British North America in the Mid-1800s
Imagine you are planning a trip to Vancouver. Around 1850, the quickest way to travel from Halifax to Vancouver was to take a ship around the coast of South America. This would take you months! Even going from Toronto, Ontario, to St. John's Newfoundland, could take weeks.
The political map of North America was different than it is today. North of the United States, there were seven British colonies, one British government territory, and two large areas controlled by the Hudson's Bay Company. these areas had little to do with one another. There was very little trade between them, and their populations were small. Why might such remote colonies consider forming a united country? |
Historians study how things change over time. They not only describe the great events of history, but they also explore the background factors that led to these events. in this section, you will examine some of the similarities and differences between the colonies. You will learn why these colonies later formed the new country Canada.
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What's the Big Idea?
- Canada is a land of many contrasts. The smallest province, Prince Edward Island, is 5684 km2 in size. Quebec, the largest province, occupies an area of 1 356 366 km2.
- There are more than 50 First Nations languages and more than 100 non-Aboriginal languages spoken in Canada, but only English and French are official federal government languages.
- How do you think a country with so many differences came to be? Why are we not part of the United States? The answers to these questions lie in our history! In this unit you will learn how the people of such a large area put aside their differences to create one country.