Uniting the different parts of Canada was not easy work; there were many different opinions about Confederation, and it took many years to reach an agreement. The people involved with uniting the colonies are often referred to as the Fathers of Confederation. It is important to remember that there were nearly 90 Fathers of Confederation, and not all of them were supporters of Confederation.
Skim the excerpts about some of the more prominent Fathers of Confederation. Fill in the chart and answer the question at the bottom of the page.
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Sir John Alexander Macdonald
As a member of the Conservatives, Macdonald managed to unite French and English politicians. This allowed the new Liberal-Conservative party to form the government; after the leader of the party retired in 1856 Macdonald became co-prime minister of the Province of Canada.Macdonald was born on January 10 or 11, 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland. When he was five years old his family moved to Kingston in Upper Canada. When he was fifteen he began to study law, and by the time he was nineteen he had opened his own law office in Kingston. He quickly got a reputation for taking hard cases, and for being a skilful lawyer. Macdonald soon started his political career as a councillor for Kingston in 1843. Four years later he moved to provincial politics when he was elected as the Conservative party's member for Kingston in 1847. In order to deal with the Province of Canada's economic and political problems, a group of politicians led by Macdonald came up with the idea of joining with the Maritime colonies to form a larger country. Macdonald was a driving force behind Confederation, and it was because of the important part that he played that he was asked to be Canada's first prime minister. He remained prime minister for most of the rest of his life. He died on June 6, 1891, soon after winning his fourth election.
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Charles Tupper
Tupper was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, on July 2, 1821. He was the premier of Nova Scotia who agreed to Confederation. His first job was as a doctor. Even after he became a politician, he still kept his medical bag under his seat in the House of Commons. He was a member of the Conservative party in Nova Scotia, and became premier in 1864. Tupper was interested in joining Canada because he felt it would be good for Nova Scotia's economy. He participated in the Confederation conferences which led to Nova Scotia agreeing to join Confederation in 1867. Once Nova Scotia was part of Canada Tupper quit his job as premier, and joined the federal Conservative party. He held several important jobs in the Conservative government ofSir John A. Macdonald. Tupper became prime minister in 1896. However he was only prime minister for ten weeks before losing the election that same year. Tupper retired from politics in 1900, and died on October 30, 1915.
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Joseph Howe
Howe was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1804 and was the man who led the fight against Confederation in Nova Scotia. He started as a newspaper owner, becoming interested in politics because he was always reporting on political stories. He wanted responsible government for Nova Scotia, and because of his efforts Nova Scotia became the first to achieve responsible government in Canada in 1848.
When the premier, Charles Tupper, pushed Confederation through, Howe criticized him for going ahead with it when the people didn't want it. In the next election the people showed their anger at Tupper by voting him out. Howe and his anti-Confederates were voted in. However, it was too late to undo Confederation. Howe eventually decided that he could best help his province by getting into the federal government. He believed that if he was in the federal government he could make sure Nova Scotia was treated well. He was appointed lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia in 1873, and died that same year.
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Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley
Tilley was born at Gagetown, New Brunswick, on May 8, 1818. He became a pharmacist when he was 20 and ran a successful shop called "Tilley's Drug Store". Tilley became interested in politics and fought for responsible government. He became premier in 1861 and was responsible for bringing New Brunswick into Confederation. Tilley wanted New Brunswick to join Canada, but after he returned from talks with Canadian leaders he learned the people of New Brunswick were against Confederation. He lost the next election because the public didn't want New Brunswick to join Canada. However, a year later the people had changed their minds about Confederation. In a new election Tilley won and became premier again. Tilley was finally able to bring New Brunswick into Confederation. When New Brunswick became part of Canada, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald invited Tilley to be a member of thefederal government. Tilley held several important jobs in the government, and later became the lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick in 1873. He retired in 1893 and died on June 25, 1896.
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Sir George Étienne Cartier
Cartier was born at St.-Antoine-sur-Richelieu in Lower Canada on September 6, 1814. He came from a wealthy family who claimed to be very distant relatives of the famous French explorer Jacques Cartier. He became a lawyer in 1835 and also got involved in the railway business. Cartier became active in politics in 1848 when he was first elected as a member of the Province of Canada'sAssembly. He later became leader of a political partycalled the Parti Bleu that joined with the Conservative Party of Upper Canada. John A. Macdonald led the Conservatives, and together he and Cartier were co-prime ministers of the Province of Canada. The two of them believed that forming a new, bigger country was the answer to the province's problems. Cartier was responsible for convincing most French Canadians that Confederation would be good for French Canada, as it would make Quebec a separate province. He died on May 20, 1873.
Questions
1. With your partner(s), fill in the following chart on the Fathers of Confederation.
Father of Confederation
Region that he Represented before Confederation
New Name of the Region after Confederation
Place in Canada's Government after Confederation
Supportive of Confederation?
2. With your partner(s), brainstorm some groups of people in British North America that were excluded from participating directly in Canada's Confederation.
Uniting the different parts of Canada was not easy work; there were many different opinions about Confederation, and it took many years to reach an agreement. The people involved with uniting the colonies are often referred to as the Fathers of Confederation. It is important to remember that there were nearly 90 Fathers of Confederation, and not all of them were supporters of Confederation.
Skim the excerpts about some of the more prominent Fathers of Confederation. Fill in the chart and answer the question at the bottom of the page.
Sir John Alexander Macdonald
As a member of the Conservatives, Macdonald managed to unite French and English politicians. This allowed the new Liberal-Conservative party to form the government; after the leader of the party retired in 1856 Macdonald became co-prime minister of the Province of Canada.Macdonald was born on January 10 or 11, 1815 in Glasgow, Scotland. When he was five years old his family moved to Kingston in Upper Canada. When he was fifteen he began to study law, and by the time he was nineteen he had opened his own law office in Kingston. He quickly got a reputation for taking hard cases, and for being a skilful lawyer. Macdonald soon started his political career as a councillor for Kingston in 1843. Four years later he moved to provincial politics when he was elected as the Conservative party's member for Kingston in 1847.
In order to deal with the Province of Canada's economic and political problems, a group of politicians led by Macdonald came up with the idea of joining with the Maritime colonies to form a larger country. Macdonald was a driving force behind Confederation, and it was because of the important part that he played that he was asked to be Canada's first prime minister. He remained prime minister for most of the rest of his life. He died on June 6, 1891, soon after winning his fourth election.
Charles Tupper
Tupper was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, on July 2, 1821. He was the premier of Nova Scotia who agreed to Confederation. His first job was as a doctor. Even after he became a politician, he still kept his medical bag under his seat in the House of Commons. He was a member of the Conservative party in Nova Scotia, and became premier in 1864.
Tupper was interested in joining Canada because he felt it would be good for Nova Scotia's economy. He participated in the Confederation conferences which led to Nova Scotia agreeing to join Confederation in 1867.
Once Nova Scotia was part of Canada Tupper quit his job as premier, and joined the federal Conservative party. He held several important jobs in the Conservative government ofSir John A. Macdonald. Tupper became prime minister in 1896. However he was only prime minister for ten weeks before losing the election that same year. Tupper retired from politics in 1900, and died on October 30, 1915.
Joseph Howe
Howe was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1804 and was the man who led the fight against Confederation in Nova Scotia. He started as a newspaper owner, becoming interested in politics because he was always reporting on political stories. He wanted responsible government for Nova Scotia, and because of his efforts Nova Scotia became the first to achieve responsible government in Canada in 1848.
When the premier, Charles Tupper, pushed Confederation through, Howe criticized him for going ahead with it when the people didn't want it. In the next election the people showed their anger at Tupper by voting him out. Howe and his anti-Confederates were voted in. However, it was too late to undo Confederation. Howe eventually decided that he could best help his province by getting into the federal government. He believed that if he was in the federal government he could make sure Nova Scotia was treated well. He was appointed lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia in 1873, and died that same year.
Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley
Tilley was born at Gagetown, New Brunswick, on May 8, 1818. He became a pharmacist when he was 20 and ran a successful shop called "Tilley's Drug Store". Tilley became interested in politics and fought for responsible government. He became premier in 1861 and was responsible for bringing New Brunswick into Confederation.
Tilley wanted New Brunswick to join Canada, but after he returned from talks with Canadian leaders he learned the people of New Brunswick were against Confederation. He lost the next election because the public didn't want New Brunswick to join Canada. However, a year later the people had changed their minds about Confederation. In a new election Tilley won and became premier again.
Tilley was finally able to bring New Brunswick into Confederation. When New Brunswick became part of Canada, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald invited Tilley to be a member of thefederal government. Tilley held several important jobs in the government, and later became the lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick in 1873. He retired in 1893 and died on June 25, 1896.
Sir George Étienne Cartier
Cartier was born at St.-Antoine-sur-Richelieu in Lower Canada on September 6, 1814. He came from a wealthy family who claimed to be very distant relatives of the famous French explorer Jacques Cartier. He became a lawyer in 1835 and also got involved in the railway business. Cartier became active in politics in 1848 when he was first elected as a member of the Province of Canada'sAssembly. He later became leader of a political partycalled the Parti Bleu that joined with the Conservative Party of Upper Canada.
John A. Macdonald led the Conservatives, and together he and Cartier were co-prime ministers of the Province of Canada. The two of them believed that forming a new, bigger country was the answer to the province's problems. Cartier was responsible for convincing most French Canadians that Confederation would be good for French Canada, as it would make Quebec a separate province. He died on May 20, 1873.
Questions
1. With your partner(s), fill in the following chart on the Fathers of Confederation.
2. With your partner(s), brainstorm some groups of people in British North America that were excluded from participating directly in Canada's Confederation.
All information on Sir John A. MacDonald, Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, Charles Tupper, Joseph Howe and Sir George Etienne Cartier taken from http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/kids/023002-3000-e.html Source: Library and Archives of Canada.