BC & Confederation!!!

swag

Recap!

Fort Victoria established in 1843 James Douglas in charge

1857-58 GOLD ON THE FRASER!

1858 British Columbia declare a colony

1860’s Gold rush is in decline

What is Confederation?

Confederation was a political process that united the colonies across Canada in the 1860’s

Different provinces joined CONFEDERATION along the way

Who joined when?

The Journey to Confederation:

#1 Charlottetown Conference#2 Quebec Conference#3 The London Conference

It was all a dream.. That began at the

Charlottetown Conference!

When: September 1864

Who: PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & the Province of Canada

What: General approval of Confederation. Conference lasted 8 days

1862

Next Steps at the … Quebec Conference!!

When: October 1864

Who: Everyone who was at the Charlottetown one

What: Discussed structure of government for the new nation. How they would deal with federal and provincial powers

72 Resolutions Came out of the Quebec

Conference

The basis of Confederation

Composition of parliament

Distribution of federal and provincial governments

Final Round: London

ConferenceWhen: 1866

Where: London, England

Who: Province of Canada, New Brunswick, & Nova Scotia approved idea of Confederation

What: 72 resolutions become London Resolutions

1867

Received Royal Assent in March

July 1, 1867, the date of union

Canada 1867

Meanwhile in BC….

Should we join?

Using the reading, research Your Viewpoint & complete your section of the table provided

Victoria elite:Annexationists Amor de Cosmos:

the Confederationists!

J.S. Helmcken:The Anti-

Confederationists

Annexationists

Main Viewpoint:

Let’s join the U.S.!!

1866 Statement released by Victoria business men

Group of 104 business men

Confederation will not bring us population

Reasons:

No benefits for our resources such as mines, forests or waters.

Canada will deepen our economic depression

The Dominion lacks people itself!!

The Anti-Confederationists

Reasons Loyal to Britain

Confederation was a crazy experiment!

Canada is too FAR!

No communication except through the United States

Main Viewpoint

• Stay a British Colony• Supported by Colonial

officials who feared job loss

• Supported by J.S. Helmcken & Governor Seymour

Confederationists

Main Viewpoint

Join Canada!

Supported by Amor de Cosmos & Governor Musgrave

Supported by British government for economic and military reasons

Reasons

It is our destiny

Canada will pay our debts

The railroad will be great!

Population growth

Self-government granted

Freedom! Wealth! Prosperity!

What ended up happening?

Colonel Musgrave came up with the solution!

Convinced the others of how Confederation would actually benefit their standpoint

B.C. had two demands – take care of our debt & build a railway

Ottawa accepted, and promised the completion of RAILROAD in 2 years!

July 20, 1871 – BC JOINS CONFED!

Became Canada’s sixth province, in the wake of a gold rush and on the promise of a transcontinental railway link

Canada in 1873