March 15 Notes - The Fur Trade: HBC, NWC, First Nations

Hudson Bay Company

•         Founded in 1670

•         Radisson and Groseillier’s explored region beyond New France

•         Returned with furs – pitched to King Charles II to back up their business

•         Claimed the area around Hudson Bay – named Rupert’s Land

•         “Stay by the Bay”

•         Did not want to risk sending traders inland

•         Encouraged Aboriginal traders/trappers to come

•         Standard of Trade was strict/little room for bargaining

•         Hierarchy

•         Bosses in London, England

•         Shipped furs directly to and from England

•         Carried out swiftly because Hudson Bay is ice-free only from July to mid-September

•         York Boat

•         Developed by 1750

•         Double-ended wooden boat

•         13 metres long, either rowed or
sailed

•         3000-6000 kilograms cargo

•         Heavy, so difficult to portage

•         Portage

•         Unloaded and carried to another body of water

•         If rapids or waterfalls made a river impassable

Northwest Company

•         Founded in 1783 – rivals of HBC

•         “Montrealers”

–        Group of English merchants from Montreal

–        Seized French fur trade

–        Expanded trading networks and merged to create NWC

•         Geographic reasons

–        Built posts inland -Montreal too far for Natives to travel

–        Established major trade depot at Fort William

•         Similar to HBC – had to trade swiftly short ice-free season

•         Less rigid and bossy than the HBC

•         Hivernants (wintering partners)

–        Did the actual fur trading

•         Voyageurs

–        Muscle power to paddle canoes and carry cargo

–        Mapped new areas and established new trading posts

–        More relaxed in trading standards – willing to bargain and even sold alcohol (HBC refused)

•         Canots du nord

–        7 meters long and a meter
wide

–        1500 kilogram cargo

–        Paddled by six

•         Canots de maitre

–        11 meters long and 1.5 meters
wide

–        4000 kilograms

–        Crewed by 12

First Nations

•         Four nations – the Ojibwa, the Assiniboin, the Cree, and the Chipewyan

•         Middlemen – acts as a dealer between two parties who want to exchange goods

•         Fur Trade Disrupted their way of life

•         Rivalry/competition forced full-time trappers to abandon yearly cycle of fishing, hunting, and preserving food

•         Clash of different cultures (i.e. Religion, work ethic)

•         Europeans exposed them to diseases – smallpox & measles

•         Outbreak 1780-82 killed off much of the Chipewyans & Cree populations

Confederation & Beyond Key Terms

Key Term	Definition & Significance
Charlottetown Conference	•Original purpose was to discuss Maritime Union •Crashed by the other colonies •Agreed to meet at a 2nd conference to discuss Confederation
Maritime Union	•What colonies? (4)
Quebec Conference	•Purpose was to draw up the rules for Confederation
72 Resolutions	•Proposed set of rules for Confederation •Also known as the Quebec Resolutions
London Conference	•Officially drafted Confederation •Approved by the British government/Queen •Drafted the Constitution, also known as the BNA Act
July 1, 1867	•The birthday of Canada •What four founding provinces joined Confederation on this day?
British North America Act	•Set the rules for Confederation •Created the federal dominion (central gov't)
Federal vs. Provincial Power	•Federal government (central/Canadian) & Provincial government given different powers •Shared the power of taxes (federal vs. provincial) •Federal: military, postal service, currency •Provincial: schools, licenses, businesses, local affairs

Concept Map B Colonies Key Terms

Colonies & Leader	Concerns & Reactions
Canada West – George Brown & J.A.M. *Great Coalition?	•Full support of union because o       United, powerful nation o       Remove trade barriers o       More settlement o       Markets o       Defense - against whom? •One of the four founding provinces •Railway system would help – no longer had to go through the U.S. (ice free port -St. Lawrence River froze)
Canada East – George Etienne Cartier *Great Coalition?	•Concerns over preserving the French tradition and culture – would uniting lose it all? •J.A.M. promised that French and English would be equal •Roman Catholic Church supported it too – why is this important? •Railway would help with trade (ice-free port) and defense •One of the four founding provinces
Nova Scotia – Charles Tupper	•Fearful of American invasion – heightened by the Fenian raids •Closer to Britain and U.S. •Concerned over: o       Britain shows less interest – trade and defense? o       Reciprocity Treaty cancelled •One of the four founding provinces
Prince Edward Island	•Wanted Charlottetown to be Canada’s capital •Concerned with the idea of “rep by pop” because had small population •Concerned that Britain showing less interest and of future invasion •Wanted their land issues to be addressed – absentee landlords •An island, so railway not an issue; content to remain independent and self-sufficient •Joined Canada in 1873
Newfoundland	•Rejected the Quebec Conference & Resolutions •Concerned that uniting would increase taxes on their boats, fish, and tackle •Traded mostly with Britain; concerned after Britain’s views began changing – who to trade with? Who will defend? •An island, so railway seemed irrelevant •Did not join until 1949
New Brunswick  - Leonard Tilley	•Concerned with the idea of “rep by pop” because had small population •Supported federal subsidy ($ given to provinces) •Convinced to join because: o       Reciprocity Treaty ended (economy in trouble) o       Britain’s changing views (used to rely heavily on Britain for trade) o       Fenian Raids (heightened what fear?) •Need for Intercolonial railway for trade and defense •One of the four founding provinces

Concept Map A Reasons - Key Terms

Key Term	Definition/Why unite because of this?
Political Deadlock	•Government and opposition so even in number of seats that it was difficult to have a majority •Frequent elections and votes; put gov’t at a halt •Which colonies were protesting for “rep by pop”? •What helped break the deadlock?
Little Englanders	•Group of English citizens •Believed that North American colonies were a drain on Britain’s resources •Vocalized that the colonies should look out for their own interests (unite perhaps?)
Railway System	•St. Lawrence River froze and the mountains blocked trade routes for a long time •Advantage: transport goods, soldiers, overall communication •Too expensive (why unite?)
Trade/Tariffs	•Connected to what other key terms? What created problems for the colony’s trade? •Colonies had to pay taxes when trading with other colonies or countries…
Corn Laws	•Britain showed special treatment with the colonies; traded with them as low costs/taxes •Cancelled (repealed) in 1846; shifted towards free trade •No longer guaranteed market for Canada •Should the colonies control their own economy and lower taxes?
Britain’s Changing Views	•Began to show less interest in the gov’t •Granted Responsible Gov’t in 1848 •What other effects did this have? What particular colonies were concerned?
American Civil War	•North vs. South States •Britain supported the South (the side that lost) •Colonies fearful that the American would invade
Manifest Destiny	•Belief that the U.S. would expand and occupy all of North America •Threat to the colonies? Which colony in particular?
Reciprocity Treaty	•Free trade with U.S.; low taxes •Cancelled in 1865 •No longer guaranteed market for the colonies that relied on the States for trade (which ones?) •Colonies began to think about uniting to trade with each other – no taxes
Fenian Raids	•Group of Irish Americans who wanted to end British rule over Ireland •1866, attacked the British North America colonies (indirectly attack Britain) •Heightened the fear of American invasion •Why unite then?
Gold Rush	•Attracted a large number of American immigrants •Starting to “Americanize” the B.C. colony •Fear that B.C. would join with the U.S.; geographically isolated from the other colonies in the East
Alaskan Panhandle	•1867, U.S. purchases it from Russia •Heightens the fear of American invasion •Why unite then?

BNA Colony Notes - Leader, Economy, Concerns

Canada West

• J.A.M.
• Protestant & English-speaking
• 80% of residents live in the countryside
• Difficult to find good farm land
• George Brown & Toronto Globe – Western expansion to prevent young farmers from leaving and to halt American threat
• Toronto main city
  
  
• Political deadlock – inability to form a majority
• Great Coalition formed in 1864 – Tories, Clear Grits, Reformers from the Canadas
• Called for federal union
• “Rep by pop”
• Economy
• Agriculture
• Lumber
• Trade hindered by travelling through the U.S.; St. Lawrence freezes
• Need for Railway
• Ice-free port – St. Lawrence River freezes
• Defense/united front against Fenians and U.S.

Canada East

• Economy
• Agriculture
• Lumber
• Industrialists – iron, steel, flour mills, steamship lines
• 15% English-speaking Protestants dominate commercial and political life, Scotsmen, large French-speaking population dominate the rural life
• Montreal main city
  
  
• Political deadlock – inability to form a majority government
• Great Coalition formed in 1864 – Tories, Clear Grits, Reformers from the Canadas
• Called for federal union
• “Rep by pop”
• Feared the destruction of French culture in any union
• George Etienne Cartier felt that union was the only way to survive – would control all matters concerning language, religion, civil law, and education within the province

• Need for Railway
• Trade hindered by travelling through the U.S.; St. Lawrence freezes
• Ice-free port – St. Lawrence River freezes

• Defense/united front against Fenians and U.S

Prince Edward Island

• John Gray

• Divided between Irish Catholics and Scottish Protestants
• Largely self-sufficient
• Charlottetown main city
• Economy
• Rich, fertile farm land
• Agricultural exports to America
• Land Problem
• 60% are tenant farmers
• Wants Britain to force the landlords to sell their farms at a reasonable price to the colonists
• Resentments lead to suspicions of outsiders
• As an island, intercolonial railway not an issue; content to remain independent and detached from the other colonies
• Future concern
• Britain showing less interests
• Fearful of weak defense

New Brunswick

• Leonard Tilley
• Saint John main city
• Economy
• Timber/shipbuilding industry – forests forms a natural barrier between them and the other colonies
• 3-4% of the colony’s trade to other colonies
• 20% of all British timber imports come from New Brunswick
• Concerns
• Fear of Fenians and U.S. attacks
• Long border with Maine – poorly defended, easily accessible to troops outside
• Need for Intercolonial Railway
• Central defense, economically tie with other markets

Newfoundland

• Frederick B.T. Carter
• Land is rugged and unmapped
• St. John’s main city
• Easternmost point of North America – more immediate to Britain than North America (right on the Atlantic Coast)
• Economy
• Trade with Britain mostly
• Fishing & seal hunting nonexistent past few years now – debts
• Concerns
• Britain’s less interest in the colonies
• Relies heavily on Britain for defense – worry of future invasions
• As an island, intercolonial railway is irrelevant

Nova Scotia

·         Charles Tupper (supporter) vs. Joseph Howe (opposition)

·         Halifax main city

·         Key role in sea communications between Great Britain and the U.S. – feels closer to them than other colonies

·         Central base for the British Navy in the West Atlantic

·         Economy

o        Fisheries 1/3 of exports

o        Ship exports

o        Importing coal and wool

·         Concerns

o        Britain’s less interests; reluctance to defend the colonies

o        No railway connection – would help in a united front for defense and open up markets

o        Reciprocity Treaty cancelled

Political Parties in the Union of Canada Notes

Parti Rouges

• Radical party who wanted a separate French-Canadian country
• Anti-Catholic Church, hated the Union, Church and State remain separate
• Led by Papineau

Tories (Conservatives)

• In Canada West
• Lost power due to the Corn Laws
• Led by John A. Macdonald
• Fate relied on economic development
• Formed an alliance with Parti Bleus “Liberal-Conservative” party in 1854 to gain most of the power in the Canadas
• Reforms: settled clergy reserves, seigneurial system abolished, signed the Reciprocity Treaty

Parti Bleus

• Reformers from Canada East
• Middle Class
• Maintain French-Canadian rights, separate Catholic school
• Led by George-Etienne Cartier
• Wanted bicultural party of French and English
• Formed an alliance with J.A.M. and the Tories “Liberal-Conservative” party in 1854 to gain most of the power in the Canadas

Clear Grits

• Radical republican principles
• Led by George Brown – editor of Toronto Globe
• Supported separation of Church and State
• Opposed the Tories during the 1850s
• “Rep by Pop” & westward expansion (Rupert’s Land)

1858 Alexander Galt – proposed the union of all the colonies of British North American called “Confederation” (federal gov’t and provincial gov’t with different powers)