1. BC Gold Rush + Creation of Colonies

2. BC Gold Rush -Fur Trade increased settler population but….
The Gold Rush exploded BCs population
Population Explosion:
-1850s Fort Victoria had ~500 settlers
 by 1858 population increased to ~30,000

3. 2 Key results of Gold Rush in BC
1. All of current day BC was declared
“Colony of British Columbia”
all lands + resources are now Britain's
2. Immigration restrictions were imposed
legal way to stop / control massive immigration to BC

4. BC Gold Rushes 1. Fraser River Gold Rush (1858-1865)
2. Cariboo Gold Rush (1860s – 1870s)
3. Klondike Gold Rush (1890 –1900 )

5. Gold Rush and First Nations
Miners typically / always:
-ignored traditional FN use of the land and rivers
-did not ask permission to pass through territories
-disturbed the environment
-built communities in areas where they mined
-disapproved when FN’s mined for gold

6. Understanding “Colony”
What is a Colony?
-an area of land that a country or empire “takes”
-laws and rules are enforced to keep order
-settlements (forts / colonies) are created
What is the purpose of a Colony?
-increase power and wealth by:
1. taking land
2. taking resources and sending them back to parent country
Example: Britain creates a small colony on Vancouver Island  Colony of Victoria. Ship loads of British Citizen arrive. Small city is created with British Laws. Resource extraction begins (logging, mining, furs etc) all sent back to Britain for sale in European markets

7. Differing “Land” world views
Euro
First Nations
-sacred
-hereditary
-family cares for land
-orally traditions validated
-to be respected  give and take – balance
-Stewardship / Reciprocity
-commodity
-purchased and sold
-individually owned
-documented ownership
-to be used  farm, extract resources
-Capitalism / Wealth