Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Confederation Confederation • Confederation means the union of all the British colonies – British Columbia, Canada West, Canada East, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward, Newfoundland – in North America into one nation • Confederation is about Canada becoming a country in 1867 • The idea of confederation had been around for a long time • Lord Durham, in the early 1840s, had dreamed about some day uniting all the colonies under a central government Factors Leading to Confederation • In the 1860s, a number of important factors provided the final push towards confederation 1. Fear of War and Expansion in the United States • Relations between Britain and United States were poor • United States had fought a revolution to gain its independence from Britain • From 1861 to 1865, a civil war was being fought in the United States – war between the Northern States and Southern States • British supported the Southern states • The North won the war and was angry at Britain for helping the South • Many Americans wanted to take over all of what is now Canada • The fear of an American takeover was one factor drawing the colonies together 2. Fenian Raids • Fenians were Irish American troops who wanted to free Ireland from British rule • They thought that if they captured the British North American colonies, they might be able to force Britain to give control of Ireland • Fenians invaded the colonies at a number of different points • In 1866, 1500 Fenians crossed the border at Fort Erie and won a victory over a Canadian force – 6 Canadians were killed and 30 wounded • Later that year, a British warship prevented a Fenian attack on New Brunswick • People living on the border were always on the alert for Fenian attacks • John A. Macdonald turned the Fenian raids into an argument for uniting the colonies • A united country would be better able to resist such invasions • Fenian attacks provided another push towards Confederation 3. Trouble with Trade • Before 1846, the British North American colonies had a special trading arrangement with Britain • Britain allowed wheat and flour from the colonies to enter its ports with a low tax • Britain then cancelled this special preference in 1846 – it now allowed goods from any country into its markets without a tax • British colonies no longer had a guaranteed market with Britain • The British colonies signed a Reciprocity Treaty with the United States in 1854 • Treaty allowed trade in certain goods between countries without tariffs or taxes • During the 1860s, the colonies worried that the United States would end the Reciprocity Treaty – U.S. claimed that allowing goods from British North America into the States tax free was costing it money • In 1865, U.S. announced it intended to end the Reciprocity Treaty • Colonies decided that the only solution was to have free trade among themselves • Prior to this, the colonies had traded very little with one another • When they did exchange goods, they always charged high tariffs • If the colonies united, it would be easier for them to trade with one another 4. Need for Railway • If the colonies were to trade with one another, there had to be a railway • In 1850, there was only 106 km of track • Between 1850 and 1867, 3570 km of track were added in the colonies • Work began on the Grand Trunk Railway – link Canada West with Atlantic Ocean at Halifax • Building the railway cost a lot of money and by 1860, the Grand Trunk was on the brink of bankruptcy • Many believed that the only way to get the Grand Trunk completed to Halifax was if the colonies were united • Railways would also provide a communication and trade link among the colonies • Some dreamed of extending the railway across the continent to British Columbia and the Pacific Ocean • Railway would also be critical to defending British North America from the Americans 5. Changing British Attitudes • A number of people in England believed that the colonies were a great burden to Britain • It cost Britain a lot to defend the colonies • Some believed that it was time that the British North America colonies became independent and paid their own way 6. Political Problems • In the 1860s, there was a situation of political deadlock in the united Canada • It was not possible to get any bills passed through the Assembly or to make new laws • This problem resulted from both Upper and Lower Canada getting an equal number of seats in the Assembly • At first, this was unfair to Canada East because it had more people – thought they should have more seats • By 1861, however, Canada West’s English speaking population outnumbered the French-speaking population by 300, 000 • Now Canada West wanted more seats – representation by population – but Canada East resisted • Political deadlock continued • Between 1849 and 1860, there were twelve different governments! • No government had won enough seats to get anything done • The government was at a standstill • George Brown, leader of the Clear Grits or Reform Party, suggested a coalition government • Coalition is the joining of different political parties into one government • Brown said he would cooperate with any government to settle the problems of deadlock in Canada – even if it meant cooperating with his old enemy, John A. Macdonald, leader of the Tories • Brown persuaded many Grits to join with Macdonald and the Tories to break the deadlock • The coalition had two plans. • First plan was to try to form a union, or confederation, of all British colonies in North America • All the colonies would be united under one central government – it would govern over all the provinces • Each province would have its own government to look after local concerns • If the first plan failed, the alternative was to split Canada again into two provinces (Ontario and Quebec) • Each province would run its own local affairs, but there would be a central government based on representation by population to look after matters of concern to both provinces • Other colonies would come in later if they desired • The idea of Confederation was beginning to pick up speed in Canada