WHAT SHAPED THE ATLANTIC COLONIES?
Have you ever wondered why Canada today is divided into provinces and territories? In 1850, British North America was made up of separate colonies and territories. The colonies were under the British government’s political control and the territories were governed by the British Hudson’s Bay Company. The Atlantic colonies were Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The colonies farther inland were Canada East (present-day Québec) and Canada West (present-day Ontario). The Northwest region and New Caledonia were governed by Hudson’s Bay Company. Britain established these colonies and territories on Aboriginal FIGURE 1.1 This map shows British FIGURE 1.2 This 1865 drawing lands. As they were established, their Aboriginal inhabitants were North America and surrounding by Edward John Russell is titled areas in 1850. Analyze: How Despite being located in the same region, the colonies of Newfoundland, often displaced. King & Jewett Mill, Thomas E. strongly connected do you Look at the map in Figure 1.1. How do you think the distances between Millidge Shipyard, Saint John, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were very different think the people in the Atlantic New Brunswick. Analyze: What from each other. For example, Newfoundland was known for its fisheries. these territories and colonies affected their relations with each other? colonies felt to the rest of British details in the image convey that North America? Prince Edward Island was known for agriculture. Nova Scotia was known for shipbuilding was a successful industry in New Brunswick? its shipping and coal mines. Forestry and shipbuilding were an important British North America and Surrounding Areas, 1850 part of the economy in the Atlantic colonies in the mid-1800s, particularly in New Brunswick. Ships built in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia carried RUSSIA goods throughout the world. Examine Figure 1.2, which is a drawing of a ARCTIC lumber mill and a shipyard in New Brunswick. What does this drawing tell OCEAN British territory GREENLAND you about the relationship between forestry and shipbuilding? British colony Northwest region ALASKA Pacific Coast region BUILDING INDUSTRIES AND FORTUNES land undiscovered by Europeans Industry was booming in the Atlantic colonies in the mid-1800s. There were many opportunities for both working-class and middle-class people to make a living, but most struggled to get by. However, merchants, shipbuilders, and other businesspeople were able to develop successful businesses, which North-Western Territory N created a wealthy upper class. N Joseph Salter was a successful New Brunswick businessman and PACIFIC EW FOUN politician. In the 1850s, Salter’s shipbuilding company was one of the largest OCEAN DL A Hudson N employers in the Atlantic colonies. He was elected as the first mayor of the D Bay town of Moncton in 1855. But as times changed, so too did Salter’s career. A D A New N For example, when the demand for his particular ships dropped suddenly R d A Caledonia u p n C VANCOUVER e r t ’ s L a F in 1859, he turned to mining. At first, he worked as an executive in a mining ISLAND O t PRINCE s a EDWARD company in New Brunswick. Then he moved to Nova Scotia, where the E E C a ISLAND FIGURE 1.3 This 1990 monument N I d large supply of coal offered more opportunities. Salter became wealthy a of Joseph Salter by sculptor V n a NOVA SCOTIA O Claude Roussel was built for the from the many industries that continued to grow in Nova Scotia. Look at C R C anad P a W NEW BRUNSWICK 100th anniversary of Moncton’s e Figure 1.3, which shows a monument to Salter built by the city of Moncton, s UNITED STATES t incorporation as a city. Analyze: New Brunswick, in 1990. Why do you think there is a monument depicting OF AMERICA ATLANTIC Why would Moncton create OCEAN 0 410 km a sculpture of Salter on its Salter, rather than his employees? 100th anniversary?
22 UNIT 1: Creating Canada: 1850–1890 NEL NEL CHAPTER 1: Life in British North America: 1850–1864 23
History 8 SB N