Introduction to Canadian History

1867 - 1914

Canadas flag from 1868 - 1921

Why Join Together?

Canada was created for three reasons: a) To protect against the United States. b) Save the United Kingdom money. c) Economic growth and political stability for the British colonies in Canada.

The Fathers of Confederation

The 3 Main People Involved

John A. Macdonald (Conservatives) George Brown (Grits) George-Etienne Cartier (Bleus) John A. Macdonald becomes Canadas first Prime Minister in 1867.

People Making up Canada

British (Protestant) French (Roman Catholic) Metis (Roman Catholic) Native Canadians (Nature and Roman Catholic)

The Four Original Colonies of 1867

1. 2. 3. 4. Ontario (Upper Canada) Quebec (Lower Canada) New Brunswick Nova Scotia

Additional Provinces & Territories to Join Canada

5. Manitoba (1870) 6. Northwest Territories (1870) 7. British Columbia (1873) 8. Prince Edward Island (1873) 9. Yukon Territories (1898) 10. Saskatchewan (1905) 11. Alberta (1905)

British North America Act 1867

Strong Central Government: Learn from the United States mistakes. The United States fought a Civil War from 1861 1865 over who held power the central government or the States. Federal System: The central government held all the major powers such as military, trade, foreign affairs. The provinces were given residual powers which mean everything that was left over such as education.

Louis Riel and Manitoba

Louis Riel fought for Metis (half French /half Native person) rights in Western Canada. They felt too many British people were settling their land in the west.

The fight was known as the Red River Rebellion 1869-1870.

Riel was Roman Catholic and believed he was doing Gods work. Riel set up a temporary government in Manitoba and negotiated their entry in Canada.

Riel then fled to the United States to avoid trial for the murder of Thomas Scott which took place at the beginning of the rebellion.
The province of Manitoba was created out of the Northwest Territories and both joined Canada in 1870.

Louis Riel

British Columbia & Prince Edward Island

B.C. and P.E.I. entered confederation in 1871. The main reasons why B.C. and P.E.I. entered confederation was: a. Had a huge debt and wanted economic ties to Central Canada.

b. Promised a transcontinental railroad to be joined to Central Canada.

c. Feared American expansion.

Transcontinental Railroad
Built between 1881 and 1885. Was a condition for B.C. to join Confederation. Put the central government into debt. Macdonald took bribes for railroad building contracts which forced him to resign as Prime Minister. This was known as the Pacific Scandal.

A Dream Fulfilled

Lord Strathcona drives the Last Spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway, at Craigellachie, 7 November 1885. Completion of the transcontinental railroad was a condition of entry into Confederation.

Northwest Rebellion
On the request of Natives and Metis peoples in the Northwest Territories Louis Riel again returned to wage rebellion against the government of Canada. Again Natives and Metis felt British people were taking their land and buffalo supply. The rebellion was crushed by the Canadian government and the Natives lost a lot of land. Riel was arrested and put of trial for treason. One of the major reasons for victory was due to the transcontinental railway. The government was able to send many troops out west by train quickly.

Battle of Fish Creek

The Trial of Louis Riel

-French Canadians were outraged that the jury was made up entirely of English Protestants and no French. -Riels lawyers wanted him labelled insane to lessen the sentence but he refused. -The jury took 30 minutes to declare him guilty but asked for mercy.

Trial of Louis Riel

The trial was highly flawed and seen unfair by many. Many appeals were sent to Prime Minister Macdonald by French Canadians begging for mercy for Riel. Macdonald would show no mercy and gave one of the most famous quotes in Canadian history: Riel will hang though every dog in Quebec shall bark in his favour Riel was hanged at 8:00am on November 16, 1885 in Regina Saskatchewan.

In the aftermath the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta were created out of the Northwest Territories and joined Canada in 1905.

Significance of the Riel Trial

1. First major dispute between English Canada and French Canada since confederation. Hard feelings still exist between the two cultures today because of the trial. 2. Regionalism: The first example of a split between the different regions in Canada. For example: Ontario, Quebec and the West.

Sir John A. Macdonald

January 11, 1815 June 6, 1891

Sir John Alexander Macdonald

Years as Prime Minister: 1867-1873, 1878-1891. Canadas second longest serving Prime Minister. Major accomplishments in office: 1. Transcontinental Railroad 2. The National Policy Interesting Facts: Born in Scotland, died in Ottawa and is buried in Kingston, ON. He was a lawyer and constantly in debt due to his drinking. His nickname was the Old Chieftain. He believed that Canada should help contribute and defend the British Empire in all matters. Macdonald believed in the political idea of nationalism. Nationalism means: Devotion to the interest of a nation, sometimes leading to putting the interests of the nation above everything else.

Sir John A. Macdonald

Was an alcoholic and was known to be so drunk at times that he would throw up during his speeches.

When his opponents would insult him during speeches about his alcoholism Macdonald replied: "I get sick not because of drink but because I am forced to listen to the ranting of my honourable opponent. or "It goes to show that I would rather have a drunk Conservative than a sober Liberal."
Many believed the alcoholism was caused the decade long illness of his wife and the sudden death of his first baby and the disabilities of his third child .

The National Policy

No truck nor trade with the Yankee! A policy for developing Canada that contained three proposals: 1. A protective tariff to protect Canadian manufacturers (meaning a tax added to the price of U.S. goods).

2. The completion of the national railway to move settlers and manufactured goods to the West and move wheat to the east. 3. Large scale settlement of the West to serve as Canadas breadbasket and to provide markets for industries of Central Canada.
Before his death Macdonald was quoted as saying: A British citizen I was born and a British citizen I will die.

Sir Wilfred Laurier

Prime Minister of Canada from 1896 1911. Was Canadas first French Canadian Prime Minister. Was a strong believer in individual liberty and decentralized government. He felt Canada should have a separate identity from Great Britain and be a sovereign nation.

Sir Wilfred Laurier

Prime Minister: 1896 - 1911

Sovereignty
The term sovereignty means: Self-government; a nations power to set its own policies and be free from foreign interference in its domestic affairs. Even though Canada was its own country we still did not have full power over all major political decisions. The two most important issues we did not have control over were foreign affairs and the judicial system. They were still controlled by Great Britain. Canada has struggled with the concept of sovereignty since 1867 and we still struggle with this issue today. For example take time to consider what music you listen to, what clothes you buy, what TV shows you watch and what cars you buy. Are they Canadian? Is Canada a sovereign nation?

The Boer War

In 1899, Great Britain and the Boers (White Dutch immigrants to South Africa) started a war.

The law stated that when Great Britain was at war then so was Canada. Our country was expected to send troops to South Africa. This caused major tensions between French and English Canadians.

Imperialism vs. Nationalism

Most imperialists were English Canadians who felt it was Canadas job to help defend the British empire. Most nationalists were French Canadians who felt Canada should not have to send troops to help Great Britain fight a war in a far away country. Prime Minister Laurier decided to only send a volunteer army to South Africa to fight the Boers. This angered both the French and English Canadians. This was the second major rift between French and English Canadians that had long term significance.

The Naval Bill

In the early 1900s there was a naval race between Great Britain and Germany. Great Britain wanted Canada to help by building boats for the British navy. Laurier created the Naval Service Bill. The bill outlined that only 11 smaller ships were to be built and used by Britain with the consent of the Canadian Parliament. The imperialists were outraged that Canada didnt do enough to help the mother country. The nationalists were outraged that Laurier was spending money on Great Britains fights and were convinced that this would always be the case.

Reciprocity
This term means free trade of goods with the United States. This is what Laurier proposed by 1911. Western farmers supported reciprocity with the U.S. because they felt Central Canada was ripping them off on prices and they could make more money trading south with the U.S. Central Canadian manufacturers and businessmen were furious with this idea because they would lose money because they were not big enough to compete with the much larger U.S. economy. Laurier called an election in 1911 and lost to the new Prime Minister Robert Borden. Borden would lead Canada through WWI.