Chapter 7 Topic 3 Confederation and the Maritime Colonies Pages

Focus Question: To what extent was Confederation an attempt to strengthen the Maritime colonies? The Maritime colonies had little in common with the Province of Canada. Geography kept them from the larger populations and most colonists made their living from the sea. Others, traded with foreign countries. The goods leaving the Maritime colonies were bound for Britain, The United States, and the Caribbean.

The Golden Age of the Maritimes The years between 1840 – 1870 were a “Golden Age” for the Maritime colonies. It was the age of wind, wood, and sail. Maritime shipbuilders were respected for the wooden sailing ships they made and British North America had the fourth-largest shipping fleet in the world. Britain, United States, and Norway had bigger fleets – but 70% of these ships were built in the Maritimes. Fish, lumber, and grain were major exports. Nova Scotia becomes the largest coal producer in the world.

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Benefits Not for All The eastern provinces were growing and full of a diverse number of people including: The Mi’kmaq and the Maliseet Scottish immigrants in Cape Breton Acadians, Loyalists, Irish immigrants in New Brunswick Black Loyalists and German immigrants in Nova Scotia.

Benefits Not for All The First Nations people did not see economic benefits. Many had signed treaties and assigned limited reserve land. Most if this land was not good for farming Black Loyalists were experiencing racism and discrimination. Exports in timber were strong but the people who worked in this industry endured many hardships in the backwoods.

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Would Union Help or Hinder? Most Maritimers opposed union because they felt it would end the good times. They wanted to expand their trade with Britain and the United States (too bad Canada). People who supported union saw that the world was changing. There were new technologies in iron, coal, and steel industries which threatened the age of wood, wind and sail. Union would provide access to bigger economies and more resources. Also, the railroad was attractive for business.

Biography: Joseph Howe (1804 – 1873) Joseph Howe was a leading politician in Nova Scotia in the Confederation period. When he was 23 years old he bought a newspaper, the Novascotian. He published a letter in this paper that criticized the government for stealing from the people. He was arrested and put on trial. Howe argued that newspapers needed to be free to criticize the government. The judge agreed and he became a hero in the colony.

Biography: Joseph Howe In 1836, Howe was elected into the Assembly and became leader of the Reformers. He helped bring responsible government into Nova Scotia. They did so with fewer struggles than the Province of Canada did. Howe was fiercely loyal to Nova Scotia and criticized union. He believed Confederation favoured Canada at the expense of Maritime provinces. He used the newspaper to express his views and became very popular.

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