BC Gold Rush Creation of Colonies BC Gold

BC Gold Rush + Creation of Colonies

BC Gold Rush -Fur Trade increased settler population but…. The Gold Rush exploded BCs population Population Explosion: -1850 s Fort Victoria had ~500 settlers by 1858 population increased to ~30, 000

2 Key results of Gold Rush in BC 1. All of current day BC was declared “Colony of British Columbia” all lands + resources are now Britain's 2. Immigration restrictions were imposed legal way to stop / control massive immigration to BC

BC Gold Rushes 1. Fraser River Gold Rush (1858 -1865) 2. Cariboo Gold Rush (1860 s – 1870 s) 3. Klondike Gold Rush (1890 – 1900 )

Gold Rush and First Nations Miners typically / always: -ignored traditional FN use of the land rivers -did not ask permission to pass through territories -disturbed the environment -built communities in areas where they mined -disapproved when FN’s mined for gold

Understanding “Colony” What is a Colony? -an area of land that a country or empire “takes” -laws and rules are enforced to keep order -settlements (forts / colonies) are created What is the purpose of a Colony? -increase power and wealth by: 1. taking land 2. taking resources and sending them back to parent country Example: Britain creates a small colony on Vancouver Island Colony of Victoria. Ship loads of British Citizen arrive. Small city is created with British Laws. Resource extraction begins (logging, mining, furs etc) all sent back to Britain for sale in European markets

Differing “Land” world views Euro -commodity -purchased and sold -individually owned -documented ownership -to be used farm, extract resources -Capitalism / Wealth First Nations -sacred -hereditary -family cares for land -orally traditions validated -to be respected give and take – balance -Stewardship / Reciprocity