Confederation means a group of communities or colonies, who have signed or entered into an agreement to work together as one.

Protection and security against American Expansion

To build a railway

To expand and settle out west.

One government

The Colonies were worried about American expansion and invasion into their settlements.

If the colonies united, they could work together to defend themselves.

The colonies were separated by large areas of land and landforms. A railway would increase trade, move troops faster, and people could travel quicker and explore more of the land.

If the colonies worked together, they could share the cost and build the railway quicker and more efficiently.

A lot of good farmland was in the unsettled west. Both Americans and Canadians wanted to claim lands in the west.

The Canadian colonies wanted to be the first to establish settlements in the west and be able to protect them.

One government would be able to make decisions and eliminate political deadlock.

When you had more than one government, no one was able to agree and make decisions.

Constitutional Act 1791- Upper and Lower Canada became one province. The province of Canada, with Upper Canada and Lower Canada having its own government.

Act of a Union 1841- Two Canada’s were to be united into one. There would be one government for both provinces. Upper Canada became Canada West and Lower Canada became Canada East.

Conferences- many discussions were held between the colonies, where they talked about creating one united country with ties to Britain.

They wanted to create a country in North America that was similar to Britain.

It was agreed that this new country be called Canada.

British North American Act- detailed the unification of the colonies of British North America into the Dominion of Canada

The first provinces to enter in Confederation were New Brunswick, Ontario (Canada West), Quebec (Canada East) and Nova Scotia.

This happened on July 1, 1867

A community within the British Empire

It is not a country, but it was very similar. They were a community which had a good relationship with Britain.

The Dominion of Canada was still a colony under the British Empire.

Provinces and ConfederationProvince or Territory Joined Confederation

Alberta1905 British Columbia1871 Manitoba1870 New Brunswick1867 Newfoundland1949 Northwest Territories1870 Nova Scotia1867 Nunavut1999 Ontario 1867 Prince Edward Island 1873 Quebec 1867 Saskatchewan 1905 Yukon 1898