eventually, the British Home Secretary, Lord John Russell, responded. He issued ten resolutions of his own, known as the Russell Resolutions. These resolutions rejected all the demands made by the Legislative Assembly.

What Happened Next

The ten Russell Resolutions arrived in Canada in 1837. After this, many of Papineau's supporters began to push for a rebellion. This led to the events of the Lower Canada Rebellion.