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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THOMAS D’ARCY McGEE “the greatest Irishman in Canadian history” Conor Cruise O’Brien, 1978 1825- 1868 TIMELINE 1825 1842 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1857 1858-61 1860 1862 1864 1865 Born a Roman Catholic in Ireland Emigrated to the United States, journalist with the Boston Pilot Editor of Boston Pilot (wanted Irish independence from UK & USA to annex Canada) Returned to Ireland, wrote for Freeman’s Journal & The Nation Joined Young Ireland movement Married Fled to USA after failed rebellion against UK Moved to Montreal, elected to Legislative Assembly of United Canadas United with George Brown (Liberal Protestant politician) Snubbed by Prince of Wales at opening of Victoria Bridge, Montreal Chaired Intercolonial Railway Conference in Quebec City Organized tour of Maritimes for politicians from United Canadas to promote Confederation Delegate to Charlottetown Conference & Quebec Conference for Confederation, attacked Fenian movement in Ireland & Canada 1866 1868 1927 Not invited to the London Conference on Confederation. Expelled from St. Patrick Society of Montreal, killed in Ottawa, only Canadian politician to be assassinated in 19th century, given first state funeral in Canada (over 80,000 people attend in Montreal) First Irishman in the British Commonwealth to be put on a postage stamp (Canada) THE JEANIE JOHNSTON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION D’Arcy McGee lived in interesting and controversial times and so many websites mislead. They mention but fail to explain the huge issues he encountered during his times. Useful Websites. There are many websites about D’Arcy McGee. Check your evidence. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography is excellent. www.biographi.ca/index-e.html. D’Arcy McGee Vol. I & II by David Wilson (McGill-Queen’s University Press). Read the short reviews of Wilson’s books at www.mqup.mcgill.ca/ . An article by William Davis about McGee (Google: Thomas D’Arcy McGee: look for Tripod). The Irish Famine‘s economic, social and political impact on Canada is at www.irishfamine.ca . Literally millions of people left Ireland in the 50 years following the Potato Famine. They had to emigrate to survive, but where should they go? McGee, an influential newspaper man, first suggested migration to the USA, but later said that Canada was a better option. The Irish in North America became a large political force and were resented. Confederation. Despite what many websites claim, it was not inevitable that the colonies unite, nor that a federal system of government would be adopted. Did McGee play a pivotal role, or was he simply a great orator who reflected the opinions of others? Protestant-Catholic Conflicts. In the 19th century, Catholic-Protestant conflict was present in Canada, the United States, Britain, Ireland, and most European countries. Contrary to what is often written about Canadian history, the Protestant-Catholic conflict was deeper and greater than the French-English conflict of the time. While U.S. websites seldom mention anti-Catholic discrimination, we should remember that states such as New Hampshire did not allow Catholics to vote until the 1860s, and no state in the USA allowed public funds to be used for Catholic schools. This was not the case in Canada. However, then, as now, the right of the parent to choose education was a source of bitter conflict. McGee grappled with the problems of his Catholic minority in a Protestant world. North America & Britain. In the 19th century, Britain, not the United States, was the richest and most powerful country in the world. However, the victorious North after the Civil War felt that Canada and Britain had hindered victory over the South. Many advocated the invasion of Canada. (see Amanda Foreman, A World On Fire). While most Americans thought they had a “Manifest Destiny” to rule over all of North America, they feared British sea power. McGee grappled with the problem of a smaller Canada facing the growing imperialism of the American Empire. Railways shaped and explained Canada at this time. See www.canadarailwaytimes.com . The changes brought by railways from the GTR (Grand Trunk) of the 1850s through the Intercolonial Railway of the 1870s to the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) of the 1880s were enormous. McGee had the largest funeral in Canada up to that time because the Grand Trunk Railway shipped thousands of people to Montreal for the event. Few modern Canadians would ever draw 80,000 to their funeral. THE JEANIE JOHNSTON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION