British Columbia to 1856

1. British Columbia to 1856 The formation of our province

2. The Colony of Vancouver Island to 1858 • Coal discovered near Nanaimo, which brought many immigrants wanting to mine • 1845 Polk negotiated with British Gov. for Oregon Territory, which Britain refused • 1848 British Gov. created Crown colony of Vancouver Island • Britain gave HBC a trade monopoly, but it had to sell land to British settlers • James Douglas encouraged British settlement, believed free portions of land should be given to colonists • British Gov. wanted to recreate English class system on Vancouver Island • Settlers required to purchase land at a British pound, and a min. purchase of 20 acres • Purchase of more than 100 acres was to bring min. of five people to maintain the land • Colony began to expand economically

3. The Colony of Vancouver Island to 1858 • Royal Navy officers came from England, and had a huge impact on social life of Fort Victoria • Always invited to functions hosted by English landowners • Douglas did not support these ideas • 1856 Douglas created Legislative Assembly in the colony, because of complaints of landed gentry from ex-HBC employees • Douglas negotiated treaties with Aboriginal peoples, which they were to give up their lands to the Europeans, but still have legal hunting and fishing rights Governor Douglas

4. The Cariboo Gold Rush • Many people hoped to gain wealth rapidly • Infomercials on television showed ways to get rich, which a vast majority believed • 1848 Gold was found near Sacramento River in California • 1849 many workers quit their jobs and travelled to California • Gold seekers did not get wealthy, and had to claim legal right to mine • Many ended up working as miners • HBC trader found gold near Thompson River • Governor Douglas, did not want greedy minors to enter the colony • News spread really quickly and hundreds of unemployed American miners were fleeing towards the gold mines Miners had to get across the Strait of Georgia Majority of miners were American, and Douglas thought the land was becoming vulnerable to US territorial expansion

5. British Columbia Joins Confederation • Approx. 35 000 prospectors arrived in BC which resulted from The Cariboo Gold Rush • Gold was running out, which caused population and revenue decrease • BC suffered financially, even though invested in Cariboo Road • 1866 Vancouver Island had debts approx. $300 000 • Colonial office in Britain accepted idea of union • Britain did not want to provide subsidies • 1866 British government joined two colonies as BC • Seymour, became governor of the new colony • BC did not have a responsible government • The union of the two colonies did not solve anything economically or their debts

6. The Emergence of Vancouver • Vancouver is the youngest community in BC • Needed ice-free harbour for defending the colony • Gov. wanted protection on its harbour • Home of Musqueam and Squamish peoples • 1865 obtained timber rights • Sewell Moody opened a mill known as “Moody Ville” • 1881 Port Moody designated as terminus of CPR • Speculators bought land, and sold lots • 1884 William Van Horne discovered Port Moody was not a good location, because the harbour was made of tidal flats, which could not dock deep-sea vessels • Found a location in Gastown, and named the site Vancouver • Speculators became angry, but nothing they could do • 1885 CPR completed • Hot, dry weather created fire which levelled Vancouver • City was rebuilt, and in1890 population was at 5000+

7. The Chinese in British Columbia • First Chinese came during the California Gold Rush • In California, faced discrimination, because of culture • Job opportunities were limited due to racism • Chinese miners tried to extract gold from an already worked area • Some worked for wealthy White families • 1881 CPR had shortage of labour, and hired many Chinese immigrants • 17 000+ Chinese came to work on Railway • Paid very little money, and provided own food and shelter • Very dangerous and difficult work • 600+ died due to accidents or illnesses