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Canada’s first official postage stamp issued
On April 23, 1851, Canada's first official postage stamp was issued. This signified the transfer of authority from the British Crown to Canada to manage its own postal system. (Image of the first postage stamp, the three-pence beaver) -
Reciprocity Treaty of 1854
Reciprocity was a free trade agreement between Canada and the United States. The agreement eliminated customs tariffs allowed for economic growth in Canada, as well as reduced dependence on trade with the British. -
Ottawa becomes the capital of the Province of Canada
In December of 1857, Queen Victoria named Ottawa as the new capital of the Province of Canada. Ottawa was located at the centre of Canada at the time, along the border between Ontario and Quebec. This becomes the capital of Canada after Confederation. -
The Colony of British Colombia is founded, Fraser River Gold Rush, Canyon War
The Colony of British Colombia was founded in 1858 in response to the Fraser River Gold Rush (1858-mid 1860s). Approximately 30,000 miners from all over North America, Europe, and China had moved to Fraser River in search of gold, causing many conflicts with the Indigenous peoples living there, sparking the Canyon War. (Image of a drawing of British Columbia during the Fraser River Gold Rush) -
Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences
The Charlottetown Conference was part of a series of meetings which ended in Confederation. The Charlottetown Conference was convened to discuss the possibility of a union between the Maritime Provinces and Province of Canada. This was followed up by the Quebec Conference, which was held to discuss Canadian Confederation. (Image of Fathers of Confederation during Charlottetown Conference) -
Confederation
On July 1, 1867, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada joined together to form the Dominion of Canada. After a series of conferences between the four provinces, they had agreed to unite to form an independent country. However, the voices of the minority groups of Canada werre mostly excluded, and so there was great inequality and opposition. (Image of Fathers of Confederation during Confederation) -
Red River Resistance
In response to the transfer of Rupert's Land with the Rupert's Land Act of 1868, an uprising started in the Red River Colony, which consisted of farmers and hunters, many of which were Métis. They were worried about the effect of Canadian control on their land rights and culture. This lead to the creation of Manitoba. (Image of Louis Riel, political leader of the Métis during the Red River Resistance) -
The Province of Manitoba is created
The Province of Manitoba is created and becomes the fifth province of Canada on May 15, 1870. -
British Columbia joins Canada
British Columbia joins Canada as its sixth province in 1871. -
PEI joins Canada
Prince Edward Island joins Canada as its seventh province in 1873. -
North-West Resistance
The North-West Resistance was another uprising led by Louis Riel in what are now Alberta and Saskatchewan. The conflict between Métis and First Nations allies and the Canadian government lasted 5 months, ending with federal victory. 'The result was the permanent enforcement of Canadian law in the West, the subjugation of Plains Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and the conviction and hanging of Louis Riel.' (Image depicts the Battle of Batoche, the decisive battle of the North-West Resistance) -
Canadian Pacific Railway is finished
The Canadian Pacific Railway was finished on November 7, 1885.
The railway connected Eastern Canada to B.C., and allowed for communications and transportation across the country. It also allowed for great development.
The railway was built under dangerous conditions, and, due to the lack of an adequate workforce in BC, around 15,000 works were imported from China. It is estimate that over 600 had died under the harsh conditions with little pay. This also had a major cultural impact. -
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush (1897-1899) drew over 100,000 people to Yukon and Alaska. This caused a population boom and boosted the economies of both the US and Canada, however it also had a devastating impact on the local environment. The mass exodus also severly impacted the Native people, introducing many new diseases, and destroying hunting and fishing grounds. (Image of Klondike Gold Rush) -
South African War
Fought between 1899 and 1902, the South African war was Canada's first foreign war. Between its own units and Canadian soldiers fighting in British forces, more than 7000 Canadians fought in the war. Approximately 270 had died.
'The war was significant because it marked the first time Canadian troops distinguished themselves in battle overseas... At home, it fuelled a sense that Canada could stand apart from the British Empire.' (Image of Canadian soldiers in South Africa) -
Alberta and Saskatchwan are founded
Alberta and Saskatchewan are founded and become the eighth and ninth provinces of Canada as a result of population booms in the Northwest. -
The first domestically produced coin is struck in Canada.
The coin was struck at the opening ceremony for the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint on January 2, 1908. This silver fifty-cent coin was the first domestically produced coin in Canada. (Image of silver fifty-cent coin) -
Start of World War 1
The First World War, from 1914-1918, took the lives of 60,000 of the 650,000 Canadian soldiers who fought in the war. WW1 was another opportunity for Canada to show its independance as a country. 'The great achievements of Canadian soldiers on battlefields such as Ypres, Vimy and Passchendaele, however, ignited a sense of national pride and a confidence that Canada could stand on its own, apart from the British Empire, on the world stage.' (Image of Canadian Soldiers during WW1)