Section 5
1. American Civil War (1861-65)
The Civil War was a conflict of armies and ideals.
The armies of the North (Union) fought against
the South (Confederacy). The war broke out
because southern states like Alabama, Louisiana,
Georgia, etc. resented interference in their affairs
by the northern states. The main source of tension
between the two sides was the issue of slavery
and incorporating new states in to the union.
Northern states did not want new states to
practice slavery. Southern states wanted new
states to have the option. A compromise was
reached: slavery was allowed in new states below
the so-called Mason-Dixon Line.
The South was concerned the North was stacking the
odds in favor of eventually abolishing slavery
altogether. So the South rebelled in an attempt to
maintain their economic and political systems which
heavily depended upon slavery.
The elite of Britain supported the South while the
common people in England supported the North.
The South actually counted on getting direct
support from either France or Britain in order to
achieve independence. Britain did not intervene on
the side of the South; however, the Trent Affair
nearly brought England and the North in to a state
of war. The North, consequently, turned its gaze
northward to Canada as a potential target to direct
its armies following the end of the Civil War.
The Trent Affair
The USS San Jacinto (a Union ship) intercepted a
British vessel called the RMS Trent. The Jacinto
seized two Confederate diplomats sailing on the
Trent bound for England and France. The British
government demanded an apology for this insult to
their honor. Britain took steps to strengthen its
military forces on Canada. President Abraham
Lincoln did not want to risk war so he released the
two diplomats. The Confederacy failed in their
efforts to gain British financial and military support.
Influence of the Civil War on Canada
The various colonies of British North America were
encouraged by Britain to form in to a single country.
England hoped their North American colonies
would be able to protect themselves better if they
confederated.
Confederation is the union of political units for
common action in relation to other groups.
Confederation is usually achieved initially through a
treaty but later through the adoption of a shared
constitution.
2. The End of Reciprocity
Between 1854-65 British North America and the
United States had a free trade agreement called
the Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty. This
agreement allowed for the free flow of goods and
services over the shared border. Britain’s support
of the South during the Civil War influenced the
American decision to end reciprocity. The end of
the treaty meant factories in Canada were
suddenly cut off from American markets. This hurt
the economy of the British North American
colonies; therefore, England encouraged these
colonies to increase east-west trade between the
various British colonies.
The Canadian Solution to the End of Reciprocity
When the colonies of British North America joined
together the economy changed from a northsouth economy to an east-west one. This meant
there were more opportunities inside Canada to
make money, access markets, grow the economy,
etc. Canada also depended heavily upon trade
with Great Britain. Colonial tariffs (or trade walls)
between the different British colonies were lifted
creating new markets for Canadian factories to sell
their goods.
3. American Expansionism
Policy makers in the United States were influenced
by the idea of “Manifest Destiny,” e.g. All of North
America was destined to be directly controlled by
the United States. Britain feared the Americans
would expand in to Rupert’s Land if it remained a
simple territory owned/operated by the Hudson’s
Bay Company.
Canadian Solution to American Expansionism
Confederation resulted in the eventual
incorporation of the West (Rupert’s Land and
British Columbia) in to Canada. The Canadian
Government established the Northwest Mounted
Police to administer justice and be a military
presence in the West. The “Mounties” maintained
law and order in the territories and prevented
Americans from gaining too much influence in the
sparsely populated West.