Beautiful British Columbia

Beautiful British ColumbiaThe History of Our ProvinceSymbols of British Columbia

BCs natural Beauty and Wildlife

Some Attractions

Regions of BC and the Largest City: Vancouver

BC Government

BC Economy

BC first Nations Culture

But how did BC become a province in Canada?

First, in 1819 the 49th Parallel was chosen as the boundary of USA and Canada from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains But what about the West coast? Who owned that?Oregon TerritoryHBC has trading posts, and doesnt want settlement to disrupt the Fur Trade

George Simpson Creates Fort Vancouver as center of HBC fur trade in Oregon Territory

USA Manifest Destiny are moving in

John McLoughlin of HBC encourages American to settle South of Columbia riverOregon territory: the BoundaryLots of Americans = need clear boundary49th Parallel means HBC (Britain) loses Fort Vancouver1843: Simpson asks James Douglas (Factor at Vancouver) to build new fort on Vancouver Island: Fort Victoria

US President (Polk) is elected with Slogan 54 40 or fight

1849: Boundary negotiated at 49th, with all Vancouver Island to Britain

Colony of Vancouver Island1848: Britain Creates Colony of Vancouver Island to solidify claim on West Coast

HBC given Trade Monopoly

James Douglas, chief factor of Fort Victoria, made Governor

Land sold to settlers at $5 per acre

Colony booms: coal in Nanaimo & Cumberland, get Navy base in Victoria

James DouglasMarried to Amelia, a Metis and has 13 children with herHelps with diplomacy between Europeans and First Nations/ Metis

Started with NWC at 16, quickly promoted and became Chief Factor at Fort Vancouver, then Fort Victoria, 1851: Governor of Colony of Vancouver Island, then of colony of BC

Negotiates Treaties with First Nations on Vancouver Island, setting boundaries paid for land (those who follow him will go back on this deal)

Responsible for Cariboo Mountain Road

Government of Vancouver Island1848 1856: James Douglas is in sole control of the colony, executive and legislative councils are appointed, not electedNOT representative or responsible

1856: get elected Legislative AssemblyDouglas restricts vote to male landowners, and keeps Veto Power

And then something happens that changes everything . . . Thars GOLD in them thar hills!The Cariboo Gold Rush

Want to find some and get rich?

But really, whats the big deal about gold???You can pound, twist, bend and stretch it without it breaking or tearing (maleable)It has 19 times the mass of water, but you can pound it thin enough that it will float to the ground. (gold leaf)Acids, salt water and other corrosives cant hurt it!How gold gets into streams

vein of solid goldIs exposed at Earths surfaceElements causelode to break offInto nuggetsCariboo Gold Rush1848: California Gold Rush gold is running out by 1850s

1857: Gold discovered on Thompson and Fraser RiversJames Douglas fears influx of miners US annexation and lawlessnessBy end of summer 1858, 10,000 miners had arrived

Miners search up river into Interior= Cariboo Gold Rush

Colony of British Columbia

1858: colony of British Columbia created to claim land/ settle for Britain (49th 54 40)James Douglas as GovernorMatthew Begbie as Chief JusticeCapital city: New Westminster

BarkervilleBoom town of Cariboo Gold RushNamed after Billy Barker struck gold on Williams creek on 1862

Mid 1860s 5,000-10,000 lived in BarkervilleHad general store, houses, post office, hotels, drugstore, barbershop, theatre, literary societyHardy Gurdy Girls - dancers form Germany for SaloonCitizens from all over world, including American, Chinese, Black

Barkerville1868 fire destroys city, rebuilt in 3 months1880s gold is gone, and by 1920s it is a Ghost townPresent day: it has been restored as a tourist attraction

Cariboo Mountain RoadNeed road into interior for miners to travel/ access gold1862: James Douglas starts the Cariboo Wagon Road from Yale to Barkerville = 650 km, 3 years, $750,000

Hope for a toll to pay for it, but Gold rush is over in 1865 - too late

Result: DEBT for BC

NO MORE GOLD!!!Gold rush ends, people leave, population of 2 colonies drops dramatically (35 000 less than 10,000)Less people = less taxes = debtVancouver island - $300 000, BC - $1 million

RESULT: Colonies United - Called British Columbia, capital was largest Port city: Victoria

ConfederationBC has declining population and Economic problems. Options:Join Canada (mainland BC)Join USA (Victoria Merchants)Stay separate (Vancouver Island)

What are the arguments for each? What should BC do? (p. 225) .

Confederation arguments1. For Confederation: confederationistsCanada take on BCs DebtWant Road from Lake Superior to New WestminsterWant Responsible Government

For Joining USA: annexationistsWashington/ Oregon close by create permanent market

Against: Anti-confederationistsMaintain tie to Britain, dont like Canada or USA

Confederation1868: New Governor for BC , Anthony Musgrave, is friend of John A. MacdonaldBritain didnt want colony anymore

Musgrave gets Anti-confederationist to create a wish list, and Canada agrees - even to the Railroad

BC unanimously votes to join confederation and becomes a province on July 20, 1871.

City of VancouverSettlements in BC developed because of the Fur trade (posts, ex. Fort Langley), or because of the Gold Rush.

Not Vancouver. Thick Forest, no river = no people.New Westminster was a small settlement at the mouth of the Fraser River, and in 1865 Sewell Moody built Moodyville Sawmill (port Moody), and Edward Stamp built Hastings Mill to profit off Lumber.Hastings Mill, 1902

Specialize in BC toothpick: logs 18m long, 1m diameter used for masts in ships and sold all over the worldGastownJohn Gassy Jack Deighton arrives in 1867 and builds a saloon on Burrard inlet for the LoggersArea officially called Granville, Unofficially Gastown

Map of Vancouver, 1880Vancouver1881: Port Moody is Chosen as end of CPR

1884: Van Horne changes location to area he calls Vancouver beside Gastown

1886: CPR is complete and Vancouver is accepted as new city

1890: Vancouver population = 50001900: 20,0002012: 2.5 million

Why did Vancouver Grow so Rapidly into a big City?