Confederation Study Notes
Major Events
Who
Who Benefited
Who didn't get a say?
George Brown
William McDougall
Thomas D’Arcy McGee
George Cartier
Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt
Sir Charles Tupper
William Alexander Henry
John Hamilton Gray
William Henry Pope
Charles Fisher
Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley
Sir Ambrose Shea
Sir Fredrick Carter
1841-Act Of Union
1841-1861 political deadlock
1860 John A. Fell in love
1864 spring
1864 first meeting in Charlottetown
1864 Quebec conference
1864-1866 colony debates
1865 American Civil war ends
1866 fenien raids
1866 London Conference
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Reasons For Confederation
Defense
They were worried about United States attacking them so they were armed
U.S.A's army was bigger
Britain stopped giving defense supplies to the colonies
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1859 group of Irish
They wanted to capture the British colonies and get the freedom of Ireland
1866 they attacked a couple of times
1866 1,500 crossed the Niagra River
Killed 6 and wounded 30
People thought they needed more defense because of raids
Brtish people said “no”
Trade
Britain gave goods to British North America
Britain Repealed Corn Laws
Britain got left out by colonies
Colonies wanted a colonial trading system
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The government of Upper Canada (Canada West) was English speaking.
The government of Lower Canada (Canada East) was French speaking.
Each group had the same number of seats in the legislature.
Each group voted together, so they could never agree on anything
Between 1854 and 1864 there were 10 different governments, that’s 10 elections, nothing got done. They were always in a deadlock.
To make it worse, there were way more English speaking people in Canada West than there were French speaking in Canada east. So it wasn’t fair.
women
Immagrants
Indigenous
No rights for 50 years
many were slaves and underpayed
seen as savages
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Chinese and African American Slaves were treated very poorly - no rights at all. No vote, paid less, couldn’t do stuff like everyone else, sometimes told to go back!
there were slavery in the 17th and 18th century. 160 years . they were allowed to vote after 1940.
15,000 chinese people were not allowed to vote; they only were to build in dangerous places for little pay.
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Poor english lessons
150,000 kids sent to residential schools
Did Not have clean water
Very few rights, couldn’t vote, couldn’t own land off the reserve
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n 1886, only 24 women held permanent status in the federal public service. Most found their way to be placed as servants in Canadian homes.
Our Founding Fathers, not only were oblivious to the importance of the female role in the future of Canada, but were very cautious about the quality of women immigrants.
For the first 50 years of Canada women weren’t allowed to vote.
On May 24, 1918 women were allowed to vote
The six colonies had many reasons for confederation. Some of the reasons included protection from the US, ending a political deadlock, and creating a new government. Canada West had the most reasons and P.E.I had the least. The rankings of which colony had it worst and which had it best, can be weighed by looking at the pros and cons.
If the six colonies confederated a new form of government would be created, corn laws would be erased, a new leader would be elected by the colonies, and the probability of Canada winning the fight against the USA and stopping the Irish raids would increase.
First off, Canada West would have benefited the most from confederation as they would have ended a political deadlock with Canada East thus creating a new government. Canada West also would be granted protection from the US as they could no longer swarm in from all directions. The final factor is Canada West would benefit economically as they would be able to trade more easily with the other colonies via the new railway.
Canada East had it pretty good as well, benefiting from better trade and increased protection but not as much as the West. On the downside merging with the colonies would most likely make them lose their french language and culture. Also, for the many people who wanted to expand to the west, confederation would make this very difficult if not impossible.
P.E.I had it the worst! While they would also benefit from increased protection from the US and eventually have access to new goods and services, the railway would take a long time to get to them and they would still have to pay for it...even before it arrived! New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland also get fewer benefits, but at least the railway would get to them sooner than to P.E.I. In addition the maritime colonies, including PEI, were worried because they were so far away from the rest of Canada that they might lose their identity. So understandably the maritime colonies might not have been the most excited for a possible confederation.
Although benefits varied from province to province everyone won in the end!