bc history study guide

Oregon Territory Dispute

Conflict over land ownership between the USA and Britain in the Oregon Territory.

Manifest Destiny Plan

American desire to control all of North America, including Canada, as part of their expansionist ideology.

Fort Victoria

Important British trading post protecting Hudson's Bay Company interests against American invasion.

49th Parallel Treaty

Treaty signed in 1846 establishing Canada's southern border along the 49th parallel between Britain and the USA.

James Douglas

Known as the father of British Columbia for protecting the colony against american invasion, arranging fair land treaties, and building the Cariboo Wagon Road.

Gold Rush

Discovery of gold in the Thompson river leading to overpopulation, law enforcement issues, and territorial concerns, such as Americans claiming British Columbia.

Royal Engineers

Group sent by the British government to build roads, set up laws, and address the challenges posed by the gold rush in British Columbia.

Cariboo Road

Built to develop towns, protect gold shipments coming from Cariboo to Victoria, collect taxes from miners, and transport food and supplies to Barkerville.

Barkerville

Largest town during the gold rush in British Columbia that became a ghost town when the gold ran out.

British Columbia Colony

Formed by Vancouver Island and mainland BC to pay off debts from the Cariboo road, address population decrease, (because of miners leaving BC because the gold rush was over) and smallpox disease was spread among First Nations people, from white miners.

CP Railway

Pacific Station in Vancouver chosen due to its deep harbor, flat land availability for railroad yards, and free land gift from Vancouver mayor Oppenheimer.

David Oppenheimer

Known as the father of Vancouver for his contributions like building a dam, starting electric street car lines, designing Stanley Park, and initiating the sewage system.

Chinese Immigration

Chinese immigrants came to Canada to help build the CPR Railway, faced racial discrimination, and were charged a head tax of $50 per person to discourage immigration. (Later, the tax reached up to around $500 per person)

Trade Route

Quickest trade route from Asia to Europe through Canada involving ships, CPR trains, St. Lawrence River boats, and Atlantic Ocean travel.

Panama Canal

Opening of the Panama Canal increased Vancouver's importance as a port for cargo and cruise ship transportation in North America. It was a trade route from Asia to Europe, ships brought goods by boat from Asia to Vancouver harbour, were loaded onto CPR trains and shipped to Montreal, loaded onto boats on the St. Lawrence River, and onto the Atlantic, boats travelled across Atlantic to Europe.

Douglas Treaty Rights

gave natives first choice of land for their rreserves, gave them fishing and hunting rights, and set aside land for the natives grazing animals

BC Government

In 1866, the first BC government had 23 members. Today, there are 87 members of Parliament. The government includes the Lieutenant Governor, plus the Legislative Assembly.

In 1870, BC had three options:

Join Canada, Join America, or start their own country.

Lieutenant Musgrave

Was ordered by Britian to persuade BC to join Canada

The Promise of a Connecting Railway

The key reason as to why BC joined Canada

Gassy Jack

Famous saloon owner in early Vancouver history, and Gastown was named after him.

Joe Fortes

Famous lifeguard on English Bay