Early Printing and Type in Canada, Chapter 1: 1752–1800

This period saw the introduction of printing into Canada. There were no newspapers or printing presses under French control. Except for the Upper Canada Gazette, all the newspapers at this time were established by American printers who came north seeking new opportunities. Most of the newspapers at this time were pretty much tools of the government and printers were strongly discouraged from printing anything that could be considered hostile to the government. This was especially true after the American Revolution (1775–1783). Those Americans that remained loyal to Great Britain were called United Empire Loyalists and a lot of these Loyalists came to Canada to avoid persecution. Although they faced many obstacles and were often in debt, they laid the foundation for a Canadian newspaper industry.