Beautiful British Columbia The History of Our Province

Symbols of British Columbia

BC’s 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 Territory HBC has trading posts, and doesn’t 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 river

Oregon territory: the Boundary Lots of Americans = need clear boundary 49th Parallel means HBC (Britain) loses Fort Vancouver 1843: 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 Island 1848: 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 Douglas Married to Amelia, a Metis and has 13 children with her Helps 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 Island 1848 – 1856: James Douglas is in sole control of the colony, executive and legislative councils are appointed, not elected NOT representative or responsible 1856: get elected Legislative Assembly Douglas restricts vote to male landowners, and keeps Veto Power

And then something happens that changes everything . . .

Thar’s GOLD in them thar hills! The Cariboo Gold Rush

Want to find some and get rich?

But really, what’s 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 can’t hurt it!

How gold gets into streams… “vein” of solid gold Is exposed at Earth’s surface Elements cause “lode” to break off Into nuggets

Cariboo Gold Rush 1848: California Gold Rush – gold is running out by 1850s 1857: Gold discovered on Thompson and Fraser Rivers James Douglas fears influx of miners – US annexation and lawlessness By 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 Governor Matthew Begbie as Chief Justice Capital city: New Westminster

Barkerville Boom town of Cariboo Gold Rush Named after Billy Barker – struck gold on Williams creek on 1862 Mid 1860s 5,000-10,000 lived in Barkerville Had general store, houses, post office, hotels, drugstore, barbershop, theatre, literary society “Hardy Gurdy Girls” - dancers form Germany for Saloon Citizens from all over world, including American, Chinese, Black

Barkerville 1868 – fire destroys city, rebuilt in 3 months 1880s – gold is gone, and by 1920s it is a Ghost town Present day: it has been restored as a tourist attraction

Cariboo Mountain Road Need road into interior for miners to travel/ access gold 1862: 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 = debt Vancouver island - $300 000, BC - $1 million RESULT: Colonies United - Called British Columbia, capital was largest Port city: Victoria

What are the arguments for each? Confederation BC 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 arguments 1. For Confederation: confederationists Canada take on BC’s Debt Want Road from Lake Superior to New Westminster Want Responsible Government For Joining USA: annexationists Washington/ Oregon close by – create permanent market Against: Anti-confederationists Maintain tie to Britain, don’t like Canada or USA

Confederation 1868: New Governor for BC , Anthony Musgrave, is friend of John A. Macdonald Britain didn’t 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 Vancouver Not Vancouver. Settlements 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 world

Gastown John “Gassy Jack” Deighton arrives in 1867 and builds a saloon on Burrard inlet for the Loggers Area officially called “Granville”, Unofficially “Gastown”

Map of Vancouver, 1880

Vancouver 1881: 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 = 5000 1900: 20,000 2012: 2.5 million

so Rapidly into a big City? Why did Vancouver Grow so Rapidly into a big City?