chapter 13 the prairies west in the twentieth century
TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER 13
The Prairies West in the Twentieth
Century
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• The Canadian west experienced a population boom in the first decade
• Land rapidly came under cultivation and grain production soared
• Cities swelled with newcomers
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
Reasons for this prosperity:
1. Aggressive campaigns to attract immigrants
2. Completion of the railway linking east and west
3. Grain prices increased
4. Urbanization worldwide created a demand for foodstuff
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
Reasons for this prosperity:
5. Farming methods and machinery improved
6. The gold rush created wealth which stimulated investment
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
The Early Years of the Century• The life of the homesteader was
difficult• Poverty; isolation; lack of fuel, wood
and water• Houses were shacks or sod houses• Farmers often took odd jobs or left
home to take temporary jobs in mines or in railway construction
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Women played important roles in the success of the homestead. They worked as hard as the men with little division of labor
• Manitoba exported a small amount of wheat to Ontario in 1867
• Exports steadily rose until 151 million bushels were exported in 1921
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Early homesteaders only hade muscle and animal power to plant and harvest their crops
• Land was ploughed by horse or oxen; seed was spread by hand; the seeds were covered using a harrow; ripe grain was cut with a scythe; cut grain was raked into bundles, tied and was hauled by wagon to the barn where it was beaten with a flail to knock the kernels from the chaff
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• These methods severely limited the amount of land a farmer could cultivate
• By the end of the nineteenth century, industrialization introduced machinery
wheeled ploughs tractors
seed drills threshers
binders
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• In 1918, the Canadian government offered Fordson tractors to the western farmers in an attempt to increase war-time production
• Machinery was expensive and farmers could not afford a poor harvest
• Threshing gangs were one way to save on costly machinery
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Improvements in the grain itself were as important as machinery
• Red Fife became the dominant wheat variety of wheat. It was a high quality grain that made excellent flour
• Marquis wheat replaced the Red Fife and this variety increased production but maintained the high qualities of the Red Fife
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• The western harvest created temporary employment
• Between 1899 and 1929 laborers came from the USA and Britain to assist with the harvest
• These Harvesters’ Excursions brought as many as 20 000 farm hands
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• They would arrive early in September, lived in bunkhouses or abandon rail cars then return east when the work was complete
• Government played an important role in assisting the farmer and stimulating the western economy – controlled freight rates, rail construction, grain elevators, public utilities, and agricultural colleges
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• The western economy was based on wheat but railways opened up the northern regions of the west
• Wood – pulp and paper, railway ties and construction lumber – became an important resource
• Mining operations began after 1916 after the success of the Mandy Mine north of The Pas
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• The economy of British Columbia, first established on the fur trade and later on gold, diversified to include agriculture, limited manufacturing, logging, fishing and canneries
• Logging has always been an important but limited resource. Rail lines opened up the interior which expanded the logging industry
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Coal from Vancouver Island; and silver, copper, lead and zinc from the Kootenay region created a thriving mining industry in BC
• Improvements in transportation, as was seen in the logging industry, stimulated the mining industry
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• In 1896, at Bonanza Creek, the discovery of gold created the biggest gold stamped in history
• The Klondike gold rush attracted 40 000 prospectors from around the world
• There were several routes to the gold fields but the Chilkoot Pass was the most popular
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• The route was 45 km long and rose to an elevation of 11000 meters
• Dawson became the “capital” of the gold rush territory
• In 1898, laws were passed that required prospectors to carry with them a one year supply of provisions
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Some gold was found in riverbeds but most gold was concentrated deep underground
• Fires were set to melt the permafrost but digging was very slow and difficult
• Steam thawing was introduced as larger companies bought up claims and eventually monopolized the site
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• WW I created a boom in the west and lifted the prairies out of an economic depression
• Allied armies were huge market form western agriculture products
• The war created jobs in the manufacturing sector as well but this benefited eastern Canada
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• As the war progressed, so did economic prosperity for the western farmer
• Women replaced men on the farms and in industry, they ran the farms, contributed to the war effort or served as nurses in Europe
• The sacrifice of the women during the war years, justified their call for suffrage
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• In 1916, the vote was given to women in the four western provinces
• In 1917, women with relatives serving in the military were given the federal vote
• All women were granted the vote the following year
• Prohibition became a political issue that divided Canada
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• WWI added urgency to the liquor issue• Drinking had always been considered the
cause of poverty and family neglect• Once the war began, alcohol was consider
a drain on the nation’s resources and a threat to discipline and good health in the army
• Prohibition was seen as a contribution to the war effort
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• In 1918, the federal government introduced prohibition, following the lead of the western provinces
• Prohibition created smuggling and bootlegging
• By the end of the war, public opinion of prohibition changed
• Prohibition was difficult to enforce and crime increased
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• In 1917, Conscription threatened Canadian unity
• It was unpopular in Quebec but the western farmers also opposed the issue
• The November 11th armistice ended the economic boom for Canada
• The economy ground to a halt
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• An economic depression followed, cost of living increased and unemployment rates soared
• Labor issues became the major issue following the conclusion of the war
• Unemployment increased as returning soldiers were promised work but no jobs were available
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Unions were formed to create a better working climate for the employed
• A general strike gripped Winnipeg and was only put down with brutal force
• One Big Union was created with the intent of uniting all working people under common aims and goals
• The 20’s saw a return to prosperity
The Prairies West in the Twentieth Century
• Canadian commodities increased in world price and the economy improved
• Despite the “Roaring Twenties” label, most Canadians lived at or below the poverty line