Transcript The Drive to Nationhood: 1854-1868

The Drive to
Nationhood: 18541868
Group #3
8-27
Representation by
Population
(1857-1864)
 Number of elected members in Legislative Assembly
depended on number of voters
 Two West parties, Two East parties
 East favored rights of Canadiens and biculturalism
 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)
Representation by Population
(1857-1864)
George-Etienne Cartier (East)
A. A. Dorion (East)
George Brown (West)
John A. Macdonald (West)
Reciprocity Treaty (1854)
 British colonies in North America were favored when
trading with Britain (lower or no trade taxes)
 (1846) Britain enters free-trade period (lowest deal
available, from any country), British colonies in North
America lost specialties, economy suffered
 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
Expansion of the United
States, and the Threat to the
Canadian Colonies
 After American Civil War, Americans entered period of expansion
westward, gathering land from Spain, Mexico, France and Great
Britain
 Questions asked:
 Would the Americans try to buy land from the British in the British
part of North America?
 Would they invade land, like they did before? (during the
American Revolution during the war of 1812)
 Good farmland was difficult to get, and expansion westward would
provide lots of settlement areas
 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).
American Expansion and
the Colonies’ Desire for
Union
 British North American colonies (New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, and Province of Canada) agreed to join together to
form a federal union.
 Reasons for federal union/confederation:
 Political deadlock (no laws could be passed)
 Railway was needed to link three colonies together
 Trade with United States was ending
 Threat to the colonies about American Expansion into
British North America
 Britain was changing their opinions on their British
Colonies in North America.
American Expansion and Great
Britain’s Desire for Union
(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 have federal union
 He united Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
Province of Canada (Quebec & Ontario)
 Newfoundland and P.E.I rejected union (afraid of
losing control of local affairs)
The Atlantic Colonies (18541864)
 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 PEI to
discuss the possible union of the Atlantic Colonies
Charlottetown
Conference (1864)
 September 1, 1964- 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
Who Were the Fathers of
Confederation?
 Represented the British North American colonies more than
once in confederation
 Conferences in Charlottetown, Quebec and London
 The people were:
- John A. Macdonald
- George Brown
- George-Etienne Cartier
- Alexander Tilloch Galt
- Charles Tupper
- Thomas D’Arcy McGee
- Hector-Louis Langevin
A Brief Rundown of the
Confederation Debate
 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
 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
PEI and 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
Pei and Newfoundland
Newfoundland
Prince Edward
Island ------------>
The Constitution Act
(1867)
 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
- The Maritime Provinces- N.S., N.B., and P.E.I.
- The Western Provinces- Manitoba, B.C., Saskatchewan, and
Alberta
 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
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
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
When Did Canada Finally
Do Away With the BNA Act?
 Stands for: British North America Act
 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
References
Clark, McKay, et al. (1992). Canada Revisited. Edmonton: Arnold Publishing Ltd.
The Charlottetown Conference 1964. (2001). Retrieved May 31, 2007 from the
Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/2/2/h2-1270-e.html
The Fathers of Confederation at the London Conference 1866. (Online Picture).
Retrieved May 31 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/confederation/023001-2300-e.html
A. A. Dorion. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/.../023001-2309-e.html
John A. Macdonald. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/2/2/h2-1924-e.html
A. A. Dorion. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/.../023001-2309-e.html
John A. Macdonald. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/2/2/h2-1924-e.html
A. A. Dorion. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/.../023001-2309-e.html
John A. Macdonald. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 3, 2007 from the Internet:
www.collectionscanada.ca/2/2/h2-1924-e.html
PEI Flag. (Online Picture). Retrieved June 6, 2007 from the Internet:
www.saskschools.ca
Newfoundland Flag. (Online Picture) Retrieved June 6,
2007 from the Internet:
www.geographic.org