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UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Map of Underground Railroad RoutesThe underground railroad was a network of secret routes and places to stay and escape for the black slaves of United States who were treated and disciplined to a higher level than your imagination can take you.
The person who created the underground railroad, and the person who lead the slaves to safety one by one, was a woman named Harriet Tupman. If a passenger turned back, she would shoot them, for there would then be a possibility of spreading the secret and killing many. -
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IRISH POTATO FAMINE
During this time in Ireland, peasants who rented land from rich English landlords were starved and diseased. The only food they had were crops of potatos, or green grass. They lived in simple homes, often one room per family and their animals.
The potatoes were diseased, they turned soggy and rotten. They couldn't be eaten any more. The families could no longer pay rent and were taken away from their homes and brought to Canada in coffin ships, where most of them died. -
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GOLD RUSH in British Columbia
Searching for Gold
The gold in British Columbia was first spotted when a man was taking a drink from a river and saw gold flakes floating in it. Soon, a massive amount of British and Americans were attracted to BC and all the way up to Northwest territories once the news got out. People used whatever they could to find however much gold they could get their hands on, trying to strike it rich. -
GREAT MIGRATION of Canada
More than 400,000 people from other places emmigrated to Canada in one time period. Some reasons for emmigration below:
-People had poor harvests back at home, including the potato crops in Ireland which lead to the famine (shown later on in timeline)
-As the population grew in their continent, it made it harder to find job opportunities because so many were being taken.
-Grand events like the Underground Railroad, or the Gold Rush made Canada's population rise LARGLY. -
FIRST CAPITAL CHOSEN
During this time, the first permanent capital of Canada was chosen by Queen Victoria: OTTAWA.
The Queen had a list of options to choose from, but she chose Ottawa for a couple of reasons:
-It was the only one that was neither in the east or the west, but right in the middle.
-Secondly, the other places were more likely to be attacked by the Americans. Since Ottawa was located in the middle, it was farther away. -
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CHARLOTTETOWN CONFERENCE
John A. MacDonald, George Brown, D'Arcy McGee, Alexander Galt, and George Cartier came to Charlottetown to have a conference together.
Their plan was to unite Canada AND the Maritimes. But the first step was to unite the Maritimes alone.
The fathers of confederation talked about the advantages and made some promises. They promised to create a railway that would connect the Maritimes and Canada. The Maritime colonies would have a larger audience to buy their fish and coal, and have free trade. -
THE QUEBEC CONFERENCE
Interested in the last conference, delegates from the Maritime colonies and from Canada, gather at Quebec City to have their next conference.
At this conference they talk about the plan for union. When the plan was made, it was called the "Seventy-Two Resolutions". All the delegates agreed on all matters. But it was not only up to them... but also to the government of each colony. The delegates then went home to influence people that it was the right choice.
There were some difficulties. -
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FENIAN RAIDS
Fenian Brotherhood
Thousands of Irish-Americans (the fenian brotherhood) invaded Canada East and Canada West. They gathered along the border of the United States and "fought for Ireland, the land" they "adore". They wanted to get rid of the British troops from Canada. Everywhere else, they had won many battles, but not when they fought in Canada. Their plan had failed. -
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THE LONDON CONFERENCE
Delegates working on the new model
Delegates from Canada, and some Maritime colonies gather in London, England for the last conference. Working with British officials, they make a confederation bill to show to the British Parliament. They are trying to think of how the new country will be governed. The fathers of confederation decide to pick ideas from both models (the American Model and the British Model) and put them together to make a new model. -
FIRST PRIME MINISTER
The first prime minister's name was John Alexander MacDonald. He was one of the Fathers of Confederation.
John A. was born on the 11th of January 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland. He died on the 6th of June 1891 after winning his fourth election. FATHER: Hugh MacDonald. MOTHER: Helen Shaw.
He married twice, first to Isabelle, and second to Susan Agne.
After having a long life studying the law, he became a co-prime minister of the Province of Canada in 1856. In 1867, an individual prime minister. -
CONFEDERATION/DOMINION of Canada
The dominion of Canada is where all of the colonies officially united and became one. This happened because of the fathers of confederation. They all joined together and agreed that uniting upper and lower Canada be the best decision. -
MANITOBA JOINS CONFEDERATION
Manitoba decided to join confederation at this point in time. They were going to be the fifth province in country. -
BRITISH COLUMBIA JOINS CONFEDERATION
British Columbia decided to be the sixth to join the confederation.
They thought that it would've been too much money when their population grew if they didn't join confederation. However, if they did join, they might've gained more land.
British Columbia also liked the idea of the railway that was going to be build. It would provide easy transportation throughout the country. -
PEI JOINS CONFEDERATION
Prince Edward Island decided to be the seventh to join confederation. Before, PEI worried about not being heard when it came to important matters in politics because of their small population. The railway was no benefit to them because they lived on an island. BUT they did want a railway to join the places on their island and the confederation promised to carry this out.
Confederation warned them that they would be swallowed up by the US if they did not join.
So soon, PEI gave in and joined. -
JOHN A. MACDONALD RE-ELECTED
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PRIME MINISTERS' DEATH
John A. MacDonald died on the 6th of June 1891, at the age of 76. Right up until he died, he was a prime minister, even though there were some breaks in his career.
