SIX FACTORS LEADING TO CONFEDERATION

SIX FACTORS
1. War and 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Expansionism Fenian Raids Trouble with trade Need for rail links Changing British attitudes Political Deadlock

WAR AND EXPANSIONISM

1. American Civil War Northern states thought Britain would support/supported the South 2. Lands to the West British North Americans and Americans eyeing the same land 3. Manifest Destiny: American belief that the continent should belong to the USA

WAR AND EXPANSIONISM

Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: a unified British North America could better defend itself against invasion from the USA if they chose to attack

FENIAN RAIDS
After the Civil War, Fenians sought to force

Irelands independence from Britain by attacking Canada Between 1866 and 1871, they raided territory from NB to MB During the largest raid, the Fenians defeated a small Canadian force but returned to the United States before Canadian and British reinforcements arrived

FENIAN RAIDS
Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: as above, a unified British North America could better defend itself against the raids

TROUBLE WITH TRADE

The colonies had stronger trade links with

the United States than with each other under the Reciprocity Treaty The treaty allowed products to be sold across the border without high tariffs being paid In 1865, the US ended the Reciprocity Treaty forcing people in the colonies of BNA to think of joining together so they could trade among themselves tariff-free

TROUBLE WITH TRADE

Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: British North Americans hoped that a unified country would result in free trade amongst the provinces, increasing prosperity

NEED FOR RAIL LINKS

There were a number of obstacles separating

the United Province of Canada from the Atlantic Colonies this led to calls for a railway linking the colonies Advantages of an inter-colonial railway: omore trade between colonies oincreased expansion into the west otroops could be mobilized more easily if they were invaded by the United States

NEED FOR RAIL LINKS

Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: construction of a railway linking the colonies was used to convince leaders to support Confederation

CHANGING BRITISH ATTITUDES

Public opinion in Great Britain was divided

over whether to keep colonies Arguments in favour of keeping the colonies included source of raw materials, market for British goods, source for soldiers, etc. However, voices of those who argued against keeping the colonies were louder as they argued that the colonies were a burden on British taxpayers

CHANGING BRITISH ATTITUDES

Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: Little Englanders and others urged Britain to give up colonies which led people in BNA to consider their future without Britain, but only with consent

POLITICAL DEADLOCK
Canada West and Canada East had same

number of seats after Durhams Report Canada West: Sir John A. Macdonald (Tories) and George Brown (Clear Grits) Canada East: George-tienne Cartier (Parti Bleu) and A. A. Dorion (Parti Rouge) The political deadlock resulted from equal representation all of the government votes ended in ties

POLITICAL DEADLOCK
Question: How did this lead to Confederation? Answer: Great Coalition (1864) saw three biggest parties and personalities join together to break deadlock and move the colonies towards Confederation

FATHERS OF CONFEDERATION

DOMINION OF CANADA

BRITISH NORTH AMERICA ACT