6. In 1791 the British Parliament passed the Constitutional Act which gave the people of Upper Canada the privilege of holding lands in their own name. In Lower Canada, too, those who wished were allowed to avail themselves of the freehold system, but the French did not take advantage of their opportunity. In the year 1854 Seigniorial Tenure was abolished, the Government recompensing the seigniors for the surrender of their ancient rights and privileges, and freehold tenure, as in Ontario, was introduced.
7. Reasons why the Seigniorial Tenure failed:
(a) It was not adapted to conditions in Canada.
(b) It did not provide sufficient incentive to settlers to improve their lands.
(c) It gave the habitant no chance to rise.
(d) It tended to divide the population into three classes.
(e) It failed to develop a civic spirit. This fact alone made progress practically impossible. Each seignior was the master of his own domain. Thus the people had no opportunity of working together, and under such circumstances no great national spirit could be developed.
8. Note the effect of the conquest of Canada and of the American Revolution, upon Seigniorial Tenure.