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British Columbia British Columbia was one of the last areas in Canada to be settled by European settlers. This guide will examine early immigration to BC through to confederation with Canada. We have an interesting history full of gold, guns and a shameful amount of discrimination against minorities.
Oregon Territory • Prior to the 19th century BC was home to 100 000 First Nations from tribes ranging from the Haida all the way to the Kwakwaka’wakw • Way back in 1819 the British and Americans decided that a border be drawn from Ontario to the East of the Rockies along the 49th parallel • The area between the Rockies and the pacific ocean became known as the Oregon Territory
As there were few Europeans living here at the time, the British and Americans were unsure who should govern this area • Who was left out in this consideration? • The Hudson’s Bay Company did not want the area settled as that would limit their fur trading • The Americans, who had recently purchased Mississippi from the French wanted to expand westward • What was the word for the American belief that they were to rule all of North America? • Many Americans began to settle south of the Columbia River, which is now Portland, Oregon
Fort Vancouver • Created in 1824 by HBC manager George Simpson • Was built on the north bank of the Columbia River • It was a great location and it was made the main trading post in the Oregon Territory • John McLoughlin (a French Canadian) was put in charge
LOOK!- there are two Vancouvers on this map! • We are talking about the one down in Oregon.
McLoughlin • He was a smart man • Knowing that the Americans wanted to settle in the area he gave them supplies and money to build south of the River • This limited American involvement in the HBC’s fur trade
Simpson shakes things up • 1841, George Simpson was not happy with the development of the fur trading posts on the Pacific Coast • He decided to cut costs and closed all forts on the coast, with the exception of Fort Simpson...
Fort Simpson in the winter of 1873. • Built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1834, The fort comprised a trade shop, a warehouse, officer's quarters, a mess hall, and houses and shops for Bay Company employees. • Two bastions, each with four guns, were situated at opposite corners of a 5.5 meter palisade of thick cedar planks. • The post was closed in 1911. After 1915, when the last buildings were burned down the settlement came to be known as Port Simpson.
The Beaver • The Beaver was the first steamship used on the Pacific Coast • Used by Simpson to help with the fur trade • It would travel up and down the coast, eliminating the need for costly forts...according to Simpson • It was used by the HBC for 50 years
McLoughlin gets angry • McLoughlin was not too happy about 15 years of his work getting closed down • To make matters worse his son was killed in a fight and Simpson recommended a charge of justifiable homicide for the killer • McLoughlin retired shortly after from the HBC, he is now known as the Father of Oregon in the United States
Discussion • Do you think it would have been a wiser move for the HBC to encourage settlement in the Oregon Territory? • Was McLoughlin doing the right thing by encouraging American settlement south of Fort Vancouver? Should he not have helped them at all? • Did Simpson make the right decision to close the forts along the west coast? • How did the Beaver change the way furs were traded?
Time to Draw the Line • With the rising American population the British felt it was time to establish a more permanent border • Fearing this, Simpson began to close Fort Vancouver and created Fort Victoria on Vancouver island, with the hope that the island would remain in British Hands
54 40 or Fight! • In 1844 James Polk was elected as President of the US • Part of his campaign slogan was 54 40 or fight • This referred to the 54˚ 40’ N latitude • This failed thankfully and the border was just continued along the 49th parallel • With the exception of Vancouver island
Vancouver Isle and James Douglas • Vancouver island was turned over to James Douglas who became the governor in 1851 • Douglas encourage rapid settlement of the area by offering land for $5 an acre • He also convinced the British to build a naval base near Fort Victoria • Coal was discovered in Nanaimo which helped persuade them to build the base there
James and Amelia • Douglas married a 16 year old Cree women named Amelia • She was a strong willed woman • They had 13 children • She saved his life when a Dakleh (Ka-kelh) Chief wanted to kill him for violating the sanctity of his house
The Douglas Treaties • Douglas realized early on that in order for European settlers to be successful on Vancouver Island they had to peacefully obtain the land • He negotiated 14 treaties in a four year period • When he paid the First Nations for their land it acknowledged Aboriginal Title to the land • This would have huge lasting impact on BC in the 20th century
California Gold Rush • Gold was discovered in California in 1848 • Thousands of men travelled to the Sacramento River to try and hit it rich • Within a few years it had all been mined out • A few made a lot of money, most ended up broke and unable to get home
Fraser River Gold Rush • 1857 an HBC trader went to Douglas informing that he had found gold along the banks of the Thompson River • Douglas feared a similar Gold Rush akin to what he saw in California • By 1858 there were gold prospectors along the shores of the Thompson and Fraser • By the end of 1858, 10 000 Americans were in BC
Discussion • Why did Simpson not want a huge influx of gold miners in BC? • Why were thousands of Americans in BC a problem? • Who do you think these gold prospectors would have had the most problems with and why?
Fraser Canyon War • Conflicts between the miners and First Nations were very common during the rush • In 1858 several gold miners were killed by members of the Nlaka’pamux tribe (Ing-khla-kap-muh) • This was in retaliation to an attack on a Nlaka’pamux women by the miners • The Americans formed several militias, some with peaceful intentions, others...not so much • The issue was resolved peacefully thankfully, but it scared Douglas as the miners organized the militias on their own
Cariboo Wagon Road • It was difficult and dangerous to reach the gold fields of the upper Fraser River • Douglas ordered the construction of the Cariboo Wagon Road in 1862 • It took three years to complete and cost $750 000 • By the time it was completed the gold rush was nearly over • This left BC greatly in debt
Barkerville • Named after Billy Barker who participated in the California Gold Rush • Struck gold on Williams Creek 1862 which led to the creation of the town around it • When the road reached the town, it began to boom with nearly 10 000 inhabitants • Census data from 1861 put the population of Victoria at 2350 at this time • It developed quite the nightlife with dancers brought direct from Germany – “Hurdy Gurdy Girls” • Many Black and Chinese immigrants came to live there as well to open businesses and pan for gold
September 16, 1868 most of Barkerville was destroyed by a fire • When the gold started to run low in the 1870s people began to move out • By 1920 it was a ghost town • 1958 the province restored Barkerville and made it a tourist attraction • It now looks like it did at the end of the 1860s
Vancouver Island • Population of Vancouver Island 1855 • First Nations 35 000 • Non-First Nations 774 • Run by James Douglas • Until 1856 it was an autocratic society • Force in 1856 to create a seven member legislative assembly • Only those who owned property could vote (40 people)
Smallpox • 1862 an American miner brought smallpox to Victoria • It spread quickly among the population • Colonists were vaccinated and treated • First Nations were quarantined • On HaidaGwaii 70% died • Villages that had been there for thousands of years were now gone • By the time the epidemic had run its course, over half of the First Nations in BC had died
Joining of the Two Colonies • After the Gold Rush ended the population of the two colonies (British Columbia and Victoria) was less than 10 000 non first nations • Both colonies were in tremendous debt • $300 000 Victoria • $1 000 000 BC • They were refused loans from the banks and Britain said they would only finance only one colony, so in 1866 they united
Confederation Confederationists Anti-Confederationists • It would solve the colony’s financial problems as Canada would take on their debt • They demanded a road be built from the great lakes to New West • Wanted to stay with Britain OR join the United States • The US was booming and they were closer to Washington, Oregon state than Ontario
1871 • Those who wanted to join the US sent around a petition in Victoria • They only got 125 signatures, the population was 3000 • The colony sent a delegation to talk to Prime Minister Macdonald • Macdonald agreed to all of their terms and even added on the railway promise
Industry • Forestry emerged as a dominant industry in BC early on • 1865 Mills were beginning to appear in the lower mainland • Hastings Mill and Moodyville • Specialized in logging “BC Toothpicks” • These were logs that were so large that they were prized around the world to build ship masts
Gassy Jack • The Vancouver area was quite “dry” until 1867 when John “Gassy Jack” Deighton arrived • He opened a saloon that became extremely popular • It encouraged others to open saloons as well • Gastown was named after him
Immigration • One of the first major immigrant groups to arrive were the Kanakas • People of Hawaiian Descent • The HBC originally hired them to work at the trading posts • Married First Nations women and started families • When the border was drawn at the 49th parallel they moved north to BC • Settled in what is now Stanley Park • Began working in the mills
Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps • During the Gold Rush many Black Americans fled to Canada knowing that Britain did not allow slavery • James Douglas welcomed them and helped them find work • These new immigrants asked Douglas to allow them to form a militia to help defend their new home
Chinese Immigration • Largest group of non-European immigrants to arrive in BC • Originally came up from California during our gold rush • They worked old American claims which could be bought cheaply and produce decent money with patience • They also opened many stores and restaurants to serve the communities
Discrimination • Many groups arose to protest the Chinese settling into their towns • The Knights of Labour demanded that the government remove all Chinese immigrants from BC • They also boycotted businesses that sold to Chinese customers
More Discrimination • Chinese Contractors • Chinese men who brought immigrants to BC • They made fortunes off this new slave trade • Chinese workers were paid a fraction of their European counterparts • Many believed that the Chinese were a treat because they “could not assimilate”
