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Confederation

Confederation. Internal & External Factors. 1850’s Scattered Colonies of British North America. Vancouver Island and British Columbia The North-Western Territory Rupert’s Land (Hudson’s Bay Trading Company) The Red River Settlement Canada (Canada East & Canada West) The Maritimes

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Confederation

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  1. Confederation Internal & External Factors

  2. 1850’s Scattered Colonies of British North America Vancouver Island and British Columbia The North-Western Territory Rupert’s Land (Hudson’s Bay Trading Company) The Red River Settlement Canada (Canada East & Canada West) The Maritimes Newfoundland

  3. Confederation-1867 British North American colonies join together in a federal union. Four Provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

  4. Internal Political Deadlock Need for the Railroad Repeal of Corn Laws External Threat of American Expansion The Fenians Trade Changing British Attitude Overview

  5. Internal Factor #1Political Deadlock • 1841-Canada West & Canada East • Each region had equal number of seats • This worked reasonably well in the 1850’s when the population of Canada East and West were similar – Canada East – 890 261, Canada West – 952 004 • Disagreements were common • English-Speaking majority of Canada West vs. French-speaking minority of Canada East were often on opposing sides over the issues. Canada West Canada East Liberal-Conservative Party (Tories) + Le Parti Bleu (Conservatives) (John A. Macdonald) (George-Etienne Cartier) vsvs Reform Party (Clear Grits) + Le Parti Rouge (Reform Party) (George Brown) (Antoine-AimeDorion) • Government in power had a difficult time getting a strong enough majority to pass legislation. • This led to political deadlock and frequent elections and changes of government. • To help solve this problem Macdonald, Cartier and Brown formed a coalition government in 1864. Coalition- A temporary joining together of two or more political parties

  6. Political Deadlock Cont’d • Politicians wanted the Great Coalition to form a federal union. • This would give C.E. & C.W. its own provincial government. • They would share a Central government – the seats would be divided on the basis of Representation by Population. Canada West -1 393 000 mainly English-speaking Protestant. Canada East -1 112 000 mainly French-speaking and Roman Catholic.

  7. Internal Factor #2Need for Railway • C.W., C.E., NS and NB had their own railway but they were not all connected. • The railway was needed to increase trade and move troops more quickly in case of war. • The railway would increase communication (quicker movement of mail) and increase business. • An INTERCOLONIAL railway would overcome problems: Mountains and freezing of St. Lawrence. • Due to financial trouble the building came to a halt and politicians dreamed to connect Canada from sea to sea.

  8. Internal Factor #3Repeal of Corn Laws • Corn Laws (1791-1846) were British laws which set customs duties on wheat and other cereals imported into Britain • 1820 laws favored British colonies  Upper and Lower Canada • 1846 corn laws repealed as movement towards free trade • Canadian farmers began to look to the United States as a trading partner • Britain no longer relied on trading with its colonies, thus no longer felt the need to control politics there • Britain  let BNA take care of its own affairs  Responsible government

  9. External Factor #1 Threat of American Expansion • Manifest Destiny- Policy of expansion based on the belief that all of the North American Continent should belong to the USA. • The American Civil War occurred in the 1860’s, between the Northern and Southern States. The British were accused of helping the Southerners flee from the Northern troops, although BNA supported the North. This created an uneasy relationship between BNA and the United States, leading to fear that the Americans would try and expand into the BNA colonies. • American settlers were moving into the Red River Settlement. This was also a fear because the United States could order the Americans to Annex North America. • The St. Alban’s Raid, The Chesapeake Incident, The Trent Affair

  10. Pressure Points • 1867-Alaska is purchased by Americans from Russia. Would they expand South into B.C.? • Discovery of gold in B.C. attracted thousands of Americans. Would they overpopulate the colony and join the United States? • Red River Settlement was close to the border and it was separated from Eastern Canada. Would the Americans annex? • Americans were angry at the British for supporting the South during the Civil War. Would they attack to get back at Britain? • Fenian soldiers were attacking the border from U.S. Were they attacking with the support of the US?

  11. External Factor #2 The Fenians • Fears become reality in 1866. • The Fenians (A group of American Irish Catholics) made several raids across the borders of BNA colonies. Fenians felt strongly about ending British rule over Ireland. Since they could not attack Britain directly, they attacked her North American colonies. • John A. Macdonald turned the raids into an argument supporting the union of the colonies.

  12. External Factor # 3Trade – End of Reciprocity • As members of the British Empire, the BNA colonies enjoyed special trading privileges. • British Corn Laws had allowed wheat and flour from the BNA colonies to enter Britain with a very low tax (this was called preference because foreign merchants had to pay a much higher tax) • Britain cancelled (Repealed) the Corn Laws in 1846 • To increase revenue ($$$), BNA colonies formed a Reciprocity Agreement with the United States.

  13. Reciprocity Treaty- In 1854, BNA colonies signed a RECIPROCITY agreement with the US. Trade (cont’d) This treaty was due to expire after ten years. 1866 Britain’s support of the South during the Civil War upset the Americans. Canadians feared US would not renew the reciprocity agreement. Solution: Free trade among the colonies. This in turn, pushed the colonies closer together. Increasing need for Confederation.

  14. External Factor #4Changing British Attitude • Great Britain’s attitude about her British North American colonies was changing. Britain wanted the colonies to be more self-sufficient. • Little Englanders (Small, vocal British group) saw the colonies as great expense and a burden to Britain. People were tired that their taxes and money were all going to support the colonies. • One British Politician, John Bright, summed up the feelings of the Little Englanders in a speech he gave to the British parliament: “. . . If they are to be constantly applying to us for guarantees for railways, and for grants for fortresses, and for works of defence, then I think it would be far better for them and us – cheaper for us – that they should become independent.”

  15. Questions • What were the advantages for the colonies of British North America of an intercolonial railway? What were the disadvantages? • What are the advantages of free trade? • Why were Americans interested in expansion Northward?

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