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Alexander Mackenzie Facts & Worksheets

Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish-born Canadian political leader who served as the second prime minister of Canada. Aside from being a politician, Mackenzie was once a stonemason, building contractor, and author.

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Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish-born Canadian political leader who served as the second prime minister of Canada. Aside from being a politician, Mackenzie was once a stonemason, building contractor, and author. When he became Canada’s first liberal prime minister, he was famous among the general public for his humble background and apparent democratic tendencies.

See the fact file below for more information on the Alexander Mackenzie or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Alexander Mackenzie worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

  • Alexander Mackenzie was born in Logierait, Perthshire, Scotland, on January 28, 1822.
  • He was the third of 10 sons of Alexander Mackenzie, Sr., and Mary Stewart Fleming.
  • His father was a carpenter. When his father died, he and his older brothers went to work to support the family.
  • At 13, young Alexander left school and trained as a stonemason.
  • He later met his future wife, Helen Neil, in Irvine, where her father was also a stonemason.
  • The Neils were Baptist, and soon after, Alexander switched from Presbyterian to Baptist beliefs.
  • In 1842, together with the Neils, he immigrated to Canada to seek a better life.
  • Alexander’s faith linked him to the more influential temperance cause (a social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages), which was particularly strong in Canada West (also known as Ontario) where he lived.
  • He started a career as a general building contractor working on canals and public construction projects in Kingston, St. Catharines, and Montréal.
  • In 1845, Mackenzie married Helen Neil and the couple had three children, two of whom died at a young age. Helen and Alexander moved to Sarnia, Ontario (known as Canada West), in 1847. They were soon joined from Scotland by the rest of Alexander’s brothers and his mother.
  • Mackenzie became a successful builder and developer.
  • He helped construct several courthouses and jails across southern Ontario, such as the Kent County Courthouse and Jail in Chatham, Ontario, and the Sandwich Courthouse and Jail, which is now known as the Mackenzie Hall Cultural Centre in Windsor, Ontario.
  • Helen died in 1852. The next year, Mackenzie married again to Jane Sym, with whom he had no children.

EARLY POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT

  • Alexander involved himself in politics soon after arriving in Canada.
  • He passionately supported equality and the removal of all forms of class distinction.
  • In 1851, he actively helped organize the election of Reformer George Brown (owner of the Reformist paper, The Globe) to the legislative assembly of the Province of Canada.
  • Mackenzie and Brown continued to be the closest of friends and colleagues for the rest of their lives.
  • In 1852, he became editor of a Reformer newspaper, the Lambton Shield.
  • Alexander was petitioned to run, and in 1861, he won his first seat in the Legislative Assembly as a supporter of George Brown.
  • In 1867, he was elected to the first Parliament of Canada, where he became the leader of the opposition to Sir John Alexander Macdonald.
  • Later, he was also the treasurer of Ontario, but in 1872, he decided to devote his time to federal politics.

PRIME MINISTER

  • After Macdonald’s government fell due to the Pacific Scandal in 1873, Mackenzie was chosen as the leader of the Liberal opposition.
  • In November of the same year, he formed the first federal Liberal administration in Canada.
  • Almost shortly after forming a government, Mackenzie called an election, and in January 1874, with the Pacific Scandal weighing down Conservative fortunes, the Liberals won a large majority.
  • As prime minister, Mackenzie maintained the nation-building programme that had been started by his predecessor and achieved a remarkable record of reform legislation.
  • He extended the right to vote, introduced the secret ballot, established the Supreme Court of Canada, created the Royal Military College of Canada, and created the Office of the Auditor-General in 1878.
  • He also created the District of Keewatin to better administer Canada’s newly acquired western territories.
  • Above all else, he was well-known and loved because of his honesty and integrity.
  • However, he managed only a little progress on the transcontinental railway and struggled to deal with the aftermath of the Panic of 1873.
  • In the 1878 election, the Liberals were defeated.

LATER LIFE AND LEGACY

  • After his government’s defeat, Alexander remained the leader of the opposition for another two years until 1880.
  • He was soon struck with a strange ailment that sapped his strength and all but took his voice.
  • Nevertheless, despite sitting in silence, he prevailed to be the undefeated MP until his death.
  • He died on April 17, 1892, in Toronto and was buried in Sarnia, Ontario.
  • The first biography of Alexander Mackenzie in 1892 referred to him as Canada’s Stainless Statesman.
  • He was a devoted Baptist and teetotaller who found refuge in and drew strength from his family, friends, and faith.
  • The Rebellion leader of Upper Canada, W.L. Mackenzie, stated about Alexander, “He is every whit a self-made, self-educated man. Has large mental capacity and indomitable energy.”
  • Several places and establishments were named after him, such as The Mackenzie Building. Also, the Mackenzie tartan was used by the bands at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario.

Alexander Mackenzie Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Alexander Mackenzie across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Alexander Mackenzie worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Alexander Mackenzie who was a Scottish-born Canadian political leader who served as the second prime minister of Canada. Aside from being a politician, Mackenzie was once a stonemason, building contractor, and author. When he became Canada’s first liberal prime minister, he was famous among the general public for his humble background and apparent democratic tendencies.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Alexander Mackenzie Facts
  • Quick Facts
  • Biography of Alexander
  • Interesting Facts
  • Significant Dates
  • Career Life
  • Canada’s Stainless Statesman
  • Your Opinion
  • Alexander as the Minister
  • Moral
  • Featuring a Political Leader

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Use With Any Curriculum

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