CHAPTER 4 The Early Years of Independence For cenuries, Firs Naions lived off he land, ofen moving camp as hey followed bison herds across he Prairies. Before READING Maing Connecions Brainsorm imes when you had a conflic or argumen wih an adul who had auhoriy over you (paren, guardian, eacher) or wih a peer. Wrie a paragraph or wo explaining how you handled each siuaion, and which ones you were mos successful a solving. Discuss wih a parner: Were he conflics you fel bes abou solved hrough discussion or hrough anger? Which siuaion allowed your opinions o be bes undersood? Prime Miniser Macdonald was een o expand Canada wesward. Why do you hin his was? He waned o ensure ha he Prairies became Canadian, and was in a rush o claim hem before he Unied Saes did. Many selers in Onario were een o move wesward and sar farms on he rich lands of he Prairies. However, Firs Naions, Méis, and fur raders were already living in his region. How do you hin heir ways of life would change wih he arrival of selers? Canada s early years of independence proved o be urbulen. The original inhabians of he Prairies ried o defend heir righs. This brough hem ino conflic wih he governmen of Canada. This uni will explore he conflics ha arose regarding he fuure of he Prairies and how hese issues were resolved. H 70 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
Selers arrived in he Wes and esablished homeseads on he land he Firs Naions lived and huned on. Quesions o Consider as You Read his Chaper You will explore hese aspecs of he Uni 2 Big Idea: How and why did Canada expand so rapidly following Confederaion? Who were he people who had an ineres in evens in he Wes? Wha facors and people led o he selemen of he Wes? Wha were he causes and effecs of he Red River Resisance? How does learning specific erms help o mae inquiries and analyze hisorical informaion? Thining Abou Lieracy Asing Quesions Asing quesions while you read can help you remember wha you have read. The following words are considered quesion words : who, wha, where, when, why, and how (5W + H). Use an organizer lie he one shown below. When you encouner a new heading in he ex, use he 5W + H o brainsorm oher quesions you may have. Record your answers in poin form. Wha oher resources could you use o locae informaion? Subheading Who? Wha? When? Where? Why? How? Possible Sources Who firs lived in he Prairie region? Wha did hey ea? Where did hey live? Why did hey live on he Prairies? encyclopedia inerview a hisorian Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 71
Who Firs Lived in he Prairie Region? The Firs Naions lived in he Prairie region for housands of years before he Europeans arrived. Their way of life was very differen from Canadian culure in he Eas. Conac beween Firs Naions and Europeans was limied. In 1867, he way of life for Firs Naions was abou o undergo more change. WORDS MATTER pemmican dried mea, pounded and flavoured wih fa and local berries Who Are he Firs Naions People? Firs Naions people share a deep connecion wih he land and respec for he naural world. Many of heir oral legends involve he sacredness of wildlife and people s responsibiliy o preserve he environmen. Alhough Firs Naions is someimes used o refer o all he Firs Peoples, he naions are all differen, each wih is own culure and language. Tae he Blacfoo people as an example. The Blacfoo based heir way of life on he bison, which provided food, sheler, and clohing. Oher Firs Naions huned wolf, caribou, and oher wildlife. Some Firs Naions grew crops and lived in semipermanen villages Wha is now souhern Albera is jus one par of he Prairies. In his area alone, here were hree disinc groups of Firs Naions divided ino several smaller subgroups. The map on page H 73 shows he radiional erriories of some Firs Naions of he region. Firs Naions Ways of Life The Firs Naions did no live in fixed locaions. They moved o wherever hey could find he resources hey needed: animal herds for food and clohing, sone for maing ools, and berries during he summer monhs. As a resul, hey developed a een nowledge of naure and animal life and his became a cenral feaure of heir culure. The land, waer, and air ha provided food were sacred o Firs Naions people. This Soney woman is drying mea. Why do hin pemmican was such a useful food for Firs Naions? H 72 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
0 150 300 m Naoda ALBERTA Tsuu T ina Blacfoo This map shows radiional locaions of Firs Naions in souhern Albera. The idea of fixed erriorial boundaries was no held by he Firs Naions. Tradiional lands ofen overlapped. Firs Naions commonly assigned wor based on gender. Men generally huned and rapped wild animals. Women gahered roos and berries when hey were in season. They also cu and dried animal mea, and made clohing and ens ou of he hides. The Blacfoo were paricularly noed for heir high-qualiy pemmican. They raded his food wih Firs Naions farher norh, where bison were no so common. In reurn, he Blacfoo received anelope and caribou hides, which were no very common in souhern areas. Especially during he summer, he various Firs Naions me o celebrae heir culure. The Sundance is an example of such a fesiviy. People sill ae par in his celebraion oday o srenghen family relaionships, arrange marriages, and give offerings o one anoher. Inroducion of he Horse There were wild horses in Norh America unil abou 10 000 years ago. A ha poin hey became exinc. When he Spanish began o explore Mexico in he 1520s, hey brough horses wih hem. Some horses escaped or were raded wih he Indigenous people of Mexico. The horses bred and ranged norhward. When he horse came o he Canadian Prairies, Firs Naions capured and amed some of hem. N Blacfoo (Niisiapi) Kainai Piiani Sisia Tsuu T ina Naoda Naoda Paul Alexis CANADA MINUTE European Conac The firs recorded conac beween Europeans and he Blacfoo people oo place around 1754. Alexander Henday was an explorer for he Hudson s Bay Company (HBC). He ried unsuccessfully o ge he Blacfoo o rade wih he Company. A firs, he Blacfoo did no need o rade wih he Europeans; he Blacfoo fel hey had everyhing hey needed a home. They preferred radiional local rade among he Firs Naions. As he European fur raders moved farher inland, he Blacfoo enered ino direc rade wih hem. Firs Naions Terms for Horse Firs Naion Term Meaning Blacfoo ponoamia el dog Cree misaim big dog Why would he Firs Naions use he names of oher animals o creae a word meaning horse? Wha are some hings we have had o creae names for in modern imes? Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 73
During READING Checpoin Loo a he phoograph on his page. Which of his chaper s Quesions o Consider (page H 71) does i help o answer? How do he image and capion help you o analyze hisorical informaion? The horse had a major impac on he Blacfoo people. They used o follow he bison on foo. Now, horses allowed he Blacfoo o ravel, hun, and rade in a larger area. The Hudson s Bay Company and he Norh Wes Company ried o encourage he Blacfoo o expand heir erriory and become par of he European fur rade newor. The horse is pulling a frame called a ravois. I is made of sins and poles from a eepee and is used o carry belongings. How is he ravois an example of echnology? The Blacfoo Confederacy The Blacfoo Confederacy was an alliance among he Piiani, Kainai, and Sisia peoples. The Tsuu T ina people joined laer. Primarily a miliary alliance, i was grealy feared by is enemies. Before conac, he Confederacy conrolled much of he Prairie region of wha are now Canada and he U.S. The Cree and Assiniboine lived farher norh, in rich fur-gahering erriory, and became acive rade parners wih he French and Briish. They acquired firearms from heir European rading parners in he process. They gradually began o push souh ino Confederacy erriory. This led o he Bale of he Belly River beween he Cree and he Confederacy in 1870, near wha is now Lehbridge. This is considered o have been he las bale beween Firs Naions in Norh America. THINKING I Over 1. Review he quesions you added o your 5W + H char. Which of your quesions were answered in his secion? 2. Choose one of he following mehods o share he answer o one of he quesions you wroe: draw a picure, creae an organizer, wrie a poem, mae a diagram. c 3. How were ways of life differen for Firs Naions living on he Prairies compared o European ways of life in easern Canada ha you read abou in Uni 1? H 74 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
The Méis The Firs Naions were no he only people who lived on he Prairies before he selers arrived. A second people had been living here since he 1700s. They were called he Méis. The name comes from an old French word meaning mixed. The Origins of he Méis The French The Méis were he descendans of European fur raders and Firs Naions. French fur raders married women from various Firs Naions. The children of hese families married one anoher and had children. Over ime, he Méis Naion was born. By abou 1750, here were enough Méis for hem o be unofficially recognized as separae people. They were differen from he Firs Naions and French people. WORDS MATTER Méis people of mixed European and Firs Naions ancesry WEB LINK For more informaion on he Méis, visi our Web sie. They were ofen bilingual. They spoe French as well as Firs Naions languages such as Cree or Blacfoo. They engaged in a number of religious pracices. Many were Roman Caholic bu also praciced Firs Naions spiriualiy. They used European as well as Firs Naions mehods of survival. They farmed. They were also excellen bison huners. Examine he picure of a ypical camp during a Méis bison hun in he lae 1800s. How are boh European and Firs Naions ways of life represened? How do you now? See page S 12 for help wih analyzing images. Environmenal Milesones The Bison Hun Bison ha lived on he Prairies provided food and clohing for he Méis and Firs Naions. Bison were huned wih bows and arrows or by sampeding hem over cliffs. In he lae 1800s, rifles became available in he Prairies. Now i required lile sill o hun bison. The millions of animals ha exised in he 1830s were reduced o abou 600 by 1890. A species was almos exinc, and he people who lived off hem were lef on he verge of sarvaion. Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 75
During READING Checpoin Go online and ener HBC in a search engine. Wha sore do you find? Find HBC blanes on heir sie. Wha colours are hey? Wha is he hisory of hese blanes? Do some research o find ou more. WORDS MATTER counry-born people of mixed Briish and Firs Naions ancesry The Briish The Hudson s Bay Company began rading in 1670. Afer he Treay of Urech, in 1713, Briain oo over he French fur-rading poss in he inerior. The ing gave he HBC conrol over hese poss. Many Cree men and women were living permanenly in or near hese poss. Many Scoish men wored for he HBC as fur raders. The HBC discouraged relaionships beween is employees and Firs Naions women, bu such relaionships were common. The children born from hese relaionships were called he counry-born. In some ways he counry-born were similar o he Méis, ye here were sill some ey differences. They oo on some of he Firs Naions ways of heir mohers and were ofen bilingual. They spoe English, no French. Many of hem were Proesan, alhough hey also praciced Firs Naions spiriualiy. Over ime, he erm counry-born died ou. Today people of mixed Firs Naions and Briish heriage are also called Méis. The Méis and Wesern Selemen When selers began o move ino he Prairies, hey inroduced a way of life ha was very differen from ha of he Méis. See he char Méis and Seler Perspecives Iem Méis Selers Bison hun only wha was needed for survival and for limied rading purposes hun large numbers o sell mea and hides for money Selemen The land sele only a few areas, leaving he res open for animal migraion leave he land open o help he bison hun sele larger areas, esablishing farms o grow crops fence farms o eep wild animals, lie bison, ou below o undersand some of he differences. THINKING I Over 1. Mae a graphic organizer o illusrae he major characerisics of he Méis. c 2. Review he quesions you added o your 5W + H char. Mae a plan o answer one of he quesions ha was no addressed in his secion. You may also wan o develop anoher research quesion you have abou he Méis. See page S 8 for help wih forming research quesions. H 76 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
ZOOM IN CASE STUDY Méis Culure and Lifesyle The Méis are a close-ni communiy wih a srong ideniy. They have heir own flag, shown above. Since 1983, he Méis Naional Council has represened he ineress of he Méis in areas such as land, educaion, healh, and socio-economic condiions. The early Méis of he Wes developed a new language ha was a combinaion of French and Cree, wih some vocabulary from oher Firs Naions languages. This is called Michif. Some Méis sill spea his language. A similar language, called Bungee, combined mainly Cree and Scoish Gaelic. This dialec is now exinc. The Méis have srong musical and culinary radiions. Méis people enjoy dancing o fiddle unes ha ofen mix Celic and Firs Naions hemes. The dancing is fas-paced and fesive. Tradiionally, hey held dances regularly hroughou he year, wih he bigges one being held on New Year s Eve. Dancers feased on fried bread, bannoc, meaballs, and sew. Wha European and Firs Naions influences are refleced in he foods ha were served? Méis women have radiionally produced fine beadwor, porcupine quillwor, and embroidery. These wors of ar involve boh Firs Naions paerns and French designs. Méis communiies became famous for such arwor. Today, i is highly prized by ar collecors These Méis arifacs are called ocopus pouches. How do you hin hey go his name? THINKING I Over Noice he Méis flags carried in his parade. Do some research o find ou wha he colours and he symbol represen. 1. Do furher research o find ou wha aspecs of Méis culure are sill pracised oday. Prepare a brief oral repor o share your findings. c 2. Wha is he purpose of preserving ways of life, such as ar, dance, music, and language? Discuss your houghs in a small group. c a Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 77
Why Was he Red River Resisance Significan? In Grade 7, you learned abou he rebellions of 1837 1838. In he firs 18 years of Canada s exisence, wo more uprisings oo place. The firs of hese was in Red River, in wha is now Manioba. WORDS MATTER Ruper s Land a vas area of land in norhern and wesern Canada, owned by he HBC. The governmen of Canada purchased his land in 1869. provisional governmen a emporary governmen pu in place unil a permanen one is esablished The Purchase of Ruper s Land Canada Wes had been ineresed in gaining conrol of Ruper s Land since he 1850s. Canadians believed his area had economic poenial. In 1867, he U.S. purchased Alasa from Russia. This fuelled Canada s longsanding fear ha he U.S. would see conrol of more erriory norh of is borders. In 1869, he HBC agreed o sell Ruper s Land o he governmen of Canada. This area conained wha is now norhern Onario and Québec, all of Manioba, mos of Sasachewan, souhern Albera, pars of he Norhwes Terriories, and Nunavu. Canada paid $1 500 000 for his vas area. Prime Miniser John A. Macdonald waned o ae conrol of he region as soon as possible. He appoined William McDougall as lieuenan-governor and sen him o Red River o esablish a new governmen. No one consuled he people living in he area abou heir wishes. When McDougall ordered land surveyors o go o Red River, he Méis residens objeced. The Méis prediced ha: The surveyors would divide he land ino individual los. The governmen would sell he los o selers. The selers would sar farms on heir los. Fences would be buil o eep livesoc in, and wild animals ou. The fences would disrup he bison hun. The radiional Méis way of life would be desroyed. The Méis were also concerned abou he way he land would be divided. Tradiional Méis farms on he Prairies were modelled on he seigneurial sysem of land division pracised in New France as you learned in previous sudies. Farms were long and narrow o le as many as possible have access o waer and o woodlands ha grew near he waer. The shape of he farms was also good for he Méis social srucure, as families on neighbouring farms were close and ravel was easy. H 78 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
The Canadian governmen, however, favoured he Briish grid mehod of land division, which divided he land ino square secions (you will read more abou his in Chaper 5). The surveying no only ignored Méis preferences, i also divided properies ha were already in exisence. In addiion, he surveying began before he erriory was urned over o Canada, and he surveyors arrived on occupied land wihou asing permission. Anoher concern was ha he new selers would be English Proesans, no French Caholics. This would be anoher conras o he Méis exising way of life as he larges proporion of he communiy were Francophone Méis. Wha do you hin he Méis could do o mae heir voices heard? The Rise of Louis Riel A his poin, in 1869, 25-year-old Louis Riel became he leader of he Méis in Red River. He was well educaed, religious, and a good speaer. Alhough he was born in Manioba, he had lived in Québec for en years while going o school. Riel reurned o Manioba when he ransfer and surveying of Ruper s Land began o sir up conroversy. When Riel s cousin ried o sop surveyors from coming ono his land, Riel helped him. Soon afer ha, he Méis organized he Naional Commiee of he Méis of Red River and eleced Riel as secreary. The commiee sen a noe o Oawa saying ha he newly appoined lieuenangovernor, McDougall, should no ry o come o Red River wihou special permission of he commiee. When McDougall came, a group of Méis sopped him and escored him o he U.S. border. A he same ime, however, Riel mainained ha he was loyal o he Crown and waned o negoiae wih he governmen. He believed ha he Wes had a righ o have some say in he erms of joining Confederaion. He ried o persuade he English-speaing residens of he selemen o join forces wih he Méis and so deal wih he Canadian governmen as a unified communiy. When hose effors failed, Riel se up a provisional governmen. His plan was ha he Méis and he Canadian governmen would co-operae o esablish a permanen governmen ha he Méis could suppor. Riel and he provisional governmen drew up a lis of demands called he Méis Lis of Righs. Here are some of he hings hey demanded from Canada. Louis Riel, 1879 WEB LINK For more informaion on Louis Riel and he Red River Resisance, visi our Web sie. If you do furher research on his even, also loo under he erm Red River Rebellion, as i was called hisorically. Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 79
The Méis Lis of Righs During READING Checpoin How did hese demands influence he Canada we live in oday? 1. Tha he erriory of he Norh-Wes ener ino he Confederaion of Canada as a province 7. Tha he schools be separae (based on religion) and ha public money for schools be disribued among he differen religious denominaions in proporion o heir respecive populaion 13. Tha reaies be concluded beween Canada and he differen Indian [naions] of he Norh-Wes 16. Tha boh he English and he French languages be common in he legislaure, and in he cours and [in] all public documens 17. Tha he Lieuenan-Governor o be appoined for he Province of he Norh-Wes be familiar wih boh English and French languages. 18. Tha he Judge of he Supreme Cour spea boh he English and French languages. Do you hin he Canadian governmen would accep he Méis Lis of Righs? Riel appeared o be in a srong posiion. He had many supporers and he fuure looed promising for he people and he region. Then he siuaion quicly go ou of hand. Louis Riel (cenre) and his associaes formed he provisional governmen of he Méis Naion in 1869. Do you hin he demands hey lised were fair and realisic? Explain. H 80 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
Heroes and Villains William McDougall William McDougall (1822 1905) was a lawyer and poliician from Onario. He was a supporer of John A. Macdonald. In 1869, Macdonald appoined him he firs lieuenan-governor of he Norh-Wes Terriories. His orders were o bring he region under he conrol of he Canadian governmen and o prepare i for he arrival of selers. He was no insruced o concern himself wih he wishes of he Firs Naions and Méis people already living here. Some people see McDougall as a loyal governmen servan who did wha he was old. The governmen had given him his insrucions, and he saw ha hey were carried ou. Ohers see him as spineless. They say he should have realized ha he governmen s insrucions were flawed and aced accordingly, raher han remain silen. The resul was he Red River Resisance of 1869. Wha should be he role of he individual in dealing wih insrucions from superiors? When should orders be quesioned? When should we carry hem ou, even if we may privaely disagree wih hem? Thin of a ime when you were ased o do somehing you did no agree wih. How did you decide wha o do? Did McDougall do wha was righ under he circumsances in 1869? Do you hin William McDougall was a hero or a villain? Are you unsure? Why? William McDougall The Role of Thomas Sco Thomas Sco was a Proesan from Ireland who had come o Onario in 1863. He was among he firs Canadians sen o Red River. He waned Canada o expand and o be successful. He also waned i o resis he pressures from he Unied Saes, where some poliicians spoe abou aing over all of Canada. Sco waned Canada o remain par of he Briish Empire. In Ireland a ha ime, Roman Caholics were permied very few righs. Sco brough hese views wih him o Canada. He believed ha Caholics should no be allowed o be par of governmen, and he old everyone abou his views. This naurally made him unpopular wih many people. In 1869, he drifed ino Red River and began o ell people ha he Méis were no fi o be par of a governmen. He said ha Canada should simply ignore hem and se up a governmen wihou consuling he Méis. This illusraion of he shooing of Thomas Sco was published in he Canadian Illusraed News on April 23, 1870. Based on wha you have learned abou he even, is his an accurae represenaion? Why or why no? Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 81
WORDS MATTER reason an ac of berayal or disloyaly o one s counry or governmen WEB LINK For more informaion on Thomas Sco, visi our Web sie. Riel regarded Sco as a hrea. Sco was a powerful symbol of opposiion o he Méis. If more selers came from Onario, Sco migh manage o organize hem o resis Méis demands. Wih Riel s approval, he provisional governmen had Sco arresed and he was given a cour marial. He was found guily of reason. In March 1870, he was execued by firing squad. The Fuure of he Méis The execuion of Sco caused hosiliy oward Riel. In he eyes of he Canadian governmen, Riel was a criminal. The governmen issued a warran for his arres. Riel and many of his followers new i would be difficul o resis Canada and he selers. Riel fled o he Unied Saes, and many of his followers wen o wha is now Sasachewan. They hoped o escape from he pressures ha selemen brough. However, he sory of Riel and his followers was far from finished. You will read more abou i in he nex chaper. No all he Méis wen wes. Many remained in Red River. As hey had prediced, heir radiional way of life was evenually desroyed by selemen. The bison huns died ou. The Méis adaped o a new way of life. They reained many culural radiions, bu adoped he seled life of ownspeople. THINKING I Over 1. On page H 78, he Méis prediced wha would happen in Red River when he land surveyors arrived. Draw a six-frame caroon srip o illusrae each predicion described. c 2. Read he Méis Lis of Righs and mae a copy of he following organizer. Rewrie each of he six poins in he lis in your own words, hen place i in he appropriae column of he organizer. To help you, one iem has already been placed in he organizer. c 3. In ligh of his views and behaviour, do you hin Thomas Sco was disloyal o his counry? Why or why no? 4. Do some research o find ou wheher execuion for reason could happen in Canada oday. Why do you hin some laws change over ime? a Governmen People Language and religion The Norhwes Terriories should become a province of Canada H 82 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
Three New Provinces and a Terriory By he end of 1869, Canada was made up of four provinces: Onario, Québec, New Brunswic, and Nova Scoia. In he nex four years, hree more provinces joined he new naion. Manioba In 1870, Canada passed he Manioba Ac, maing Manioba he fifh Canadian province. The Ac came ino effec on July 15, 1870. Here are some of he erms i conained. As you read hese erms, hin abou how hey compare o he righs ha Riel had demanded. The province was confined o a small area around Red River and was only jus over 39 000 m 2 in area. (Modern Manioba occupies abou 647 797 m 2.) The res of he Norh-Wes Terriories remained in he hands of he federal governmen. During READING Checpoin Which of he Quesions o Consider quesions does his secion help you o answer? WEB LINK For more informaion on Manioba becoming a province, visi our Web sie. English and French were o be he languages of governmen and he cours. There were separae Proesan and Caholic schools paid for by he governmen. The righ o English- or French-language educaion was no guaraneed. Only religious educaion was guaraneed. The federal governmen reained conrol over lands and resources, giving i grea power in he developmen of he province. Manioba was so small ha i was nicnamed he posage samp province. The populaion census in 1871 recorded a mere 25 228 residens. Could he iny province survive? There were many divisions among he people, as he following char shows. Members of he Legislaure of he province of Manioba, 1893 Divisions in Manioba, 1870 Issue Religion Language Economics Divisions Caholic, Proesan, Aboriginal spiriual beliefs French, English, Cree, and oher Aboriginal languages open land and huning versus fenced farms Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 83
CANADA MINUTE Bilingualism on he Prairies The Manioba Ac was he firs federal Ac o recognize he imporance of bilingualism. When New Brunswic joined Confederaion, French righs had no been recognized, even hough much of is populaion spoe French. There were also poces of French-speaing people across he Prairies, including he Méis. French was recognized as an official language of governmen and he cours in Manioba. Canada s bilingual naure was reinforced. WORDS MATTER panning for gold searching for gold by collecing, hen washing gold-bearing gravel in a pan How could differen groups learn o live alongside each oher and solve heir differences? In Chapers 5 and 6, you will see how some of hese conflics wored ou. Norh-Wes Terriories In 1870, Briain ransferred conrol of he Norh-Wesern Terriory o Canada. This was combined wih Ruper s Land o become he Norhwes Terriories. The new region was governed direcly by Oawa, wih no legislaure of is own. I was no unil 1876 ha he federal governmen appoined a lieuenan-governor and a council for he Terriories, and anoher 10 years before he Norhwes Terriories had seas in he federal governmen. Briish Columbia Panning for gold. Wha oher naural resources migh have encouraged selers o move o he wes? You learned in Uni 1 ha here was anoher Briish Norh American colony on he Pacific coas. In 1858, gold had been discovered in he Fraser River, and prospecors floced o he colony. As more gold was found, people coninued o move o he region, many coming from California. When he fuure of he colony was discussed, some people waned i o join he Unied Saes. Ohers fel is fuure lay wih Canada. Supporers of joining he U.S. believed ha B.C. would expand and develop more quicly ha way. I would be easy o build railway lines souh o join he American lines in Washingon Sae. This would allow people and freigh o ravel beween B.C. and major ciies in he U.S. However, his idea did no si well wih hose who waned o join Canada. I would ae many years o esablish a rail lin wih Canada, bu becoming Canadian would allow Briish Columbians o reain heir connecions wih Briain. In his way, hey could sill live under he monarchy; joining he U.S. would mean becoming par of a republic. There were vigorous debaes in he newspapers: he American soluion offered speed of developmen; he Canadian soluion placed more emphasis on radiion. In he end, he radiionaliss won he debae, and Briish Columbia moved in he direcion of joining Canada. H 84 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
Prime Miniser Macdonald was anxious o expand Canada from sea o sea, so he reached an agreemen wih boh he poliical leaders in B.C. and wih he Briish governmen. The colony became Canada s sixh province in 1871. However, Briish Columbia had a small populaion and was a long way away from he res of Canada. In 1871, he populaion of he enire province was 36 247. The only rail lin wih he res of Canada lay hrough he U.S. How could he new province rade wih Onario and Québec, given his siuaion? Macdonald made one of his mos recless promises when he persuaded B.C. o join. The federal governmen promised ha wihin en years, by 1881, a railway would be buil from Onario o he Pacific Ocean. Macdonald s poliical enemies hough him foolish. Why do you hin ha was? Predic wheher he was able o eep his promise. You will find ou in Chaper 6. WEB LINKS For more informaion on Briish Columbia becoming a province and for more informaion on Prince Edward Island becoming a province, visi our Web sie. Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) had been involved in early discussions abou he creaion of Canada. However, in 1867, he colony decided no o join he new naion. I soon realized ha his was a misae. Trade among he Mariime provinces (New Brunswic and Nova Scoia) and cenral Canada (Onario and Québec) increased seadily afer Confederaion. P.E.I. did no share in his growh. The governmen of he colony ried o build a railway across he island, bu i encounered huge coss. Macdonald new ha P.E.I. was in poor shape. So he offered i a deal. The federal governmen would ae over P.E.I. s railway debs, and in reurn, P.E.I. would join Canada. This seemed lie a good soluion for everyone. In 1873, P.E.I. became he sevenh province of Canada. In 1997, he Confederaion Bridge was opened, connecing P.E.I. o mainland Canada. How do you hin he island was able o rade, grow, and prosper for 125 years, even hough i was no physically lined o he mainland? Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 85
Canada s Populaion Disribuion, 1873 ALASKA (U.S.A.) GREENLAND (DENMARK) Over 100 000 50 000 100 000 25 000 49 999 10 000 24 999 Under 10 000 PACIFIC OCEAN BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver N THE NORTH WEST TERRITORIES MANITOBA U.S.A. Winnipeg Hudson Bay O N T A R I O Québec Ciy Oawa Monréal Kingson Hamilon Torono London Q U É B E C Labrador Sea ATLANTIC OCEAN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NOVA SCOTIA Halifax Sain John NEW BRUNSWICK 0 500 1000 m How far is Vancouver from Winnipeg and from Torono? THINKING I Over A New Canada Emerges By 1873, he map of Canada had begun o loo more lie is presen form. From he Mariimes o Briish Columbia, all he land norh of he Unied Saes was officially par of Canada. In he Prairies, Manioba was iny, and Albera and Sasachewan were no ye creaed. Newfoundland was sill a separae colony, and would be for anoher 76 years. Neverheless, Canada was emerging in is modern form. As is moo says, i ran From Sea o Sea. 1. Creae an organizer o show he deails abou he joining of Manioba, Briish Columbia, and Prince Edward Island ino Confederaion. Mae sure ha your organizer conains ey informaion such as dae of joining, problems ha exised prior o joining, how joining could help, and he effecs of joining on Canada. c 2. Reread he Canada Minue feaure on page H 84. Why would having French as an official language in Manioba be considered a breahrough for French righs? 3. You have read ha in 1870, he erms of Manioba s becoming a province included governmen funding of Proesan and Roman Caholic schools. In 2007, governmen funding of faih-based schools was a conroversial elecion issue in Onario. Why do you hin some people hin i is imporan for religion o be par of educaion and oher people do no? a H 86 Uni 2: The Developmen of Wesern Canada
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Canada was a divided and hesian naion in 1867. In his chaper, you have seen how Canada made is firs seps in growing larger and sronger. You learned how Canada expanded from four o seven provinces beween 1867 and 1873. You also saw ha, in Manioba, his was achieved only afer disagreemens and conflic. The Méis and Firs Naions who lived on he Prairies fel ha heir way of life was hreaened by he arrival of selers from Canada. You have looed a some of he ey individuals in he sruggle and you have seen wha hey waned for he region. Afer READING Asing Quesions We sudy hisory because i has an impac on life oday. Choose one opic from his chaper: Firs Naions, Méis, Caholic and Proesan schools, official languages, new provinces. You have hisorical informaion in he char you compleed in his chaper. Loo for informaion abou he same opic in Canada oday. Try magazines, newspapers, and Web sies. Wrie one paragraph abou he opic in he 1800s, and one paragraph elling how he opic concern appears oday. In your concluding paragraph, answer he quesion, Is Canada sill a divided and hesian naion? Suppor your answer wih wha you have learned. Subheading Who? Wha? When? Where? Why? How? Possible Sources Who firs lived in he Prairie region? Wha did hey ea? Where did hey live? Why did hey live on he Prairies? encyclopedia inerview a hisorian THINKING I Through Use your 5W + H char o review he informaion in his chaper. Then conduc research of your own o complee he following ass. See pages S 6 and S 7 for help wih research. 1. Creae a Venn diagram o illusrae he similariies and differences beween he Méis and he selers from Onario who were beginning o drif ino Red River in he 1860s. 2. a) Draw a picure of a scene, or describe he scene in words, o illusrae wha you consider he mos imporan similariy or difference ha you idenified in your Venn diagram. b) In wo senences, explain wha he picure or scene shows, and why you chose i. c c 3. Pic one of he provinces examined in his chaper. (Manioba, P.E.I., B.C.) Do some research on he populaion, economy, and lifesyle of he province you choose. Creae a visual display o illusrae how i has changed since i joined Canada. Answer he following quesion: Has belonging o Canada benefied he province? a c 4. Creae a Jeopardy-syle game wih he ey erms in his chaper. For each erm, wrie he answer in your own words. Then wih a parner or in a small group, read your answers and have your classmaes come up wih he righ quesions. For example, Answer: he firs ineracion beween Firs Naions and Europeans. Quesion: Wha is conac? c Chaper 4: The Early Years of Independence H 87