1. Socials 10: Chapter 6 British Columbia to 1896 C Cullen edited Oct. 2008

2. In the early 1800’s, several countries laid claim to the Oregon Territory, the land which is now British Columbia, Washington State, and Oregon. All had different reasons for wanting this territory.

3. Russia (which still owned Alaska at that point) had a thriving sea otter trade and were interested in maintaining the right to trade along the northern Pacific coast.

4. Britain wanted the region as an extension of its other Canadian colonies in British North America. There were few British settlers at this time, and the HBC controlled British operations. The fur company wanted to see the area left as wilderness to help maintain a good supply of wild animals but some British government officials thought more British settlers would help protect against American manifest destiny.

5. The Americans wanted the land for settlement. Pioneers had moved west in large numbers and they were running out of good farmland. They looked at the largely uninhabited areas of the Oregon Territory and saw the potential for new towns. None of the three countries paid much attention to the wishes or rights of the First Nations people who had lived there for centuries.

6. Fort Vancouver was established by the HBC along the Columbia River, at present day Vancouver, Washington. John McLoughlin was appointed chief factor of the fort and developed a prosperous fur trade. He stayed on friendly terms with the American settlers and encouraged them to stay south of the Columbia and leave the northern region to the HBC.

7. In 1827, HBC head governor George Simpson also ordered the building of another new HBC trading post at Fort Langley on the Fraser River. Simpson hoped that aboriginals would travel down and Fraser to bring furs. Fort Langley was also reasonably close to the Pacific Ocean and could be accessed by other coastal First Nations groups. Historic HBC trading post at Fort Langley

8. John McLoughlin clashed with HBC head governor George Simpson over several issues. First, Simpson disagreed with McLoughlin allowing Americans into the region and wanted them kept out as much as possible. Secondly, Simpson eventually shut down many of the coastal forts that McLoughlin had worked hard to establish. Finally, when McLoughlin’s son was killed in a bar-room brawl, Simpson stated he felt the homicide was justified didn’t warrant a murder charge. John McLoughlin George Simpson arriving at a fort

9. The Beaver was an HBC ship that travelled up and down the Pacific coast delivering supplies to the fur forts and villages. In 1839, the HBC made a deal with the Russians stating that the Beaver would bring supplies to the Alaskan posts if the Russians agreed not to trade any further south than 54 40. This was an attempt by the British to establish control of the BC coastline.

10. In 1843, the HBC ordered the construction of Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island in order to establish a strong British presence on the island. This would also be a backup post in case Fort Vancouver had to be abandoned due to the high number of American settlers.

11. Map of early Fort Victoria: Look for some familiar names that are modern city streets or landmarks.

12. First Nations fur traders arriving at Fort Victoria in 1858. Most of the prominent aboriginal tribes in the region were members of the Coast Salish. The Songhees had a large village along Victoria’s harbour, while the Saanich tribe was situated further inland.

13. This 1847 painting shows a Songhees village on the left and Fort Victoria on the right. It is entitled “Return of a War Party.”

14. The Lekwungen people lived in the area we know as Oak Bay. This fortified village was built on Finlayson Point, close to Clover Point, 900 years before European settlers came to Vancouver Island.

15. James Douglas was appointed chief factor of Fort Victoria. Douglas would go on to play a very prominent role in B.C. politics and is sometimes referred to as the “Father of British Columbia.” He and his wife Amelia (of Metis ancestry) lived at the fort and Douglas made the major decisions for HBC operations on the island.

16. In 1844, a clear threat arose to the British over the future of the Oregon Territory. James Polk was an American running for president, and he campaigned on the promise to extend American control right up to Russia (the 54 40 border). He devised the slogan: “54 40 or fight.” However, after he won the election and became the new president, he decided not to go to war.

17. In 1848, the British government decided to make Vancouver Island an official crown colony to help ward off the American threat. Douglas was asked to resign as chief factor of Fort Victoria and take over as the new governor. Douglas wanted to offer free land to any prospective British settler but was over-ruled by the London authorities who preferred to leave land ownership to the wealthy upper class and said that free land would attract “riff-raff and rabble.” 1858 map showing proposed city plans. Note the crown and clergy reserves, and prime piece of property reserved for the governor.

18. The BritisThe Britis The British government told Douglas that land should be purchased at the price of 1 pound per acre with a minimum sale of 20 acres. Anyone who bought 100 acres or more must supply at least five servants or labourers with them. This was intended to prevent lower-class people from owning land.

19. Although Douglas didn’t openly defy the British land instructions, he did bend the rules to allow ex HBC employees to acquire land. They could buy reduced acreages and did not have to bring servants. Very few upper class British families actually moved to Vancouver Island and the British goal of a rigid class system never materialized. Map showing actual city layout in 1858. Most of the landowners were middle class HBC officers.

20. Although Vancouver Island had an elected assembly, it could not be considered a responsible government. The only people allowed to vote were British males who owned at least 20 acres of land. The only people allowed to run for political office were British males who owned at least 300 acres of land. Furthermore, Douglas had the power to veto decisions made by the elected representatives. The old Victoria legislative building known as “The Birdcage”

21. Douglas was more enlightened than many of his British counterparts and felt that treaties should be signed with the aboriginals living on Vancouver Island, especially since they greatly outnumbered the white settlers. Fourteen “Douglas Treaties” allowed the First Nations people to retain small tracts of their land and be guaranteed hunting and fishing rights in return for the majority of the land being turned over to the Europeans. The Douglas treaties in the Victoria region. Aboriginal treaties throughout British Columbia

22. The current legislative building in Victoria was constructed in 1898.

23. Coal was discovered in the Nanaimo region and played a major role in the economy of Vancouver Island. The early coal mines were controlled by Robert Dunsmuir, and were very dangerous places in which to work.

24. The British decided to build a Royal Navy base at Esquimalt harbour to provide a military presence on the Pacific coast. The officers were considered upper class gentlemen and played an active role in Victoria’s social scene. Many Vancouver Islanders felt safe and well protected by the presence of the powerful British naval ships.

25. In 1857, gold was discovered along the Thompson River, and soon after on the Fraser River as well. The gold was easily accessible by panning along the sandy banks. Thousands of American prospectors flocked to the region hoping to strike it rich.

26. The gold rush helped boost Victoria’s economy, as many of the prospectors from California stopped off at Victoria on route to the gold fields and purchased many of their supplies. The town’s hotels and saloons also did a good business.

27. Many of these American prospectors were not the most desirable citizens and many brought alcohol, guns, and a reputation for wildness with them. Upper class Victoria citizens were alarmed by the behavior and morals of many of these miners and worried that their respectable British city was being corrupted by these disreputable men. Douglas responded by creating a police force. The original Victoria jailhouse, built under Douglas’s orders to deal with unlawful miners. The Bastion Jail in the 1870’s.

28. Uniform worn by Victoria police officers in the early 1860’s Fort Victoria stockade 1860. Trials were much more informal than today and racism was rampant. White defendants were much more likely to be found innocent and to receive lesser punishment than aboriginals or Asians.

29. British missionary and humanitarian groups voted to send women to British Columbia in an attempt to settle the region and protect against American manifest destiny by providing marriage partners for the men. This was also a way to solve the “old maid” issue in Britain, where there were many more single women than men since so many men had emigrated overseas. Orphans and poor working women were most frequently chosen, but some upper class women also volunteered to go, perhaps in search of a more adventurous life. This is a very informative book for anyone interested in learning more about the brides who came to Victoria in the 1860’s and 1870’s.

30. During the Fraser River Gold Rush, there were serious conflicts between the miners and various First Nations groups. Many miners considered aboriginals to be “savages” and some of the prospectors stole Native crops, raided their salmon weirs, killed their horses and showed no respect for their land and culture. This kind of behavior was not unusual for the time period, as even many educated Europeans considered aboriginal people to lack the same basic rights as white people. In retaliation, First Nations men attacked the prospectors. In the summer of 1858, a number of beheaded miners floated down the Fraser River to Fort Yale which caused further tension and violence. Miners travelling the old Cariboo Road from Fort Yale were horrified to see murdered corpses in the Fraser River below.

31. Governor Douglas was alarmed by the influx of Americans and worried once again about the concept of manifest destiny. He contacted the British government in London about his concerns. They sent out a group of Royal Engineers, under the command of Richard Moody, and in 1858 made British Columbia an official crown colony with Douglas as the governor. The current province of BC was now divided into two separate colonies: Vancouver Island (with Victoria as its capital) and British Columbia (with New Westminster as its capital). The two colonies shared Douglas as their governor. Richard Moody

32. The Royal Engineers helped to provide a military presence in the new colony of British Columbia. They also surveyed land and helped to build new towns and roads. Many of the main roads we still use on the Lower Mainland were originally designed by the Royal Engineers.

33. In the early 1860’s, as the Fraser River gold ran out, miners discovered another rich source of gold in the Cariboo Region of British Columbia. Again, many American miners rushed to the region.

34. Transportation was very difficult to the Cariboo region and Douglas asked the Royal Engineers to design a road to the region. This would also ensure that American miners paid taxes on their BC gold before they left to go back home. The job was very challenging and cost over $750,000 to build. Unfortunately, by the time it was completed, the gold rush was almost over, and huge debts remained.

35. Parts of the Cariboo Road were very treacherous, particularly during the winter months. Avalanches of snow or falling boulders swept some miners and their horses to their deaths.

36. A couple of American entrepreneurs purchased 23 camels from the US military and brought them to BC to carry the miners along the Cariboo Road. The theory was that camels could carry more weight and travel longer distances than traditional mules. However, the camels were not well suited to the rough terrain and the British Columbia climate and the plan did not work out well.

37. Barkerville became the main town of the Cariboo Gold Rush. The town was named after its most famous miner, Billy Barker, who uncovered a vast fortune by using the new technique of digging for gold, rather than just panning the surface material.

38. Barkerville became very muddy in the spring and fall, so the houses were built on raised platforms and planks were initially used on the roads.

39. In 1868, the town of Barkerville burned to the ground in a major fire. These two pictures show before and after shots of the town. The citizens got together and rebuilt the settlement.

40. After the gold ran out, many people left Barkerville and it became a ghost town. However, Barkerville was later resurrected as a tourist attraction and is now a popular destination for history buffs.

41. Smallpox was a European disease that caused great hardship for many people living in Canada. First Nations people had an extremely high death rate due to lack of immunity to the disease, but many Europeans settlers also died, especially young children and those with weakened immune systems.

42. The disease was spread from Native village to village by potlatches, trading, and contaminated clothing and blankets. Some Europeans were accused of deliberately infecting aboriginals by knowingly distributing infected articles and by forcing exposed First Nations individuals to to leave Victoria and return to their villages along the coast. The Haida were one of the hardest hit groups and lost 80% of their people in the summer of 1862. Many settlers also contracted the disease, but their fatality rates were usually much lower. Haida coastal village

43. John A. Macdonald’s dream of a Canada from sea to sea needed British Columbia. He and other eastern politicians tried to convince the western colony to unite with the six other Canadian provinces. Both the politicians and ordinary citizens of the province were divided on the merits of Confederation. Statue of John A. Macdonald

44. Macdonald hoped to see the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) finished so that it stretched from the Atlantic Ocean in the Maritime provinces to the Pacific coast in British Columbia. He worked hard to convince others that this would be a very positive move for all Canadians. CPR Railway 1886 near Glacier, BC

45. The pro-Confederationists, most of whom lived on the mainland, wanted to join Canada under three conditions: the CPR would be finished to link BC with the rest of the country, BC’s large debt would be paid off by the federal government (the colony owed over a million dollars to pay off the Cariboo Road), and the province would be granted a truly responsible government.

46. The majority of Vancouver Islanders were anti-Confederationists who wanted to remain a British colony. Many of these people had traditional British ties and valued their traditions. They also felt safe with the protection of the Royal Navy and worried that BC was too far away from central Canada for a strong political voice or effective trade.

47. The final group were the annexationists, who wanted to join the United States. These were mainly Victoria businessmen who felt that the Americans would offer greater economic stability and more trading opportunities. They organized a petition to garner support, but discovered that they were a small minority on Vancouver Island and the idea of annexation faded.

48. Governor Frederick Seymour was opposed to Confederation, but after his sudden death, Macdonald appointed Anthony Musgrave with the instructions to convince B.C. to say yes to union with Canada. Musgrave agreed to grant the pro- Confederationists’ three demands (build CPR, pay off debts and grant responsible government) and on July 20, 1871, British Columbia became Canada’s 7th province. Seymour Musgrave

49. Vancouver, which is British Columbia’s largest and perhaps most important city today, was later to develop than other communities because it was covered by thick forest and was not situated on a major river. We think of the Fraser as having its mouth or delta at Vancouver, but that actually occurs further south in the Delta/ Richmond suburbs of the Lower Mainland, areas that technically are not included within Vancouver’s city limits and were much more isolated before roads were built to connect the various regions.

50. Hastings 1886 One of Vancouver’s early “characters” was Gassy Jack Deighton who opened a saloon near Hastings Mill in 1868. This region, in the Granville district, is still called Gastown today.

51. Vancouver’s Gastown at the turn of the century

52. Another fierce debate raged in BC over the terminus of the CPR. Originally, New Westminster, located on the Fraser River was the #1 choice, but people realized that New Westminster wasn’t deep enough for large boats and also it sometimes froze in the winter months, so options were explored.

53. Most mainlanders thought the railway should end at Burrard Inlet, while the majority of Vancouver Islanders wanted Bute Inlet to be the final terminus. Burrard Inlet

54. Bute Inlet (across from Campbell River). The trouble with this location was that a ferry, or even a bridge, would be required to transport the trains from the mainland to Vancouver Island.

55. The CPR then decided to make Port Moody the new terminus, on the eastern end of Burrard Inlet. After close inspection, however, they discovered that there were tidal flats in the harbour which would make it unsuitable for large ships. Land speculators were very angry at the change of plans as they had bought land around Port Moody in the hopes of making large profits once the railway came in. Tidal flats Notice how far up Burrard Inlet Port Moody is located. Also notice the location of the earlier rejected CPR terminus site of New Westminster.

56. David Oppenheimer was a successful entrepreneur who came to BC from California. He and his brothers set up a successful store in Barkerville, which later burned down in the 1868 town fire. David moved south and bought up large tracts of land around Burrard Inlet, hoping that the CPR would choose that area for the terminus. He became a wealthy and influential businessman and was later elected mayor of Vancouver.

57. It was decided that Vancouver would be a great location because of its deep harbour and flat land that could be used for rail yards. David Oppenheimer offered the CPR free land around the terminus, which turned out to be the deciding factor.

58. After BC’s entry into Confederation, construction began on the BC portion of the track. Chinese labourers were instrumental in the building of the new railway, but were treated very unfairly by their employers. They were paid less than white workers, given dangerous, difficult work, and faced terrible discrimination. It has only been recently that their role in building the CPR has been formally recognized.

59. The Chinese were discriminated against by the federal government as well. They were expected to pay a head tax of $50, later raised to $500, in order to enter Canada. Later on, Chinese immigration was totally banned. In 2008, the Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized for the actions of the earlier government for the injustice of the head tax.

60. The Chinese also faced intimidation from racist groups such as the Knights of Labour who resented the fact that Chinese workers would accept jobs at lower wages than their white counterparts. Some workers felt that employers would never offer fair pay and working conditions as long as Chinese labourers would work for less money. However, many businessmen were happy to exploit the Chinese to get more profits for their companies. Chinese miners on Texada Island in 1912

61. Different regions of BC started to develop industries. The Kootenay area became a mining hub, while the Okanagan was the centre of BC’s fruit and vegetable farming. Kimberley mine Okanagan orchard