10 Questions
What was the main reason for European traders traveling to New Caledonia before the gold rush?
To engage in the lucrative fur trade
How did the emergence of the gold rush affect the control of the land in New Caledonia?
It sparked a frenzy that changed the dynamics of control
What made the discovery of gold in British Columbia particularly exciting for prospectors?
The ease of extracting gold from the ground in the region
How did the allure of gold impact the settlement of North America historically?
It led to mass migrations from Europe to North America
What role did the Hudson's Bay Company play in New Caledonia before the gold rush?
Controlling and trading furs in the area
What was the main concern of Hudson's Bay officials regarding the gold discovery?
That the news would attract American prospectors
Why were the American gold-seekers referred to as 'barbarians at the gate'?
They were perceived as a threat to the British control of the region
What was James Douglas's primary objective when he arrived in the region?
To establish law and order in the colony
How did Douglas assert British authority over the region?
He devised new laws and recruited British soldiers to enforce them
What was the significance of Britain declaring the region a formal colony called British Columbia?
It solidified British control over the region and paved the way for further expansion
Study Notes
Introduction to Canada
- A new leader emerges to connect the colonies with a vision of a trans-continental railway, which will endanger Indigenous nations.
- Canada, the second largest nation on earth, is born, spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and north to the Arctic Circle.
The Gold Rush
- In June 1858, gold is discovered in New Caledonia, central British Columbia, which is home to over 70,000 Indigenous people.
- The Hudson's Bay Company has controlled the land since 1821, but the news of gold attracts 30,000 American gold-seekers.
- The gold rush is a frenzy that draws people from the San Francisco Gold Rush, including dreamers and drifters.
James Douglas
- James Douglas, born in British Guyana, joins the Hudson's Bay Company at age 16 and becomes its chief agent in the coastal west.
- Douglas has no constitutional authority but takes charge, devising new laws and recruiting British soldiers to enforce them.
- He declares British ownership of mineral rights and requires all gold-seekers to purchase a license.
British Columbia
- In August 1858, Britain declares the region a formal colony, British Columbia, and names Douglas governor.
- The eastern colonies of Canada eye British Columbia as an even richer frontier and dream of easier ways to access it.
Test your knowledge on the emergence of Canada as a nation, the construction of trans-continental railway, and the impact on Indigenous nations. Explore the challenges and triumphs faced during the nation-building process.
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