The+Road+to+Confederation

**__Export Markets: Colonial Prosperity and Vulenrabliltiy__**

 * 1. **
 * a)** British immigration contributed to a massive increase in the population of British North America. Between 1812 and 1842. One of the largest groups to immigrate to Canada were the Scottish. The first Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald was a Scot from Glasgow. His successor, Alexander Mackenzie, was also born in Scotland. The Scottish culture is without a doubt linked with that of the Canadian. There are over five Canadian military regiments which share the name with famous Scottish.
 * b)** the population of Upper Canada increased from 90 000 to 487 000. Only 50 000 immigrants settled in Lower Canada during the same period. Most settled in the region which is now southern Ontario and established a largely English-speaking and Protestant population.

**2.** **a)** Corn Laws allowed certain imports from the colonies to enter Britain free from import duties which were applied to imports from non-colonial sources. Corn Laws gave Canada's farmers, with their wheat surplus a duty-free market in Britain which was not available to their American competitors. These laws helped the Canadian farmers to be able to have an easy way of trading with Britain. Although it was a good way to make money, it also didn't make sense that they were only allowed to send it to Britain which was across the ocean instead of trading with the United States which was only across the border. It would've been easier to sell their goods to the United States and they would've recieved their money faster as well.


 * 3. **When the British Empire repelled the Corn Laws, British North America was then able to trade with the United States. This caused B.N.A to stop trading and selling their goods to Britain and start to sell and trade with the US instead. It was easier to trade with the US because the products being produced only had to go across the border instead of a whole ocean.

**__Colonial Political Instability and The American Threat__**
**4.** the political parties began to emerge in about 1830 **5.** **6.** __** Reciprocity Agreement **__ 1. D uring this time there was belief among some Americans that it was their nations destiny to control the entire North American continent. They believed they should occupy and expand over all of North America. There was fear that the U.S. might use military force to incorporate the northern half of the continent into the Republic. If the Americans took over British North America they would no longer be sovereign and would have to do what the Americans wanted.
 * __ ﻿Pre- Confederation Politics __**
 * 1. **The government had to overcome problems like representation by population and equal number of seats between upper and lower Canada.
 * 2. ** The united colony had fifteen different governments and numerous elections. There were various issues such as the issue of representation by population and Canada West and East having 42 seats in the government.
 * 3. **No this system did not work because it created a more stress and tension between the parts of Canada then what was intended and the people were becoming angry with the government as well. What they intended to happen never did because there were too many things that needed to take place for any of it to happen. The citizens also would have wanted a big change like this to happen or like the government that was in charge as well. Many of the citizens did not like the government which was the cause for so many elections.
 * 7. ** "Loose Fish" were members of parliament who weren't necessarily affiliated to or loyal to any particular party in parliament. Their votes could not be controlled by the leadership of the party. This created deadlocks in votes causing many issues to remain unresolved.

Reciprocity had a huge effect on Canada and the Canadians that lived here. • Reciprocity provided the Canadians with a market for their goods • Canada could navigate Lake Michigan • The United States could navigate the St. Lawrence • Demand in Europe for Canadian goods skyrocketed •This caused a boom in the Canadian economy • The treaty was to last for ten years • After that either side could end the treaty with one year’s notice • In 1859 Canada introduced the Galt Tariffs on goods entering Canada • The American Civil War increased demand for Canadian goods south of the boarder.

Anti-British sentiment was running high after the Trent Affair. This mistrust was directed at British North America. The Americans felt that Canada gained from reciprocity (Sound familiar NAFTA). In 1865 the Americans ended Reciprocity.

**__Effects of Reciprocity__** The Americans felt that ending reciprocity would make Canada ripe for annexation Once again Canada was forced to look for new markets for goods. **__A Canadian Reality__** The political deadlock that characterized colonial government led a increasing number of colonial leaders to seek a new political arrangement. The proposal to unite all the colonies of British North America gained support.