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Period: to
Confederation
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The Reciprocity Treaty the first step to Confederation
• Britain signed a treaty with the U.S. which allowed the colonies to trade in raw materials and agriculture products without tariffs being charged, this built up the wealth of colonies from 1854-1866 • Trading was difficult because of non reliable transportation • The treaty was meant for the U.S. to trade with Britain but since both parties produced manufactured goods the colonies ended up trading with the U.S. rather than the with each other since they relied on it more -
The Charlottetown Conference
• The reason for meeting was so that the Atlantic colonies can talk about forming a maritime union (Central Government) • The United Province of Canada stepped in suggesting that they join in too and create an even bigger government • The basic idea was to bring the Maritime Union into a British North American Union which was the start to confederation • New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were interested in what the U.P.C. had in store for them but P.E.I. didn't really think they would benefit -
The Quebec Conference
• During this session, delegates from different provinces attended, representatives from the United Province of Canada and all of the maritime colonies came • In two weeks they came up with the Seventy-Two resolutions which is what Canada would use as its basis in the future for law and order • The plan was to combine these provinces together as one country so that they can eliminate their issues (i.e. improving the economy, trading, safety from American rebels and etc) -
The London Conference
• This was the last conference that took place in London, England before the Confederation
• Sixteen delegates from the U.P.C., Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick went to London to present the rough draft of the Seventy-Two Resolutions
• Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were benefitted during the stay. They was promised an intercolonial railway that was later built when the Atlantic Colonies became one with the United Province of Canada -
The Dominion of Canada
• On February 22th, 1867 the modified bill for the Seventy-Two Resolutions (now called the British North America Act) was given to the British Parliament
• Queen Victoria signed the Royal Proclamation on this day to approve the forming of Canada
• On this very day Canada was officially called "The Dominion of Canada" -
The Confederation
• The United Province of Canada (Ontario and Quebec), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia joined together on this day • Each member gained power over its own ground but most power was handed over to the central government in Ottawa, Canada’s federal government • The colonies wanted to stay loyal to the crown and didn’t want to continue free trades among the Americans so they decided to join together as one force and resist joining the United States -
Northwest Territories joins Confederation
• The Hudson’s Bay Company sold Rupert’s Land to the the Dominion of Canada, Rupert's Land was apart of the Northwest Territories at the time • December 1, 1869 was the original transfer but was corrupted by the Red River Rebellion so the government assumed control after on July 15, 1870 • On November 19, 1869 the HBC surrendered the land ownership to the Crown which was then given to the government of Canada who later paid for the lands to the HBC, this was called the Rupert's Land Act -
Manitoba becomes a Province
• Manitoba was apart of the Northwest Territories so the Red River settlement (Métis) wanted to be a province on their own so they had Louis Riel to help them
• Louis Riel made a rebelion against all with the Métis so that they can become a province
• Sir John A Macdonald sends Donald Smith to find out the demands of the Métis,
• Representatives from the Red River Settlement meet with PM Macdonald and George Etienne Cartier to discus their rights and demands -
Britsh Columbia joined Confederation
• The Fraser River gold rush in 1858 brought many new settlers to B.C. • These people wanted their own provincial government instead of being led by a government appointed by Britain • They also feared the U.S. would want to take over their lands • Canada gave them financial help to build roads and services, and a railroad to transport goods and people to and from the East. -
P.E.I. joined Confedration
• They had decided not to join during Confederation because they had strong trading ties to the U.S., and they were afraid they would lose power as the smallest province of Canada • Canada was afraid they might join the U.S., and once again invited them to join • They accepted because they were given help to buy their land from British landowners and to pay their debts for building a railway
