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Reasons for Confederation - Coggle Diagram
Reasons for Confederation
POLITICAL
Political Deadlock in Canada East & West:
failed governments
French-British conflict
union would end conflict by increasing British majority and affirming French minority
Union would create REP BY POP and affirm Canada West's political power.
ECONOMIC
End of Reciprocity Treaty with United States
Need for a Railway to find new markets for Canadian products. Alone colonies can't afford it.
End of Free Trade with England with Repeal of Corn Laws
Trade barriers (taxes) between BNA colonies
union will create new markets for BNA goods and remove inter-colonial trade barriers.
PRESSURE FROM USA
Manifest Destiny
American belief that the destiny of all of North America is to be USA.
American Civil War threatens US-British-Canadian relations
St. Alban's Raid
Confederates attack town, flee to Montreal. Canada refuses to persecute them.
Trent Affair
Confederate Spies found on British Mail ship.
British blockade runners transporting Southern cotton illegally
Fenian Raids
attack by Irish radicals living in USA on New Brunswick and Canada West over British control over Ireland
need to built railway for defense
PFRESSURE FROM BRITAIN
Britain desires to lesson its colonial financial responsibilities
Britain views BNA colonies as less economically important
BNA colonies being united and more independent = more $ for England
Britain did not want to manage own AND BNA's relationship with US. Unity = improved relations with USA for Britain.