In 1837 and 1838, members of the French Canadian Patriote Party and their supporters rebelled against the British government of Lower Canada (now Quebec). The rebellion was the result of longstanding disputes about the nature of the British colonial government, a serious economic depression, and the growth of an urban Anglophone population. Across the border, many Vermonters supported the Patriote cause, while others worried about the possibility of another war with Britain. When the Lower Canadian government and its supporters put down insurrections in 1837 and 1838, many rebels took refuge in Vermont.
This guide lists primary sources that document Vermont’s role in the rebellion, including newspapers, letters and records, books, pamphlets and broadsides.
The guide also includes articles and books historians who have examined the connections between Vermonters and the rebellion. Many items are located in the Rare Books and Wilbur Collections in Silver Special Collections.
This guide is based in part on "Selected Sources for the Study of the Patriote Rebellion in Special Collections" by Karen Stites Campbell, which appeared in Liber, A Newsletter for the Friends of Special Collections, Number 27, Autumn 1996.