Transcript The Drive to Nationhood: 1854-1868

The Drive to NationhoodConfederation &
British North America Act
1854-1867
Social Studies 10
Chapter 2 Notes
Mr. Bausback
1. Important Factors Contributing to
Confederation:
 Impact of Act of Union, 1840
 Lord Elgin's handling of the Rebellion Losses Bill
 Effect of “double (house) majority” and “political deadlock”
 Influence of the American Civil War and resentment towards
Britain and her colonies
1. Important Factors Contributing to
Confederation:
 Influence of the Irish American “Fenian Raids”
 Effect of Britain's abandonment of the mercantile system“free trade”
 Threat of western expansion and US “manifest destiny”
 The need for a trans-continental railway to foster trade and
improve defenses
2. Lord Elgin & His Efforts:
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Establishes responsible government in Canada
Invites Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin to form a
government
First Governor General to remove himself from the affairs of the
legislature
Allows passing of Rebellion Losses Bill (compensating French Canadians
for losses suffered during the Rebellions of 1837) despite Tory opposition
and rioting
Negotiated the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States in an attempt to
stimulate the Canadian economy
3. Reciprocity Treaty -1854-1865:
 British colonies in North America traded with Britain (lower
or no trade taxes)
 Britain enters free-trade period (lowest deal available, from
any country)
 British colonies in North America lost specialties, economy
suffered
3. Reciprocity Treaty -1854-1865:
 1854- Reciprocity Treaty signed between British North
America and U.S. (resulted in free trade of natural goods
between British North American colonies and U.S.)
 British North American colonies got specialties (no trade tax)
with U.S. trading
 1865- U.S. ended Reciprocity Treaty; they thought British
colonies could keep trading amongst themselves without
taxes and economic wealth would continue
4. Representation by Population:
 Number of elected members in Legislative Assembly depended on
number of voters
 Two West parties, Two East parties
 East favored rights of “Canadiens” and bi-culturalism
 West wanted ‘rep by pop’ for majority power
 Before ‘rep by pop’, there was a political deadlock (equal power; laws
couldn’t be passed)
 West parties decided to form the Great Coalition (1864) with East
parties (wanted federal union/Confederation)
5. Expansion of the United States- Manifest
Destiny:
 After American Civil War, Americans entered period of
expansion westward, gathering land from Spain, Mexico,
France and Great Britain- this was known as Manifest
Destiny
 Good farmland was difficult to get, and expansion westward
would provide lots of settlement areas
5. Expansion of the United States- Manifest
Destiny:
 Colonies realized if they could join together, they could
arrive at western areas before Americans (concerned about
expenses)
 In 1866, the Fenians made armed raids across the border
into the British North American colonies (could not attack
Britain directly, had to settle for attacking their colonies
instead)
Manifest DestinyMap of Expanding United States:
6. Towards Confederation:
 Canada sensed that U.S.A wanted to expand into it
 U.S.A wanted to join with British Columbia by building expensive
railroad
 John A. McDonald decided to create federal union
 He united Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Province of Canada
(Quebec & Ontario) in 1867
 Newfoundland and P.E.I rejected union (afraid of losing control of
local affairs)
7. The Atlantic Colonies:
 New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland
 Serious problems: scarce industrial development
 Scarce population growth - residents forced to move elsewhere
 Trade problem (U.S. planned to end Reciprocity Treaty)
 Less demand for goods from Atlantic colonies
 Threat of American expansion, Atlantic Colonies wanted to be stronger, they
banded together
 Conference of Charlottetown was held in 1864 to discuss the possible union of
the Atlantic Colonies
7. Atlantic Colonies &
Charlottetown Conference -1864:
 September 1, 1864- union of the Atlantic Colonies
 Newfoundland did not attend
 Province of Canada tried convincing Atlantic colonies to join larger
union
 The Fathers of Confederation attended
 Province of Canada promised to make railroad connecting Atlantic
Colonies and Canada
 Second meeting in Quebec, 1866
7. Atlantic Colonies &
Charlottetown Conference -1864:
8. Who Were the Fathers of Confederation?
 Represented the British North American colonies more than once in
confederation
 Conferences in Charlottetown, 1864; Quebec, 1866; and London, 1866
 The people were: John A. Macdonald; George Brown; George-Etienne
Cartier, Alexander Tilloch Galt, Charles Tupper, Thomas D'Arcy
McGee, Hector-Louis Langevin
8. Who Were the Fathers of Confederation?
9. Political Leaders & Views:
 George Etienne Cartier- Parti Blue; C. East; Conservative; Promote
traditions & French Culture
 Louis-Joseph Papineau- Parti Rouge; C. East; Reformer; Promote
French interests, lower classes, working with C. West
 John A. Macdonald- Tory; C. West; Conservative; Pro Britain,
industry, & commerce
 George Brown- Clear Grits; Liberal; “Rep by pop”, pro-Canadian, and
anti-French
9. Political Leaders:
10. Quebec Conference, 1866:
 Job of delegates at Quebec conference: convincing Anti-Confederates to join
Confederation
 For the 72 resolutions to be passed, had to be approved by the Colonial
assemblies in Province of Canada at the Quebec Conference, 1866
 In Atlantic Colonies
 New Brunswick and Nova Scotia voted against idea of Confederation
 Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland rejected idea of Confederation
 People in Nova Scotia close to railway: interested in Confederation
 London Conference: Sixteen Delegates from New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia presented the Seventy-two Resolutions
11. London Conference- 1866- BNA- 1867:
 Created as a result of the London Conference, 1866
 Constitution Act of 1867 occurred on March 29th (constitutions are rules that
govern a country)
 Purpose: Union of Canada (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick)
 Canada was divided up into 4 divisions: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, & New
Brumswick
 Formerly called BNA act (British North America Act)
 Act outlined the Distribution of Powers between central parliament and the
provincial legislatures
 Canada’s constitution was written and unwritten, U.S. constitution: written,
Britain’s constitution: unwritten
12. Completing Confederation- PEI &
Newfoundland:
 Wide spread opposition to idea of Confederation in Prince Edward Island and
Newfoundland
 July 1873 - joined Confederation - Newfoundland on 1949
 Canadian government gave Prince Edward Island $80,000 for joining confederation
 Little in common with people of Canada
 Drop in prices of fish, seal oil, - faced bankruptcy
 Business community and Roman Catholic Church: Anti-Confederates
12. Completing Confederation- Manitoba & British
Columbia:
 Louis Riel led Metis Rebellions of 1869-70 at red River Colony
(Winnipeg)
 Allowed Manitoba to join Confederation in 1870
 Canada's 5th “Postage Stamp” province
 BC Cariboo Gold Rush debt in 1860's
 Need for a inter-colonial railway to connect the BC with East to trade
 Led to British Columbia's entry to confederation in 1871
 Canada's 6th province
12. Completing Confederation- Alberta &
Saskatchewan:
 Second Metis rebellion in 1885 in Northwest Territories
 Problems with native rights and problems policing a “wild west” during
Whiskey trade
 Forced Ottawa to invite Alberta & Saskatchewan join Canada in 1905
 Canada's 7th & 8th provinces
13. Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s First Prime
Minister:
 Born January 10th, 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland
 Died June 6th 1891
 Had severe stroke 1 week before his death (couldn’t talk due to
stroke)
 Brought four western provinces into confederation (Manitoba, B.C.,
Saskatchewan, Alberta)
 Was 1st Prime Minister of Canada
 Started off a very poor lawyer, then climbed up to be Prime Minister
of Canada
14. British North America Act and Canada’s
System of Federalism:
 British North America Act (BNA act)
 Created Dominion of Canada in 1867
 Stated the powers of provincial and federal governments
 Outlined the way in which government would be structured
 Guaranteed protection of some minority groups
 Goal was to create federal union or confederation of colonies of British North
America
15. When Did Canada Finally Do Away With the
BNA Act?
 Stands for: British North America Act
 Patriated from Britain in 1982
 Main written constitution from 1867-1982
 Won independence in 1931, but still required British approval
 Got total independence because of changes made to BNA Act
 British North America Act renamed: Constitution Act of 1867
16. Power- BNA Federal Powers- Section 91:
1. The raising of Money by any Mode or System of Taxation.
2. Postal Service.
3. The Census and Statistics.
4. Militia, Military and Naval Service, and Defence.
5. Navigation and Shipping.
6. Currency and Coinage, Banking, Incorporation of Banks, and the Issue of Paper Money.
7. Weights and Measures.
8. Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians.
9. Naturalization and Aliens.
10. Marriage and Divorce.
11. The Criminal Law, except the Constitution of Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction, but including the
Procedure in Criminal Matters.
16. Powers- BNA Provincial Powers- Section 92:
1. Direct Taxation within the Province
2. The Management and Sale of the Public Lands
3. The Establishment, Maintenance, and Management Prisons, Hospitals, Asylums,
Charities,
4. Municipal Institutions in the Province.
5. Shop Licences
6. Local Works- roads, highways, ferries
7. Property and Civil Rights in the Province.
8. Administration of justice, courts, fines, penalties & imprisonment
9. Education
10. Healthcare
17. BNA Map:
18. BNA Government Diagram:
Responsible Government Diagram:
The End!