Today…

1. Today… The Emergence of Vancouver The Chinese in BC

2. Terms to Know • metropolis: a chief city • tidal flats: a low-lying marsh • to undercut: to sell work at a lower price than average

3. The Emergence of Vancouver pre- 1870

4. Slow development… • Vancouver is the youngest major community within BC • Vancouver could not develop during the fur trade or the Gold Rush • Burrard Inlet is not fed by a major river • thick forest • there was no travel to the area

5. Burrard Inlet

7. Colonel Richard Moody and New Westminster • Colonel member of the Royal Engineers • Selected for Lieutenant- Governor of BC (while it was still a colony – pre- 1870) • Moody was one of the first to realize that the Fraser would FREEZE over during the winter • Ordered for 3 paths to be cut through the ice (protection strategy) • set aside land for a military reserve

8. Vancouver – early 1860’s to 1865 • home to Musqueam and Squamish peoples • 1865: two sawmills opened • Hastings Sawmill, on the south side of Burrard Inlet • Sewell Sawmill, on the north side of Burrard Inlet

9. Hastings Sawmill

10. Result of Saw Mills • gained timber rights • took over 19,000 acres • saloons and shops began to pop up • Settlement “Granville” and “Gastown”

11. 1881 - CPR • Port Moody was named one of the stops for the CPR • focus shifted to the eastern end of Burrard Inlet • Speculators bought up land around the CPR route

12. Changes… • 3 years later (1884) William Van Horne (remember him?) arrived to Port Moody • His discovery… the area was made up of tidal flats and therefore not suitable for large vessels to load and un-load cargo. • Van Horne travelled towards Gastown – the location was right – he named it Vancouver

13. Challenges… • Vancouver was slowly building • 1886 brought hot/dry weather • This caused uncontrollable fires that burned the upcoming city • By 1890 they were re-built with a population more than 5,000 people

16. The Chinese in BC – immigration

17. arrival… • thousands arrived along with the Americans during the Cariboo Gold Rush • immediately faced discrimination against their language, religion, dress, and customs • limited options • re-work land that had previously been mined • less expensive and often produced small amounts of gold

18. Helping the economy… • remained in BC while other miners left • opened restaurants and general stores along mining routes • became vegetable farmers • some worked for wealthy families

19. 1881 - CPR • BC section of the railway (west of the Rocky Mtns) was in need of workers • 17,000 Chinese immigrated to BC to work on the CPR • they were paid $1/day (half the salary of White workers) • usually they were required to provide their own food and lodging

20. Chinese immigration helps build the CPR

21. Life in the Cities • post- 1885 • the Chinese immigrants could not afford to travel back to China • moved to Vancouver and Victoria • racism and discrimination was a large part of life • “The Knights of Labour” wanted the Chinese removed from Vancouver

22. Work... • Chinese immigrants often did work that others did not want to do • sometimes they would displace White workers because the Chinese workers could be paid less

23. Head Tax • 1885, Chinese immigration now had a limit • Each immigrant had to pay $50 upon entry to Canada • Ships were limited to carrying only 40 Chinese people at once • What did this do… • limited immigration • families could rarely arrive together

25. Head Tax Apology • June 22, 2006 • Stephan Harper offered apology to Chinese Canadians • Who did Harper offer an apology to in 2008? • In 2006, approximately 30 original Head Tax payers were still alive • apology consisted of a $20,000 payment