British Columbia Gold Rush

964 Words2 Pages

The BC Gold Rush had profound effects on BC. Without it happening, we might have become just another part of the US. Even thought parts of eastern Canada had been settled for 250 years, British Columbia was not included on maps. The Gold Rush brought so many people here, they didn’t have a reason not to put it on maps.

There are many different claims from people who want to be known as the person who first found gold in BC. Some say that natives traded gold dust since 1852. Others say that Donald Mclean sent two pint-sized pickle bottles full of gold back to James Douglas, an HBC chief factor. James Houston claimed he was the discoverer of gold in British Columbia. His story was that in 1854, he found gold near where the Tranquille Lake empties into the Thompson River. He had sent the gold to Governor Douglas, and Mr. Houston claims it was the first indication that officer had of the existence of gold on the Mainland. And one of Governor Douglas’s journals said that says: “Gold was first found on the Thompson River by a [Native] a quarter of a mile below Nicomen. He is since dead. The [Native] was taking a drink out of the river; having no vessel he was quaffing from the stream when he perceived a shining pebble which he picked up, and it proved to be gold. The whole tribe forthwith began to collect the glittering metal. This was likely in 1856.”

In 1857, Governor Douglas made a prediction. He saw that the Couteau mines in the Thompson-Fraser River area were exciting the population of the United States of Washington and Oregon. He knew that ...

... middle of paper ...

...e stayed behind for our beautiful scenery, and great people. Although many people rushed to find gold, wanting to “get rich quick,” very few actually did get rich. The Gold Rush gave our economy a boost, but also hurt it. The quick reduction in revenue when everyone left made it hard for BC to repay all the debts. Because of this, the two colonies, BC and Vancouver Island, joined together. And that set the wheels in motion for the combined province of British Columbia to join the Confederation of Canada.

Works Cited

Forsythe, Mark. The Trail of 1858 : British Columbia’s gold rush past. Canada: Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd., 2007.

Cariboo Gold Rush. Canada: Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd., 1999.

British Columbia Archives, Royal BC Museum. BC Archives Time Machine. ©2003.

Show More
Related

  • 10 Days That Shaped America (History Channel) Summary

    1449 Words  | 3 Pages

    On January 24, 1848, Gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill In Coloma California. This discovery, immediately spread around the globe. People from all different parts of the world came to California. People called it the place for a new beginning. California quickly became the most popular state in the United States. Even immigrants from Asia and Europe were coming to California just to get their hands on this precious gold. This also greatly affected the United States as we know it today.

    Read More

  • Spanish Succession War: The Two Miracles In Canadian History

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    It was once stated by F.R.Scott “ There are two miracles in canadian history. The first is the survival of French Canada, and the second is the survival of Canada.” His quote came to reality as of Canada grew to be a stable and secure country where everyone would want to be. Yet to accomplish this, many obstacles and events occurred such as the Spanish Succession war in 1713 , the seven years war in 1763, the constitutional act in 1791 and finally the Act of Union in 1841. First in 1713, the Spanish Succession war occurred where the British took control of Acadia. Soon after that, in 1763 the Seven Years War ended where the British took over New France and was later renamed British North America. Before the British most of the colonies were

    Read More

  • Jacques Cartier John Cabot And Henry Hudson

    366 Words  | 1 Pages

    Canadian history has shaped Canada's future for centuries now. Without the great explorers of their time, and maybe even our time, provinces and territories, gulfs, bays, rivers and land would be lost and undiscovered for many years. Our great country can thank many brave and brilliant explorers and their crew, for founding our name, and creating such an amazing land. Jacques Cartier, John Cabot and Henry Hudson, all managed to explore much of Canada. Through discovering the islands of Newfoundland, and Prince Edward Island to locating the Hudson Bay, these 3 explores endure Canada's harsh winters, famine, scurvy and much more, to begin the great discover of all of Canada.

    Read More

  • The Mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

    2870 Words  | 6 Pages

    Quinn, David B. North America From Earliest Discovery to First Settlements. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1977.

    Read More

  • There's Still Gold In These Hills Analysis

    764 Words  | 2 Pages

    These two passages “There’s Still Gold in These Hills” and “Letter From a Gold Miner” help the reader understand the history and process of gold mining in the US. Both passages give detailed information, specific instructions, and an interesting background about gold mining. These passages use different strategies to help the reader perceive the history and process. These strategies may include using specific dates of when the gold rush took place, information to help the reader picture the setting of where to find gold, and also teaches the process step by step.

    Read More

  • The California Gold Rush in 1849

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...iches? Evidence from the California Gold Rush." The Journal of Economic History 68.04 (2008): 997-1027. Print.

    Read More

  • The Confederation Act of 1867

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    Currently, Canada remains the world’s second largest country, full of vast and rich resources from all corners of the nation. None of the accomplishments and achievements that Canada has made to date would have been possible without Confederation. Without intense pressure from the Americans, and without the common goal that a few men shared of unifying a country, Canada would not be the strong, free, independent and united nation that it is today.

    Read More

  • The Confederation Of Canada

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Canada is a strong and independent country made up of thirteen unique provinces and territories. However, it took great efforts for Canada to become the united nation it is today. The British colonies were facing many problems. One solution for these issues was for the colonies to come together and form one county or nation. There were a number of different factors that pushed the colonies of British North America towards confederation. Due to political deadlock, economic challenges and pressure from the United States, confederation was absolutely necessary for the well-being and progress of Canada.

    Read More

  • Western Expansion in America

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    The expansion to the western lands of the United States created a number of benefits for the economy and its citizens. With the expansion to these lands, Americans gained the added land area along with the resources that the land possessed. One of these valuable resources that attracted Americans to the West was gold. During the mid-1800s, gold was discovered in northeastern California. This inspired a movement of many Americans to leave their homes to settle in the West in the hope of discovering gold. This gold rush attracted primarily single men into the uncharted western lands.

    Read More

  • The Carolina Gold Rush

    2379 Words  | 5 Pages

    In 1799 young Conrad Reed, a 12 year old boy, found a big shiny rock in Little Meadow Creek on the family farm in Cabarrus county North Carolina. Conrad lugged it home but the Reed family had no idea what it was and used it as a clunky door stop. Thinking that it must be some kind of metal, John Reed, Conrad’s father, took it to Concord North Carolina to have a silver smith look at it. The silver smith was unable to identify it as gold. John Reed hauled it back home. Three years later in 1802 he took the rock to Fayetteville North Carolina where a jeweler recognized it for what it was right away. The jeweler asked him if could smelt it down to a bar for him, John agreed. When John returned to the jeweler had a gold brick measuring six to eight inches long. It’s hard to believe but John Reed had no idea of the metals worth. The jeweler asked him what he wanted for it and John thought that a week’s wages would be fair so he sold it to the jeweler for $3.50. It is rumored that John purchased a calico dress for his wife and some coffee beans with his wi...

    Read More

  • Canadian Confederation

    3837 Words  | 8 Pages

    In the year of 1867 the nation we know as Canada came into being. The Confederation in this year only came about after things had been overcome. Many political and economic pressures were exerted on the colonies and a federal union of the colonies seemed to be the most practical method of dealing with these pressures and conflicts. While Confederation was a solution to many of the problems, it was not a popular one for all the colonies involved. In the Maritime colonies views differed widely on the topic. Some were doubtful, some were pleased, others were annoyed and many were hopeful for a prosperous future.1

    Read More

  • The Foreign Miners in the American Gold Rush

    3642 Words  | 8 Pages

    Sylva, Seville A. A Thesis-Foreigners in the California Gold Rush. California: University of Southern California. 1932.

    Read More

  • The Klondike Gold Rush

    1218 Words  | 3 Pages

    Martel, Lynn. “History Glitters in Yukon; Lure of the Klondike Gold Rush Continues to Draw Conclusions to the North.” The Vancouver Sun April 28, 2012. ProQuest. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • The California Gold Rush

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    California, the place to turn cant’s into cans and dreams into plans. The same situation and scenarios apply to today and even over one hundred and sixty five years ago. Then and now are not so different, people are thriving or failing from the land of plenty, supplying themselves with knowledge, wealth, or skill to either spread their wings and take flight or crash and burn. Each state in the United States of America has a correlating nickname to either why it’s famous or an explanation of its history. California’s state name is The Golden State, and going all the way back to 1849 is why this was such an influential time for California and all of America. This is the period of the Gold Rush. Reasons why this event was so impeccable, to the development of California, are the years leading up to the discovery, the first findings, the journey, and so much more.

    Read More

  • The California Ethos

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rohrbough, M. (1997). Chapter 17: The California gold rush and the American nation, days of Gold, University of California Press: Berkeley

    Read More

More about British Columbia Gold Rush

Open Document