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Beautiful British Columbia. The History of Our Province. Symbols of British Columbia. BC’s natural Beauty and Wildlife. Some Attractions. Regions of BC and the Largest City: Vancouver. BC Government. BC Economy. BC first Nations Culture. But how did BC become a province in Canada?.
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Beautiful British Columbia The History of Our Province
But how did BC become a province in Canada? First, in 1819 the 49th Parallel was chosen as the boundary of USA and Canada from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains – But what about the West coast? Who owned that?
Oregon Territory • HBC has trading posts, and doesn’t want settlement to disrupt the Fur Trade • George Simpson Creates Fort Vancouver as center of HBC fur trade in Oregon Territory • USA – Manifest Destiny – are moving in • John McLoughlin of HBC encourages American to settle South of Columbia river
Oregon territory: the Boundary • Lots of Americans = need clear boundary • 49th Parallel means HBC (Britain) loses Fort Vancouver • 1843: Simpson asks James Douglas (Factor at Vancouver) to build new fort on Vancouver Island: Fort Victoria • US President (Polk) is elected with Slogan “54 40 or fight” • 1849: Boundary negotiated at 49th, with all Vancouver Island to Britain
Colony of Vancouver Island • 1848: Britain Creates Colony of Vancouver Island to solidify claim on West Coast • HBC given Trade Monopoly • James Douglas, chief factor of Fort Victoria, made Governor • Land sold to settlers at $5 per acre • Colony booms: coal in Nanaimo & Cumberland, get Navy base in Victoria
James Douglas • Married to Amelia, a Metis and has 13 children with her • Helps with diplomacy between Europeans and First Nations/ Metis • Started with NWC at 16, quickly promoted and became Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver, then Fort Victoria, 1851: Governor of Colony of Vancouver Island, then of colony of BC • Negotiates Treaties with First Nations on Vancouver Island, setting boundaries paid for land (those who follow him will go back on this deal) • Responsible for Cariboo Mountain Road
Government of Vancouver Island • 1848 – 1856: James Douglas is in sole control of the colony, executive and legislative councils are appointed, not elected • NOT representative or responsible • 1856: get elected Legislative Assembly • Douglas restricts vote to male landowners, and keeps Veto Power
Thar’s GOLD in them thar hills! The Cariboo Gold Rush
But really, what’s the big deal about gold??? • You can pound, twist, bend and stretch it without it breaking or tearing (maleable) • It has 19 times the mass of water, but you can pound it thin enough that it will float to the ground. (gold “leaf) • Acids, salt water and other corrosives can’t hurt it!
How gold gets into streams… “vein” of solid gold Is exposed at Earth’s surface Elements cause “lode” to break off Into nuggets
Cariboo Gold Rush • 1848: California Gold Rush – gold is running out by 1850s • 1857: Gold discovered on Thompson and Fraser Rivers • James Douglas fears influx of miners – US annexation and lawlessness • By end of summer 1858, 10,000 miners had arrived • Miners search up river into Interior= Cariboo Gold Rush
Colony of British Columbia • 1858: colony of British Columbia created to claim land/ settle for Britain (49th – 54 40) • James Douglas as Governor • Matthew Begbie as Chief Justice • Capital city: New Westminster
Barkerville • Boom town of Cariboo Gold Rush • Named after Billy Barker – struck gold on Williams creek on 1862 • Mid 1860s 5,000-10,000 lived in Barkerville • Had general store, houses, post office, hotels, drugstore, barbershop, theatre, literary society • “Hardy Gurdy Girls” - dancers form Germany for Saloon • Citizens from all over world, including American, Chinese, Black
Barkerville • 1868 – fire destroys city, rebuilt in 3 months • 1880s – gold is gone, and by 1920s it is a Ghost town • Present day: it has been restored as a tourist attraction
Cariboo Mountain Road • Need road into interior for miners to travel/ access gold • 1862: James Douglas starts the Cariboo Wagon Road from Yale to Barkerville = 650 km, 3 years, $750,000 • Hope for a toll to pay for it, but Gold rush is over in 1865 - too late • Result: DEBT for BC
NO MORE GOLD!!! • Gold rush ends, people leave, population of 2 colonies drops dramatically (35 000 – less than 10,000) • Less people = less taxes = debt • Vancouver island - $300 000, BC - $1 million RESULT: Colonies United - Called British Columbia, capital was largest Port city: Victoria
Confederation • BC has declining population and Economic problems. Options: • Join Canada (mainland BC) • Join USA (Victoria Merchants) • Stay separate (Vancouver Island) What are the arguments for each? What should BC do? (p. 225) .
Confederation arguments 1. For Confederation: confederationists • Canada take on BC’s Debt • Want Road from Lake Superior to New Westminster • Want Responsible Government • For Joining USA: annexationists • Washington/ Oregon close by – create permanent market • Against: Anti-confederationists • Maintain tie to Britain, don’t like Canada or USA
Confederation • 1868: • New Governor for BC , Anthony Musgrave, is friend of John A. Macdonald • Britain didn’t want colony anymore • Musgrave gets Anti-confederationist to create a wish list, and Canada agrees - even to the Railroad • BC unanimously votes to join confederation and becomes a province on July 20, 1871.
City of Vancouver Settlements in BC developed because of the Fur trade (posts, ex. Fort Langley), or because of the Gold Rush. Not Vancouver. Thick Forest, no river = no people. New Westminster was a small settlement at the mouth of the Fraser River, and in 1865 Sewell Moody built Moodyville Sawmill (port Moody), and Edward Stamp built Hastings Mill to profit off Lumber.
Hastings Mill, 1902 Specialize in “BC toothpick”: logs 18m long, 1m diameter used for masts in ships and sold all over the world
Gastown • John “Gassy Jack” Deighton arrives in 1867 and builds a saloon on Burrard inlet for the Loggers • Area officially called “Granville”, Unofficially “Gastown”
Vancouver • 1881: Port Moody is Chosen as end of CPR • 1884: Van Horne changes location to area he calls “Vancouver” – beside Gastown • 1886: CPR is complete and Vancouver is accepted as new city • 1890: Vancouver population = 5000 • 1900: 20,000 • 2012: 2.5 million
Why did Vancouver Grow so Rapidly into a big City?