Timeline (Maple Uprising)

Early 1838
Lord Russell (British Colonial Secretary) reject the demands of the assemblies in the upper and lower canadas for greater autonomy and full control of the economy. To this, the Patriot Party (lower Canada) call for a boycot of British goods and encourage colonials to practice smuggling with the united States. Lower Canada's Governor, Lord Gosford, respond by banning public assemblies. At the same time in Upper Canada, a group of reformists under William Lyon Mackenzie found the Committee of Vigilance of Upper Canada as a from of paralel government for the province.

August 1938
Lord Gosford disolve the Assembly of Lower Canada after it refuses to accept the budget. In november of the same year, following three months of agitation, an armed battle is won by the Sons of Liberty in St-Denis (Lower Canada) followed by a few more engagement.

December 1938 - January 1939
On the 7th, Anthony Van Egmond marches on Toronto (1) with a rebel armies. Lieutenant-Governor Francis Bond flees the city in fear for his life. The rebel army numbering in the thousand manage to overwelm the 300 soldiers that had been left in the city, the rest having been sent to Lower Canada. Some of these same troops are immediatly recalled to Upper Canada. On the following day, the western half rise up in open rebelion with forces gathering on the Road to Dundas. The ranks of the Rebel Army swell up when news reach them of Van Egmond Victory. With the Capital and many village under control of the rebels, Mackenzie declare the Republic of Upper Canada With him as head of its provisional government.

On the 29th, trying to prevent supplies from reaching the rebels, a group of loyalist militiamen under Navy Commander Drew capture the Caroline (2), a US ship chartered by the rebels. During the attack, one of its US sailor is killed and his relative and many townspeople demands intervention by the US government. The President however, wanting to prevent a war, sent soldiers to ensure there would be no reprisal.

Largely due to the tension it created, a small skirmish between US and British american militiamen in the disputed Aroostook Area (Maine/New Brunswick) quickly escalated (3).

Until then the US had closed its borders to Canadians insurgents in a bid to remain neutral. It now reopened them and allowed Sons of Liberty, Brothers-Hunters and Reformists to openly acquire goods and attack Loyalist forces in the upper and lower canadas.

Mid 1839
Meanwhile in Great-Britain, many in the chartist movement saw that the demands made by the rebels in the Canadas were the same as them and agitated for the government to come to an agreement with them. Fearing an uprisal if they appeared too soft, the House of commons declared chartists leaders to be sedious and a series of arrest ensued. This lead to the chartist calling for a "Sacred Month" (in effect a general strike) that managed to shut down some cities.

Late 1839
Back in North-America, almost a year had passed since the begining of the uprising and the rebels had managed to gain control of large areas in both Canadas. Regular troops, spread too thin, proved unable to organised anything more then defensive operations. The rebels of Upper Canada were helped by some volunteers from the USA, notably a small army of Hunters Lodge Brethrens under the command of Finnish adventurer Nils Von Schoultz.

In Lower Canada, the Sons of Liberty (under Wolfred Nelson) and the Patriotes (nominaly under Papineau but commanded by Chenier) controled most of the countryside and only Montreal and the Eastern Township remained firmly under British control (the former with the help of the loyalist Doric Club). A split had begun to emerge between the 2 rebels groups that reflected the differing political views of Nelson and Papipeau. While both were republicans, the former wanted to enventualy introduced measures that the latter knew would alienated the middle class. While it did not reach the level of hostility between the 2 groups, it did prevent them from mounting joint operation.

The british government was thus faced with a rebelion they would lose unless they sent in more troops, this however would have only exacerbated problems at home where the grievances of the colonials were shared by an increasing number of british subjects. In addition, other colonies (notably Jamaica) were on the verge themselves of rebelion. Unable to cope with the troubles, Lord Melbourne (the prime minister) offered his resignation. As is last official act, he recommanded to Queen Victoria that she negociated with the rebels.

The Aftermath
Having gained their independance, the 2 canadas formed a loose confederation under the name of "The United Republic of the two Canadas" with the capital moving back and fort between Toronto and Montreal. The union however was short-lived due to internal dissent and lack of common objectives. The upper canadian "Statists" (who supported annexion by the United States) managed to take control of the government after fiercely fought elections and solemly request entry in the USA as a state. Meanwhile, the lower canadians feared that statehood would only dilute their autonomy and in the end, the dissolution of the United Republic resulted in Lower-Canada (now renamed simply to its original name of "Canada") becoming a sovereign country of its own.

Meanwhile a discussion had begun between british provincial authorities in North America. Faced with continued skirmishes on the border with the USA, a "Maritime Union" is suggested to pool together resources and personnel for the defence of what is left of British North America.