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Canada's First Railroad
Today Canada's first railroad opened. It ran from La Prairie to St John's, Quebec. The railroad is called "Champlain and St. Lawrence", This is important because it was one of the first steps to Confederation. -
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Canadian Life in the 1800's
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Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada
People in Upper and Lower Canada were rebelling against the government. Lower Canada (Louis-Joseph Papineau) because of the failure of the seigneurial system that protected the French heritage. Upper Canada (William Lyon Mackenzie) because of the way the government was run. Soon, the government gave in to the Lower Canada rebels. Upper Canada was still enraged. This is important because without the rebellions, we wouldn't have stopped the old system, and had elected members, not appointed ones. -
Rebellion Mackenzie Ambushed
The Upper Canada rebellion was a result of people who didn't trust Americans, who were fed up with large taxes from Britain (Boston Tea Party), and who felt that the British government (and people appointed by the British) were not respecting their veiws. This resulted in Mackenzie leading riots toward Toronto to captue the government. The rebels were stopped by militia ambush. This is important because this action started the road to a responsible government, not only in Canada, but others too. -
Lord Durham's Arrival
Lord Durham (John George Lambton) was sent to Canada because he was appointed by Queen Victoria, after being knighted and given the tittle of "High Commissioner and Governor-General of all Her Magesty's provinces on the continent of North America". This is important because without Lord Durham coming to Canada, the Durham report wouldn't have happened. Without the Durham report many changes that are still in place today wouldn't have been put in place. -
Durham's Report
Durham's report focused on three main points:
1. Upper and Lower Canada combined under one government.
2. The governor lets the elected members be his ruling advisers.
3. Colonies would be given the right to have power over their own international affairs (only in desperate matters would the governor override them).
This is important because without the Durham report, his reccomedations would never be put to action, even though that didn't happen in his lifetime, it would happen. -
Act of Union
The act of Union was to help show the British rule over the French-Canadians. The act of Union was written like this.
1. The British would have more representatives, therefore under representing the French in government.
2. The British made the French help pay their dept, by pooling it.
3. The only language that could be used in government was English.
This was unfair to the French because the British changed their way of life, giving little to no power to the French, all because of Durham. -
Oregan Treaty
The Oregan Treaty was set the U.S border and Brii\tish North America at the 49th Parallel, excluding Vancouver Island, keeping it the same -entirely owned by Britain. -
Act of Amnesty
The Act of Amnesty allowed Mackenzie to come live in Canada again, after the Upper Canada rebellion he stirred. This is important because it shows that Britain didn't hold a grudge against Mackenzie, because the rebellion was behind them, and they were moving forward. -
49th Parallel Boundary
The 49th parallel boundary is the border between the British and American territory. It's called the 49th boundary because it lined up with 49 degrees parallel. -
Colonial Postal System
This is when the British transefered the control of their colonial postal system to Canada. This is imporant because it shows Canada's independence with their own mail, and that Canada is gradually getting out of the British's reign of power. -
British North America's First Postal Stamp
This is the stamp that Canada issued. It is the first stamp in British North America. This is an important moment because it showed Canada working it's way out of the Britsh dependence. -
Reciprocity Treaty
This treaty was about trade, signed by Britain and the U.S. It stated that Canada (Including New Brunswich, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and P. E. I.) This is one of the first movements to free trade. Sadly, the U.S. terminated this treaty later. This date is important because, like I said before, it was one of the first movements to free trade. -
New Capital of the United Provice
Queen Victoria (who knighted Lord Durham) sets Ottawa as the new capital of the Province of Canada. This is important because this is when Ottawa became the capital of Canada. -
Gold is Discovered!
On Fraser River, a furtrading society, found while coal-mining, they struck gold. The word went around, and soon many people (mostly Amerian) came and stopped near Vancouver on their way to Fraser for the gold rush. But, the influence of the American seemed to rub off onto some of the Canadians, and soon they also wanted to be rid of the British rulers. The governor of this time thought this through, and he concluded to stop the Americans, every miner that came had to register, and pay to mine. -
Charlottetown Conference
The Charlottetown Conference is important because it started making the Canadians think of P.E.I. as part of Canada. It created a grand ball, one that seduced Canadians to allow the Maritimes to join their fight to confederation. This is important because the Maritimes had the men who would eventually become the Founding Fathers of Canada. This is a leap to confederation. Also, it's important because the Charlottetown Conference was one of the steps to confederation, and leading to independence. -
Quebec Conference
The Quebec Conference discussed, and revised the '72 Resolutions', which shape the thouts of possibly uniting. The main author of these revolutions is John A. Macdonald, so it is only fitting to say that John A. Macdonald has shaped and influenced what is Canada today. They worked together, even though it may not have gone smoothly, and finally came up with their final plan. This date is important because it has an enormas impact on modern Canadian society. -
Battle of Ridgeway
This battle was fought in the town of Fort Erie, across the river (Niagra) from Buffalo. The battle started with Canadian troops, but soon led to Canadian officers. No british soldier were present at the fight. This battle was the largest fight fought be the Fenian Raids, the first industrial-era battle to be fought be the Canadians. This was the last battle fought against Canada ina foreign invaison. -
London Conference
The '72 Resolutions' get passed as the new British North America Act at the London Conference. This coference is also the final conference that led to the Canadian Conference. They also spoke about the schooling for kids. This is the final conference that led to Confederation. This date is important because, like I said, this is the final COnference that led to Confederation. Confederation led to Canada owning indepenence. So, to conclude, this conference led to Canada's independence. -
The British North America Act
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Canada Buys Rupert's Land
On this day, the Parlement of Canada finally agreed to purchase the Hudson's Bay Company's land- Rupert's land. This area is the first of many to join Canada. -
Confederation!
This is the day that Canada became independent, and was released under British rule. This is the now known as Canada Day, and it is the day that we, ourselves, have become our own nation! Most of the former important dates have been leading up to this day, waiting for Canada to became a counrty! -
Manitoba Joins Confederation
This is the day that Manitoba decided to join what is finally Canada. -
Northwest Territories Join Confederation
This is the day that the Northwest Territories join the Canadia Confederation. -
British Columbia Joins Confederation
British Columbia joined Canada, becomes part of Canadian Confederation. -
John A. Resigns
Sir John A. Macdonald resigns due to the discovery of the scandal that was placed over the small financing of the Conservative party's campain by the Canadian Pacific Railroad Company. -
P. E. I Joins Confederation
P.E.I joins Canadian Confederation on this date. -
Invention of the Telephone
Growing up with influence of sound, Scottish-Canadian inventor Alexander Graham Bell developes the first telephone with his assistant, Charles Sumner Tainter. They called their invention the 'photophone'. -
Women Practicing Medicine
Jennie Trout became the first woman to hold a license to practice medicine, even though Emily Stowe completed the course in the U.S., but she refused to take the Canadian test until 1880, and has been illigally practicing medicine before Trout. -
Supreme Court of Canada is Established
On this day, the Supreme Court of Canada (highest court in Canada) was supported by the Constitutional Act. This important building is located in Ottawa. -
Demonstration of First Working Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell demonstrates the first working telephone in Boston, Massachusetts. -
Introduction to Standard Time
Scottish-born Canadian, Sandford Fleming, is the inventor and engineer that introduced standard time. -
First Orginized Game of Hockey
The first orginized game of hockey is played by McGill students in Monteal, Quebec, using a flat puck. In previous years, hockey was known to be played with a ball on ice. -
Introduction to Protective Tariffs
John A. introduces Canada to protective tariffs, fees that need to be payed before the country can import/ export goods. -
Britain Transfers the Arctic
The British decided to transfer the artic from British ownership, to the Canadians. This completes the current Canadian borders, excluding Newfoundlan and Labourdor. -
Canadian National Anthem First Presented
'O Canada' was originally written in French by Theodore Robitaille, the Leutenant Governor-General of Quebec. It wasn't until 1908 that it was sung in Englsih. O Canada wasn't officially the national anthem until the 1980's. -
The Liberal's First Leader (French-Canadian)
Building up the popularity in the province of Quebec, Wilfred Laurier is chosen to be the leader of the Liberal party. -
First Provincial Premier Conference
The first premier conference takes place in Quebec City, Quebec. -
Donation of the Stanley Cup
Governor-General, Lord Stanley of Preston donetes the Stanley Cup as a hockey trophy. Nearly one hundred years later, it is the biggest trophy you could win in hockey. -
First French-Canadian Prime Minister
On this day, Wilfred Laurier starts his rule as the Prime Minister of Canada. -
Discovery of the Yukon Gold Rush
Gold is found in Klondike, Yukon. Like Fraser's gold rush, many people come to Klondike to become rich, approx. 100 000 people. -
Yukon Gold Rush! (Full Undertake)
The word spreads about the gold found in teh Yukon. Finally, the Yukon Gold rush is full underway! -
First Canadian Woman Lawyer
Clara Brett Martin became the first Canadian lawyer. Martin broke some of the 'Glass Celing' as she worked to get a degree in Math, which was almost impossible because of the males in the program, at age sixteen. She helped women be able to become lawyers. She wrote a petition that helped her get her law degree, even though they only exept men. As they saw, a small fight for girls, is one step to equal rights as men! -
Boer War (First Time Canadian Fight Overseas)
The first war Canadians fought outside of Canada was the Boer War in South Africa. It was fought between the Dutch (Boers) and the British. Over seven thousand Canadian volunteer join the British in their fight to victory.
