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References
Images and video courtesy of "Library and Archives of Canada" at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. -
Ottawa is Born
The town of Bytown is renamed Ottawa, the name that still stands in the present day. -
Ottawa becomes the capital
Queen Victoria designates Ottawa as capital of the Province of Canada. -
Building Parliament
The cornerstones of the Parliament buildings are set. These buildings still stand in the present day. -
The Beginnings of Confederation
Originally designed to discuss Maritime union, the Charlottetown Conference (Sept. 1-9) takes the first steps toward Confederation. Delegates from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward island and the Province of Canada ( modern day Ontario and Quebec) were present. -
Another Month, Another Conference
The second meeting in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The conference ended on October 27, and the delegates returned to their provinces to submit the Seventy-Two Resolutions to the provincial legislatures. Only Prince Edward island rejected the resolutions. The other representatives set out to gain autonomy from Britain. -
Battle for Freedom
The Battle of Ridgeway was fought near Ridgeway, Canada West, currently Ontario, Canada on June 2, 1866, between British and Canadian troops and an irregular army of Irish-American invaders, the Fenians. An eventual Fenian victory caused the fathers of confederation to move quickly towards uniting the territory. -
Off to London
The London Conference was held in the United Kingdom in December 1866 and was the final in a series of conferences that led to Canadian confederation in 1867. Sixteen delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick met with officials of the British government to draft the British North America Act, 1867. -
Freedom at Last!
The Story of Confederation Britain's North American colonies are united by means of the BNA Act to become the Dominion of Canada. The British Province of Canada was divided into the new Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, and two other British colonies, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, also became provinces of Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald is Canada's first Prime Minister. Ottawa offically becomes capital of the Dominion. -
Buying up the West
Louis Riel Testament Canada purchases Rupert's Land from the HBC. The transfer occurred in 1869 and was consummated in 1870 by the payment of £300,000 to the Hudson's Bay Company. This purchase would cause a rebellion in the Metis settlement of Red River, led by Louis Riel. He was a champion for Metis rights, yet was later hung controversially in 1885 by the Canadian Government, an even that istill resonates with Canadians to this day. -
Adding another Province
The Red River Rebellion continues to resist Canadian authority in the northwest. A provisional government is declared but they were driven out by Canadian forces. The Manitoba Act creates the province of Manitoba and quells the rebellion. British Columbia and PEI are added as provinces in 1871 and 1873 respectively. Canada is born!
