1. The Struggle for Autonomy
British Columbia
The Struggle for Autonomy

2. The Oregon Territory
1819 – USA & UK agreed that the Rupert’s Land/US border would extend west from ~Red River Settlement  Rocky Mountains
The area west of the Rockies was left for later negotiations because it was mostly “uninhabited”
2 important rivers: Fraser & Columbia
1800 – 1840 – USA & HBC were both interested in using the Oregon Territory
HBC preferred to leave the area undeveloped to maintain the fur trade
Established “Fort Vancouver”
USA was promoting “Manifest Destiny” and encouraging people to move into the Oregon Territory.
As they arrived in the Oregon Territory, HBC leaders encouraged them to settle south of the Columbia river to limit competition

3. The Oregon Territory
1843 – HBC Manager (George Simpson) and UK Government were both concerned that the large number of US settlers presented a threat
Simpson orders the HBC leader in Fort Vancouver (James Douglas) to build a new trading fort on Vancouver Island.
Fort Victoria
1844 – Newest President of the USA used the campaign slogan “54-40 or Fight!”
UK & USA negotiate for 2 years before agreeing to extend the 49th parallel to the Pacific Ocean
UK originally “owned” all of the Oregon territory
1848 – UK turns Vancouver Island into an official colony
James Douglas is made the “Governor”
Fort Vancouver closes in 1849

4. Fort Victoria (Remember the Douglas Treaties?)
1848 – UK turns Vancouver Island into an official crown colony
Purpose: Maintain and Strengthen British presence on the Pacific Coast
James Douglas is made the “Governor”
Fort Vancouver closes in 1849
Fun Fact: James Douglas was ½ Scottish, ½ Black
1855 Census of Vancouver Island
European population: 774
Indian population: >30,000
(Including mainland coast: >60,000)

5. Gold rushes!
– How the California Gold Rush Began – 3:40
– Chinese workers during the Gold Rush – 1:20
- Gold Mountain: Chinese and the BC Gold Rush – 13:08

6. California Gold Rush 1848–1855
Gold was discovered in California, and 75 years later, this NBA team was created nearby! 
~300,000 people moved to California during this time. Most arrived in San Francisco, and the first major wave occurred in 1849.
These people were called “49ers”. 96 years later, this NFL team was created! 
Most people who arrived after 1848 didn’t get any good land.
By 1855, San Francisco and the nearby areas were full of unemployed miners who couldn’t afford to return home.

7. Fraser River Gold Rush 1858–1860
End of 1857 – HBC trader arrives in Victoria and shows James Douglas gold that he found in the Thompson River
Why would this worry Governor Douglas?
300,000 people ran to California
All those Americans could run north to the Fraser River
Influx of Americans could tempt the USA to annex the British part of Columbia
Was he right to be concerned?
By August 1858, 10,000 – 15,000 American miners had flooded into the Fraser River canyon
By the end of the year… ~25,000
Victoria’s population in 1857: ~500
Victoria’s population in 1858: ~5000

8. Fraser River Gold Rush 1858–1860
How were the First Nations affected?
Thousands of miners suddenly moving into their territory
A miner has a “disagreement” with a young native woman and the nation responds by killing several miners
“Fraser Canyon War”
Was it a war?
Militias made of American miners argue over whether to kill the FN or not
Eventually the FN and the militias settle things down.
“Ned McGowan’s War”
American gold miners setting up political parties within the Fraser Canyon and began disagreements with the British
When things got violent, the miners threatened to invite the US military to come settle the problem
James Douglas was able to settle things peacefully
Why was it a good idea for the UK to make British
Columbia an official colony?

9. CariboO Gold Rush 1860–1870(ISH)
As the best spots in the Fraser Canyon got claimed, people began moving further and further up the Fraser Canyon into the “Cariboo” region of BC.
What was the problem with this location?
No easy access for wagons
1862 – James Douglas orders the construction of the Cariboo Road
Yale  Barkerville
650 km
Cost between $750k and $1.2M
Today’s money: 125,000,000 RMB

10. CariboO Gold Rush 1860–1870(ISH)
Tsilhqot’in (Chilcotin) Uprising
CAPITALISM!
Competitors try to build another road from the coastline to Barkerville
Disturb Chilcotin land
Chilcotin people felt threatened by more White encroachment.
They fought back and killed several of the European workers
James Douglas eventually had the chief and his warriors executed

11. CariboO Gold Rush 1860–1870(ISH)
Why did the road turn out to be a disaster for BC?
Gold rush was starting to decline
Population stopped increasing as quickly
The road was supposed to lead to a lot more immigration
More people = more tax revenue
More tax revenue = pay for the road
Barkerville
Northern end of the Cariboo Road
Centre of the Cariboo Gold Rush
Had as many people as Victoria
Site of Canada’s 1st major wave of Chinese immigrants

12. CariboO Gold Rush 1860–1870(ISH)
1868 – Barkerville burned down
Lots of $ was spent to rebuild it quickly
Early 1870s
Mining industry was heavily in decline
Only the “big businesses” were still doing well
1880s
People start moving elsewhere to seek gold (mostly to the north)
1920s
“Ghost town”

13. BC Joins Confederation

14. The cariboo Disaster
Early Gold Rush: the colony grew in population to over 35,000
After the Cariboo Road was finished, the population dwindled to around 10,000
1866: In addition to BC’s $1,200,000 in debt, Vancouver Island also owed $300,000
Local banks won’t lend the governments money to pay the politicians, police, etc…
1866: UK merges the colonies together to consolidate debt.

15. Confederation or annexation?
By 1868, the economic problems were only getting worse
3 Positions:
Confederationists
Anti-Confederationists
Annexationists
Why did BC eventually decide to join Confederation?