British Columbia Gold Rush Research Paper

In 1871 British Columbia joined confederation and was the 6th province to be apart of the country known as “Canada”. “On July 20, 1871, British Columbia entered Confederation as our sixth province, extending the young Dominion of Canada to the Pacific Ocean.” (http://www.canadahistoryproject.ca/1871/ )

One of the main reasons B.C. was able to join Canada, was because of the Fraiser River Gold Rush. This was when 30,000 miners from the United States came to British Columbia to get in on the gold rush. “In 1858 at least 30 000 gold seekers flooded the banks of the Fraser River from Hope to just north of Lillooet in British Columbia's first significant gold rush. Although short in duration, the Fraser Rush had a significant impact on the area's Aboriginal peoples.”

British Columbia was rich in resources, but they had a low population of 11, 000 Europeans, and 26, 000 native people. “Entering Confederation would help BC take on debt to pay for the building of roads and other infrastructure.”(http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/British-Columbia-and-confederation/ ). B.C. could have their debt paid off, as long as they completed a task

British Columbia was told to make a railway from Montreal to the pacific coast as of ten years from joining confederation. This railway was constructed from 1881, to 1885. This was done to fulfill the task that Canada assigned B.C. with. “For decades, it was the only practical means of long–distance passenger transport in Canada.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Pacific_Railway_in_British_Columbia ).

British Columbia was frightened by the fact that Americans might interfere with their area, they believed that they would gain support from Canada. This is one of the reasons they joined. Joining Canada would make them a stronger force, and provide backup if their theories about america invading was