CANADA’S CANADA’S BEGINNINGS BEGINNINGS

IN 1900IN 1900NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTSNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDECONOMIC BACKGROUND

• Natural resources were the greatest production area in Canada (for the most part it still is);

• Forestry, Mining, Fishing and Agriculture experienced growth in exports as the population of Canada grew and the needs of those in the U.S. and in Europe increased;

• Electric manufacturing also increased the need for primary resources within Canada;

RAILWAYSRAILWAYS

• The Canadian Pacific Railways was completed across the country in 1885 and was widely used to transport goods and people;

• By the 1900s more railways were needed for competition which led to the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway;

• All of these were not able to compete effectively so the government merged the newest routes in 1922 to develop the Canadian National Railway;

AUTOMOBILESAUTOMOBILES

• Growth of the auto as the best means of personal transport was still only available to the wealthy;

• Early 1900s – Sam McLaughlin for the McLaughlin Carriage Company set up Canada’s first car manufacturer in Oshawa;

• He bought Buick motors from Michigan and built the bodies in his plant;

• Sold the whole operation to General Motors in 1918 after he had been building Chevrolets since 1915;

URBANIZATIONURBANIZATION

• The beginning of 1900 saw a rapid increase in Canada’s population in the urban and rural areas;

• The rapid growth of cities led to the development of slums, with overcrowding, unhealthy conditions and inadequate housing;

• The city councils had no idea that the urban areas would increase at such a rate and so there was no appropriate urban planning;

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY

• The increased use of electricity aided the industrial expansion and made production easier and more efficient;

• Rivers and waterfalls were being dammed for electricity in the 1880s and by the 1900s more appliances were available for “popular consumption” (phones, stoves, lights, irons);

• The wireless telegraph also assisted in keeping North American up to date with news in Europe (1902 by Guglielmo Marconi)

TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

• Increased variety in technological advances led to developments in other areas, such as speed limits on city streets as the number of cars grew;

• The onset of aviation in 1909 (JAD McCurdy flying the Silver Dart) also influenced the impression and ideas of travel and transport;

TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY AND DISASTERDISASTER

• The collapse of the Quebec City Bridge in 1907 influenced building practices;

• 1912 sinking of the Titanic also altered how people viewed intercontinental travel and ship building – procedures and safety;

• As we the concept of accountability in building and development was greatly influenced by these tragedies;

• What recent tragic events could influence changes in technology during our own age?

SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCESSOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

• The problems of the urban centers were not expressed by social reformers such as clergy and political individuals like J.S. Woodsworth;

• This time period demonstrated a growth in women’s movements in response to social problems, deterioration of the family and social units and growing substance abuses;

• They believed that these issued affected the very moral fabric of the nation;

ALCOHOLALCOHOL

• This was thought to be the greatest problem among the lower class families;

• Men would frequently receive their pay cheques and would drink most of the money away before they got home;

• These actions left the women with very little money to pay rent buy food and clothing for the remainder of the family;

• Stress on the family unit was frequently about money;

SOCIAL CONTROLSSOCIAL CONTROLS

• Women’s groups began to form as supports for these lower class women and called for stricter controls on the distribution and sale of alcohol;

• The Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) demanded a full ban on the sale and production of alcohol;

• Some of the women involved in these political action groups were already part of the suffragette movement aimed at gaining voting power for women in Canada;

WORKING CONDITIONSWORKING CONDITIONS

• Another area that women focused on affected the financial and moral well-being of the Canadian population;

• The conditions of workers in the manufacturing sector did not seem to improve with the changes in the development of mass production of products;

• These products could be developed quickly and with little variation in quality of the individual item;

WORKING CONDITIONSWORKING CONDITIONS

• Growth of labour unions throughout the 1880s continued into the 1900s which eventually spurred the Federal government to establish the Department of Labour in 1907;

• Although unions were influential in the individual activities with employers, there were bouts of violence during strikes;

• Organization of the Canadian Labour Congress in 1902 was meant to lend support to individual labour unions;

WORKING CONDITIONSWORKING CONDITIONS

• Child labour was common at this time and most children employed in manufacturing had to endure the same harsh conditions as any other worker;

• They worked under conditions with severe punishments, low pay and long hours;

• While parents attempted to make a living, in 1914 school became mandatory for children up to the age of 14 years;

• The main purpose of school was to give children the necessary background that would allow them to be active and responsible Canadian citizens;

ASSIGNMENT #1ASSIGNMENT #1

• Answer the following in a small group:– Review the list of subjects on Page 18 of the text:

why are the subjects you study similar to those of almost 100 years ago?

– Review the pictures provided from the Group of Seven: what impression do they give of Canada?

– Are these ideas reflective of Canada’s character?– Why do these artists think that nature paintings are

important to the identity of Canada at the time?

ASSIGNMENT #1ASSIGNMENT #1

• Read the Changes in Entertainment from Page 19-20 in the text.

• What types of events were enjoyed in the leisure time of those in the early 1900s? How different are they from the events that you enjoy today?

• Using the advice given from the Markham Economist (page 20-21), develop a list of 10 dating tips for people of your own age (15 years old in the 2000’s).

INDUSTRY AND ECONOMYINDUSTRY AND ECONOMY

• The industry of Canada was separated according to region with the manufacturing mainly taking place in Eastern and Central Canada and the primary production (agriculture) in Western Canada;

• In order to maintain Canadian interests and companies, MacDonald had introduced tariffs on imported good from the U.S. (late 1800s);

• These are taxes added to goods produced in other countries, while Canadian made products become cheaper (no tariffs);

ECONOMYECONOMY

• The problem became that Western Canadians would get American products cheaper than they could Eastern Canadian products, but they were now forced to pay a tariff on the American product;

• The reciprocity agreement with the Americans would allow for a drop in the tariff on many products and increase the fishing, lumber and agricultural product trade with the U.S.;

ECONOMY AND ELECTIONSECONOMY AND ELECTIONS

• Laurier lost the election of 1911 because his opponents took the opinion that reciprocity would make Canada a satellite of America and would spell the end of Canadian jobs;

• It was felt that this was a circumstance where the Americans would consume Canada’s natural resources in exchange for manufactured goods;

IMPERIALISM AND CANADAIMPERIALISM AND CANADA

• The British connection had always strained relationship between French and English Canada;

• Canada was a self-governing dominion led by their first French Prime Minister – Wilfred Laurier – however the history of problems came in many forms during first decade of the 20th century;

IMPERIALISM AND CANADAIMPERIALISM AND CANADA

• BOER WAR (1899 – 1902)

• After gold was discovered in South Africa by the Dutch settlers (Boers), and the success of the existing diamond mines, the British wished to establish control over the areas;

• They made advances into Boer territories and so these disputes erupted into war between the British and the Dutch;

IMPERIALISM AND CANADAIMPERIALISM AND CANADA

• Canadians saw this as an opportunity to prove their loyalty to Britain and desired to support their efforts;

• French saw this as a foreign conflict that had nothing to do with Canadian politics;

• Laurier, wanting to appease both sides, offered to send a volunteer force that would be paid and trained by the British;

• Over 7,000 men went to South Africa from Canada;

IMPERIALISM AND CANADAIMPERIALISM AND CANADA

• ROYAL NAVY• Britain, the traditional leader in naval power, was

insecure about the advances made by Germany in the naval arena;

• In order to keep pace, they required money from the colonies (Commonwealth) in order to protect the interests of the Empire;

• Laurier instead proposed a Canadian Navy and so passed the Naval Service Act 1910 and created the Royal Canadian Navy;

IMPERIALISM AND CANADAIMPERIALISM AND CANADA

• ALASKA BOUNDARY DISPUTE • Americans were interested in extending the

“panhandle” down the Western coast;• Because Britain had just come out of the Boer War,

they did not have the motivation to defend Canada’s interest in this case;

• Although delegations were sent to discuss both sides, the British sided with the Americans and Canada (Yukon especially) lost access to the ocean on the north western coast;

ASSIGNMENT #2ASSIGNMENT #2

• Read the sections titled “Election Fever” and “Laurier Loses” on pages 28-29;

• What were the main election issues faced by Laurier and his opponent Robert Borden?

• Why were these important for the young Canadian country?

• What election issues do you think would appear in a modern election that are similar to those faced by Laurier?

• (You can make a chart if desired.)

SUBMISSIONSUBMISSION

• When called for, submit the following, ensure your first and last name and the date appear on the work:

• Assignment #1 and Assignment #2