BC History Timeline Polk negotiates for the entire

BC History Timeline Polk negotiates for the entire Oregon territory to be part of the USA. It is decided that the current border on the 49 th parallel is extended to the coast but all of Vancouver island is left for Britain. 1844 1845 James Polk runs for president in the USA, using the slogan “ 54° 40’ or fight. This was popular and he won the election, but could not follow through. The California gold rush starts, and word gets to Europe, but most miners get to California at the end of the rush. This floods the population, and leaves a ton of unemployed miners sitting around California 1848 British government decides that Oregon territory needs a more official presence then the HBC. Vancouver island is made a crown colony and James Douglas is made governor. 1849 Some treaties about dealing with land are negotiated with the first nations, also, it was decided that the first nations people would be paid for the use of the land. These treaties are the only of there kind, and they give something in return to the natives Mid 1850 s More mines are created in Cumberland. This created a more diverse economy. 1854 The legislative assembly is created, giving a representative government to BC. This was done so that a repeat of what happened in the states would not happen 1855 James Douglas negotiated treaties with the first nations. By doing this he hoped to attract more British settlers to the area, seeing as there were only around 750 at the time. 1856 The Fraser gold rush starts. Miners from BC and a ton that were sitting around from the California gold rush move into BC and flood the population overnight to several thousand 1857 A HBC trader shows gold that he found on The Fraser to James Douglas. This is the single event that would start off the gold rush. 1858 The gold in the lower Fraser river is almost all gone so the miners start moving up the river in search of more gold or the main deposit. This causes towns like Barkerville to spring up almost overnight. 1859 Royal Corps of engineers arrive under the command of Col. Moody. They assist in the building of towns and roads, and they also provided a military presence in the area. 1860 BC becomes a province of Canada on July 20, 1871. the BC debt is joined into Canada's and the BC government recives money to support the province, along with a promise of a railroad. Governor James Douglas retires. It is then decided that Vancouver island BC would have separate governor, and the 2 successors of Douglas were not all that great. 1862 The construction of the Cariboo Wagon Road begins. This would put the colony in debt and creates a faster method of travel to places higher up the Fraser river. 1864 1866 Both colonies join together as one. As one colony, they a re bigger, and they have a combined debt of over $300 000 1871