reasons for confederation justin lim part one. most impacting they needed to work out a different...
TRANSCRIPT
Reasons for Confederation
Justin LimPart One
Most Impacting
• They needed to work out a different system of government to help solve the problem between the English and French speaking representatives of Canada, who all had different priorities. This made it difficult to pass important laws.
Same Topic As Before.
• In some colonies, especially Canada East and Canada West; there was one government problem after another. A new way of deciding, with one central government to deal with local issues, was needed to help make government more stable within the colonies.
Very Impacting
• From 1854-1865 there was free trade between the British colonies and the United States under the Reciprocity Treaty. This allowed agricultural and raw products to be sold without the high tariffs being paid. In 1865, the United States ended the treaty. The colonies thought if they joined and traded together, they would have a better economy.
Somewhat Impacting
• As most colonies grew, they needed to build inter-colonial railroads and roads, which costed a hefty amount of money. If several colonies combined, they would have more taxes and money to pay off their debts.
Inter-Colonial railway at Nova Scotia
Impacting
• There was the threat of American expansion. The United States were rich and powerful, and they were looking for new land. They wanted to take over Canada. The United States were trying to convince many of the Canadians, who were American immigrants, that this was a good idea.
Important
• There was a group of Catholics from Ireland who wanted to abolish British rule over Ireland. Since Britain could not be attacked directly and the United States were no longer part of Britain, they were to attack Canada. Canada though if they became independent, they would be able to avoid this conflict.
Battle between the Fenians and British soldiers that took place 1866
Relevant
• Not long after the United States gained independence in 1783, the states became involved in a war amongst themselves. The colonies in Canada did not want any more wars, and by being led by one strong central government, they might avoid further wars.
Less Impacting
• Canada West was running out of good farmland and wanted to settle into the lands to the west (Rupert’s Land and the North West Territories). But, the Americans also wanted the land. So by joining together, they thought they could settle before the Americans did.
Least Impacting
• Britain wanted to become less involved in the government of their colonies and wanted their colonies to become more independent as it was very time consuming.
Why though?
Part Two
Most Impacting
• They needed to work out a different system of government to help solve the problem between the English and French speaking representatives of Canada, who all had different priorities. This made it difficult to pass important laws.
This was the most impactingreason of all to me because government was a big issue back then. Almost all the lawscould not be passed becauseof the disagreement. I believethis is what got them on the idea of Confederation
Same Topic As Before.
• In some colonies, especially Canada East and Canada West; there was one government problem after another. A new way of deciding, with one central government to deal with local issues, was needed to help make government more stable within the colonies.
Very Impacting
• From 1854-1865 there was free trade between the British colonies and the United States under the Reciprocity Treaty. This allowed agricultural and raw products to be sold without the high tariffs being paid. In 1865, the United States ended the treaty. The colonies thought if they joined and traded together, they would have a better economy.
This was another importantpiece to confederation. The termination of the reciprocity treaty causeda greater need for an inter-colonial railway system linking all the colonies.
Somewhat Impacting
• As most colonies grew, they needed to build inter-colonial railroads and roads, which costed a hefty amount of money. If several colonies combined, they would have more taxes and money to pay off their debts.
This was impacting forconfederation because itwas needed for the economicalgrowth of Canada. It is impactingbecause without the need of the railway some of the coloniesmight of opted out.
Impacting
• There was the threat of American expansion. The United States were rich and powerful, and they were looking for new land. They wanted to take over Canada. The United States were trying to convince many of the Canadians, who were American immigrants, that this was a good idea.
This might not ofbeen the most impacting,but it did have some impact on confederation.If they didn’t band togetheras one country, the Americansmight of taken advantageof our situation and taken our land.
Important
• There was a group of Catholics from Ireland who wanted to abolish British rule over Ireland. Since Britain could not be attacked directly and the United States were no longer part of Britain, they were to attack Canada. Canada though if they became independent, they would be able to avoid this conflict.
This reason was aneutral. It is neutral because it really, onlysped up the need ofa central government.I think, even if therewere no Fenians, wewould still be Canada.
Relevant
• Not long after the United States gained independence in 1783, the states became involved in a war amongst themselves. The colonies in Canada did not want any more wars, and by being led by one strong central government, they might avoid further wars.
This was more of aprecaution. They didn’twant to end up like the States, so they thought being one country would solve the issue. I thoughtit was relevant, but notmajorly impacting.
Less Impacting
• Canada West was running out of good farmland and wanted to settle into the lands to the west (Rupert’s Land and the North West Territories). But, the Americans also wanted the land. So by joining together, they thought they could settle before the Americans did.
To me, this was onlyimpacting for CanadaWest. If we had good farmland there, it probably wouldnot of affected the bigpicture.
Least Impacting
• Britain wanted to become less involved in the government of their colonies and wanted their colonies to become more independent as it was very time consuming.
This was least impactingto me because it was Canada’s decision beforeit is Britain's. Britain mightmake the call, but it isCanada who wants it or not.
So What?
• There might be a more impacting reasons of confederation than the other, but I believe they all played a role in creating this 10 province and 3 territory country. No matter how small, I think they all made a little difference in the exact outcome.
