Factors Leading to Confederation
Confederation
• “The union of British Colonies in British North
America in 1867 into the Dominion of
Canada.”
• A Unique Situation:
– “It did not come from war, rebellion, an uprising
or a call for independence.”
– “It developed because the colonies had problems
they could not solve on their own.”
Canada 1862
External Factors vs. Internal Factors
External
• Issues occurring outside of
Canada
–
–
–
–
–
Manifest Destiny
The Trent Affair
The Chesapeake Incident
The St. Alban’s Raid
The Fenian Raids
Internal
• Issues within Canada
– Repeal of the Corn Laws
– Political Deadlock
– The Railway
Meanwhile in the U.S….
• Civil War was dividing
North and South 18611865
• South wanted to keep
slavery so that they could
have cheap labour, and
become their own country
(known as Confederate
Army)
• North wanted to abolish
slavery and keep the
country together (known
as Union Army)
Manifest Destiny
• Philosophy in the United States
• U.S. had a future to expand its borders and
eventually take all of what was Canada
• Annex –
- to incorporate (a
country or other
territory) within the
domain of another
William Seward
• American Secretary of State during Civil War
• Annexationist – someone who
believed North America should
be a part of the U.S.
• Seward praised the people of
Rupert’s Land for conquering the
Wilderness
• As the Civil War was ending, it became clear
the North would win, and the country would
remain united
• Canadians feared the attention would turn to
British North America (BNA)
• Civil War – horrible reputation for bloody
warfare – who wants that?
FEAR OF ANNEXATION (and being
incorporated into the U.S.) lead to the
need of a stronger federal government
than the U.S.
The Trent Affair
• Two diplomats from the American South
(Confederate Army) planned to go to Europe
to gain help for the Civil War
• They hopped on a ship – USS Jacinto (a British
Ship), which was stopped by the Union Army.
• Diplomats were taken prisoner, remained in
jail in Boston
• Britain = insulted.
Trent Affair II
• Britain threatened North U.S. (war or release
the prisoners)
• France threatened North U.S. (war or release
the prisoners)
• North U.S. panicked, released prisoners
• Diplomats went to Europe and failed, no one
wanted to help them anyway 
Impact on Canada: Maritimes could become a
battleground if the war had actually happened
Chesapeake Incident
• December 7, 1863 – Confederates seize the
ship Chesapeake
• Confederates wanted to sell goods on the
ship, and use the ship to attack the Union
• Boat was recaptured in Nova Scotia waters by
the Union
• Impact on Canada: Frightened Maritimes
provinces, as it was clear the South wanted to
use them to attack the North
St. Alban’s Raid
• 1864, Confederates robbed a bank (in St.
Alban’s, Vermont), and fled to Canada
• Americans wanted to chase them, but this
would be a violation of neutrality, and BNA
could go to war for it.
• Canada caught the robbers, and returned the
money
• Northerners saw Canadian’s as sympathizers
to the South
Impact: Canada feared that the U.S. could send
troops after Confederates using Canada as a
safe ground
Fenian Brotherhood
Fenian Brotherhood
• Secret Society created by Irish Americans in
1858
• Wanted to end English Rule in Ireland
– Also wanted to “Free Canada from the British”
• Were eager to invade BNA once the Civil war
ended (10,000 in number)
Fenian Raids
• June 1, 1866, 800 Fenians crossed Niagara
River near Fort Erie (Canada West)
– Retreated when reinforcements arrived
• June 7, another group attempted to invade
Canada East, but retreated without battle
Impact: Skirmishes had little importance, but
caused widespread alarm, and further
convinced the need for Confederation
End of Reciprocity
• Treaty in 1854 allowed for lots of free trade
between U.S. and B.N.A.
• Goods could be imported free of customs and
duties into the U.S. and into B.N.A.
• 1866, the U.S. cancelled the treaty the same
time as Annexation Bill was brought to the
House.
Impact: Loss of favourable trading terms with
colonies, B.N.A. no longer benefited
Annexation Bill
• publish by proclamation
that, from the date
thereof, the States of
Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, Canada East,
and Canada West, and the
Territories of Selkirk,
Saskatchewan, and
Columbia, with limits and
rights as by the act
defined, are constituted
and admitted as States
and Territories of the
United States of America."
Annexation Bill
• There was no serious effort in Washington to
annex Canada.
• Its introduction and similar interest in
annexation by the United States possibly
provided a little incentive for the organization
of Canada as an entity distinct from Britain;
• The Fenian raids had much more influence in
shaping determination to hurry the
Confederation process
U.S. bought Alaska
• 1867
• “Alaska Purchase” – “Seward’s Folly”
• If Britain got control of Alaska – this would not
be good for Russia (Crimean War) – wanted to
sell
• U.S. paid $7.2 million ($116.5 million today)
Internal Factors
• Repeal of Corn Laws
• Political Deadlock
• The Railway
Repeal of the Corn Laws
• Corn Laws (1791-1846) – if you sold wheat or
other cereals to Britain, you needed to pay
customs duties
• British Colonies were favoured, they paid less
than others
• 1846, laws were removed, BNA lost their
advantage, and looked to the U.S. for a trading
partner
Corn Laws
Impact: Britain did not trade with BNA as much,
which means they did not care as much about
Canadian politics because it concerned them
less.
It was more expensive to take care of BNA,
saved money by letting them take care of
themselves.
Let BNA have their system of “Responsible
Government”
Recap: Responsible Government
• A government that is responsible to the
people, and must do what the people want.
• It’s the method by which Canada achieved
independence without revolution.
Political Deadlock
• Canada East (C.E.) and Canada West (C.W.)
• French politicians became more skilled,
English expected them to become engulfed
into English Canada
• C.E. and C.W. had equal seats in government,
and did not agree frequently.
• French feared loss of way of life
• English believed French blocked the country’s
progress
Political Deadlock
• 1850’s Government of Canadas came to a
“Standstill”
• Nothing was passed, country could not move
forward because French and English could not
agree.
Realization: The country cannot move forward if
the system does not change
Impact: Confederation turned into a way Canada
could change their system
The Railway
The Railway
• Made Confederation possible
• Changed the way of life, concept of space and
time – distances became reachable
• Made trading within the colonies more
profitable
• Made communication within the colonies
possible