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Period: to
Events leading to Confederation
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Manifest destiny age. 1812-1860
Manifest Destiny was a philosphy held in America around this time issuing that they were "destined" to expand their land. The whole territorial exapnsion age lasted from 1812 to 1860. -
War of 1812
The United States declared war with Canada as part of their territorial expansion. Lasted for two and half years. -
America's attempts at expansion - before 1815
The Americans tried to merge Canada into the thirteen colonies of the United States.They tried many times including during the Paris peace negotiations, and they also tried invading during both the war of 1812 and the war of independence. -
Treaty of 1818
A treaty between the United States and the British Colonies of the division borders between the two. -
Underground Railroad
Enslaved Africans escaped through united states into Canada through the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad is a secret network of routes of safe houses that helped people escape slavery and reach free states or Canada. -
Creation of the first railways
The first Canadian railway, the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad, was opened in 1836 outside of Montreal.The railways in Canada were being built around this time made confederation possible. It linked colonies together and made the transport of both goods and people easier and profitable. -
Following the creation of the first railway
The first railway was followed by the Albion Railway in Stellarton, Nova Scotia -
Creatation of Canada East and Canada West
The province of Canada east and Canada west was created by Britain in 1841 in hopes that the english language would dominate the French language and the French would disappear. -
The Railway Gurarntee Act
The Railway Guarantee Act of 1849 established government assistance to the creation of the railways.Under the terms of the Act, any railway more than 120 km long was eligible for a government guarantee on the interest of half its bonds as soon as half the line had been completed. -
Political Deadlock
In the late 1850s the government of Canada reached a political deadlock. A political deadlock is when neither parties of the government can move nor win a debate or argument. -
Canada west and Canada east governments
The government of Canada was divided equally between those elected from Canada east and Canada west. Canada east had a larger population initially till the 1860s when it was Canada west. It was underrepresented as its population had grown due to immigration. Each side had a Conservative party and a liberal party making parties with an equal amount of power ruling over Canada. To make it worse, Canada west had a liberal party as the majority while Canada east had the conservative. -
End of Reciprocity 1854-1865
The reciprocity treaty between the United States and British North America allowed large amounts of free trade between the United States and the colonies. Many goods mainly agricultural could be imported free of customs duties (taxes).Fisher men from either sides can fish in each other's water -
Fenians
The Fenians were part of a secret organization called the Fenian brotherhood which was formed by Irish Americans. They wanted to hold Canada hostage and be in the position of blackmailing Britain into giving Ireland its independence. -
Multiple Governments
During this time, The governments were enable to govern their provinces. A majority political party could not be formed with the amount of support from the French-speaking and English-speaking parties. This resulted in 12 separate provincial governments over the course of 15 years. -
US Civil war 1861-1865
During the U.S. Civil war, Most of Canada supported the Union side as they were against slavery. However, French Canadians supported the confederate side and this lead to the confederate side using Canada west as a base -
Trent Affair
The Us ship Jacinto stopped a British mailing ship Trent from sailing back from Havana to England. This event spurred Canada's realization that they might become a battle ground for the war. London took action and proceeded to protect its colonies at all costs. -
Seizing of Chesapeake
On December 7 1863 they attempted to seize the ship Chesapeake and sell its cargos for weapons however, the ship was seized back on the 16th . They also went after another ship called the Investigator looking for fugitives -
St Alban's raid
A group of confederate agents disguised themselves as civilians and robbed three banks in the village of St. Alban’s Vermont in America. They stole about $ 200 000 00, killed one pursuer and returned to their base in Canada. The Canadian government did arrest the thieves and return the money however, the Northern states were still fixated on the fact that Canada favoured the South. American troops were to be lead to pursue the thieves however it was called off. -
End of the Reciprocity treaty
After the British supported the confederate side in the American civil war, the treaty was cut off . -
Fenian raids
Fenians came to campobello island New Brunswick and held a customs agent. -
Confederation of Canada
The creation of Canada. The uniting of all the colonies to form one nation, one country.
