Early British Columbia
Shape of the Day
• How Well Do You Know British Columbia?
• Presentation: Why was British Columbia
British?
• Discussion: The Racial Attitude of James
Douglas
• Activity: Early Vancouver Island Carousel
Why was British
Columbia British?
• Originally, three countries
were fighting of control
over what is now British
Columbia
• These countries were
o Russia
o Britain
o The United States of
America
• At the time this area was
known as the Oregon
Territory
The Oregon Territory
• Russia had a claim to the
Oregon Territory as early
as 1741 when it created
posts for trade in Sea
Otter Fur
• The United States was
expanding rapidly due to
Manifest Destiny and felt
they had the right to the
area
• The HBC wanted to claim
this area in order to
create more trade
John McLoughlin
• In 1826, the new Leader of
the HBC, George Simpson,
appointed John
McLoughlin to create more
trade and a larger
presence in the Oregon
territory
• The two of them together
created Fort Vancouver
and Fort Langley in the
Fraser Valley
American Overload
• Despite the wishes of
Simpson, McLoughlin
encouraged Americans to
inhabit the area as long as
they were not going higher
than the Columbia river
• By the 1930’s the Americans
had an extremely dominant
presence in the area
• While McLoughlin had
created more trade as
Simpson asked, he was
failing to secure the area for
the HBC and the British
The Russians Retreat
• Shortly, after in 1839 the
Russians decided to give
up all their land below
54’40
• In exchange for their
withdrawal the HBC would
supply the Russian posts
using a trade ship known as
the Beaver
• This ship would soon
replace all HBC forts aside
from Fort Vancouver
The Creation of Victoria
• George Simpson visited the
Oregon Territory in the
1840’s only to realise that
Americans had an
overwhelming presence in
the area
• In case the Oregon Territory
was lost, Simpson focused
building a new fort on
Vancouver Island
• In 1843, Fort Victoria would
open
54’40 or Fight
• Just as Simpson had feared,
the Americans were
becoming aggressive and
their new president James
Polk had gained support
under the term 54’40 or fight
• What does this mean?
o The Americans wanted all
land up to the 54’40
parallel or he threatened
to take it by force
54’40…….or 49
• While James Polk had argued
that he would fight if he
didn’t get territory up to
54’40, he would settle for all
land up the 49th parallel
• All land above the 49th
parallel now belonged to the
British
• In order to protect this area
the British felt they needed an
“official presence” so the
crown colony of Vancouver
Island was created in 1848
James Douglas
• In 1848, James Douglas was
appointed Governor of the
new crown colony
• Like George Simpson he was
anti American and pro
British
• In order to encourage British
settlement land was sold at
the rate of 1 Pound per 20
acres
• How much do you think an
acre in Victoria costs today?
o Anywhere from $200,000
to over $1 Million
What is the Most Expensive
City to Buy Property In?
1. Hong Kong
o $1 Million per 20 Sq.
Meters
2. Singapore
o $1 Million per 32.6 Sq.
Meters
3. London
o $1 Million per 25 Sq.
Meters
4. Monaco
o $1 Million per 15 Sq.
Meters
The Population of Victoria
• In 1855 a census showed
that only 774 people lived
in Victoria and almost half
were under the age of
twenty (Today the number
is around 35%)
• At the same time, the
island had over 30,000
aboriginals
• Moreover, the aboriginals
inhabited the most
valuable and useful
farmlands on the island
The Douglas Treaty of
1854
The condition of, or understanding of, this sale is hits,
that our village sites and enclosed fields are to be
kept for our own use, for the use of our children, and
for those who follow after us; and the land shall be
properly surveyed hereafter. It is understood, however,
that the land itself, with these small exceptions,
becomes the entire property of the white people
forever; it is also understood that we are at liberty to
hunt over the unoccupied lands, and to carry on out
fisheries as normal
A Unique Treaty
• According to how the Treaty
was written, Douglas was
leasing the lands from the
Aboriginals (each family was
paid 2 pounds and 10 shillings
annually)
• The governments of Britain,
Canada, and British Columbia
have all acknowledged that
aboriginal people own the
title to these lands
• The Douglas treaties are the
only treaties of the 1800s of this
nature
An Admirable Man
Shortly before becoming governor Douglas argued
that it was important that when dealing with First
Nations he:
“Invariably acted on the principle that it is inexpedient
and unjust to hold tribes responsible for the acts of
individuals”
•What did James Douglas mean by this?
•Can you see any parallels in the modern world where
this advice is valuable?