Canada and the American Civil War

1. Canada and the American Civil War 1861-1865

2. Causes of the American Civil War 1861-1865 • This was a complex war fought between states in the northern and southern part of the USA • The Union/ Federal- North (Yankees) • The Confederacy- South (Confederates)

3. Causes Continued • Slavery (19 free states prohibited slavery and 15 slave states allowed slavery) • Sectional differences (dissimilarity in culture and economy) • Political division within the country (new Republican Party vs Democratic Party)

4. Causes Continued • Secession-Southern states wanted to withdraw from the union if Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election in 1860. The Union did not want to allow this. • Lincoln was an advocate for the abolition of slavery-was elected • Seven States seceded by March 1861 and war was declared on April 12, 1861 • Guelzo, Allen C. "Civil War, American." World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar117060>.

5. Map of the division of the states during the Civil War. Dark blue represents Union states; light blue represents Union states that permitted slavery; red represents Confederate states; Unshaded represents areas that had not yet become states. Source:tp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War

6. How was Canada involved? • Remember Canada as an independent country did not exist until 1867 • It was still considered to be part of the British Empire • Britain handled Canada’s external affairs for many years even after Confederation • Many Canadians are believed to have fought alongside Americans in the Civil War

7. Canada's Involvement • Canadians were divided over the issues concerning the war in the USA • Britain was officially neutral for the duration of the war but was seen to have more sympathy for the Confederacy • This increased tension between Britain and the Union (Northern States) • Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in August of 1834 • Many escaped slaves were assisted and brought to Canada via the Underground Railroad

8. The Trent Affair • A naval incident in the first year of the war (1861) • 2 men (James M. Mason and John Slidell) representing the Confederacy sailed to Europe to enlist the help of neutral countries such as France and Britain • Northern (Union ) ships were blockading Southern ships in a number of ports • They boarded the British ship the U.S.S. Trent • This violated “freedom of the seas”

9. Trent Affair Continued • Britain demanded an apology • Britain also demanded the release of M. Mason and Slidell • Britain sent 8,000 troops to Canada and garrisons were reinforced • The US government released the men Connelly, Thomas L. "Trent Affair." World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar566020>.

10. The Chesapeake Affair • December 7, 1863 • 16 Confederates took the Union ship Chesapeake and sailed it to Saint John, N.B. and then on to Nova Scotia • Their intention was to sell the cargo and then use the ship to attack the North • They were captured by Northern warships in St. Margaret's Bay (Sambro) • A Nova Scotian fishing vessel was searched to find Confederate refugees • This again violated British neutrality

11. The St. Alban’s Raid • There were some Confederate activities in Canada • The St. Alban’s raid is one of the better know incidents- October 19, 1864 • It was a raid on St. Alban’s Vermont that was instigated by Confederate rebels who had fled to Canada • From there they staged an armed robbery of 3 banks and held townspeople prisoner as they attempted to burn the town • The raiders than fled back to Canada where they were arrested • As Canada was neutral and the raiders were acting on military orders they were let go

12. C.S.S Alabama • The Alabama was one of the most famous Confederate Civil War ships • Along with other cruisers in destroyed 257 Union ships and severely disrupted trade • It was built in England in 1862 • The British eventually expressed regret for building or outfitting ships for the Confederacy • Britain had compromised her neutrality and under the Treaty of Washington paid reparations of 15.5 million dollars in damages to the U.S.A World Book Online Reference Center. 2006. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Article?id=ar566020>.

13. The Treaty of Washington • Signed May 8, 1871 • Settled disputes that had arisen between the U.S.A. and Britain during the Civil War • Britain paid for damage caused by warships built and sold to the Confederacy • There were settlements regarding land claims near Washington D.C. • Granted fishing rights to the U.S.A. along Eastern Canadian coastal waters and to Britain north of the 39th parallel

14. Who Won? • The Union or Federal force (the North) won the war Viscount Palmerston Prime Minister of Great Britain Abraham Lincoln President of the U.S.A. http://www.number10.gov.uk/output http://www.civil-war.net

15. Impact on Canadian Confederation and Sovereignty • Tension increased between the Union (North) and Canada during the Civil War • Don’t forget that Canada was still worried about American ideas regarding annexation (Manifest Destiny) • After seeing what had happened when individual states had too much power, the new Canadian Federal government was designed to ensure more centralized authority

16. Impact on Canadian Confederation and Sovereignty • Economic policies to protect Canadian markets from the U.S.A were implemented- the National Policy • The Canadian Pacific Railway was built to facilitate the settlement and defense of the west.