When was confederation established

To solve this and other problems, a Constitutional Convention took place in the summer of Called together to revise the Articles of Confederation the delegates decided that a new and stronger constitution was needed. The federal government now had the power to tax and its provisions were to be the supreme law of the land. Fearing that one person or faction might be able to gain control of the government, the drafters divided the government's powers among three separate branches, the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch.

Each branch had checks and balances on the powers of the other two. The Constitution created the United States in the form in which it still exists today. Despite the Confederation Congress' shortcomings, it did have two major accomplishments during its brief existence.

First, it was the Confederation Congress that led Great Britain's former colonies to victory during the American Revolution. Second, the Congress also drafted the blueprint for how Ohio and other territories would become states within what would become the United States of America.

Many in the BNA colonies also believed that Britain was increasingly reluctant to defend them against possible American aggression. After winning the war, the American North was left with a large and powerful army.

There was talk in US newspapers of invading and annexing Canada. The vast northwestern territory represented a third of what would become Canada. Fears of American expansionism only increased after the US purchased Alaska in Suddenly, Confederation offered the BNA colonies a chance to create a new free-trade market.

Confederation offered Britain an honourable way to ease its economic and military burden in North America. It would also give its BNA colonies strength through unity.

Rather, it was created in a series of conferences and orderly negotiations. These culminated in the terms of Confederation on 1 July The union of the British North American colonies of New Brunswick , Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada what is now Ontario and Quebec was the first step in a slow but steady nation-building exercise. It would come to encompass other territories and provinces. In the Atlantic colonies, however, a great deal of pressure would still be needed.

A series of fortuitous events helped. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had been divided in There was interest in both regions in reuniting. They were helped by the British Colonial Office. It felt that a political union of all three Maritime colonies, including Prince Edward Island , was desirable. Maritime union would abolish three colonial legislatures and replace them with one. In the spring of , all three legislatures declared an interest in having a conference on the subject.

But nothing was done. Once the Province of Canada announced an interest in attending such a meeting, the Maritime governments began to organize. Charlottetown was appointed as the place — PEI officials would not attend otherwise — and 1 September was chosen as the date. See also: Charlottetown Conference.

The Province of Canada was growing more prosperous and populous. It was rapidly developing politically, socially and industrially. As it did, its internal rivalries also grew. As a result, the job of governing Canada West now Ontario and Canada East now Quebec from a single legislature became difficult. See also: Act of Union. After achieving responsible government , politicians in Canada West began calling for true representation by population.

In the s, Canada West benefitted from having a disproportionately large number of seats in the legislature. It had a smaller population than Canada East, but the same number of seats. By the s, the population of Canada West was the bigger of the two.

This and other divisive issues — such as government funding for Catholic schools throughout the colony — made English Protestants in Canada West suspicious of French Catholic power in Canada East. By , the rift between English and French had created years of unstable government and political deadlock. It was worsened by a growing divide between conservatives and reformers within Canada West.

Structural change was required to break the political paralysis. Confederation would separate the two Canadas and give each its own legislature. This was posed as the solution to these problems. By , four short-lived governments had fought to stay in power in the Province of Canada.

Macdonald and Clear Grits led by George Brown — formed an alliance. It was known as the Great Coalition. It sought a union with the Atlantic colonies. This gave Confederation a driving force that it never lost. In Canada East, Confederation was opposed by A. But it was supported by the dominant political group, the conservative Parti bleu.

By , they had the necessary support of the Catholic Church. Confederation was justified on the grounds that French Canadians would get back their provincial identity. Their capital would once more be Quebec City.

French Canadians feared anglophone domination of government. But Confederation would grant French Canadians their own legislature and a strong presence in the federal Cabinet. Of all the proposed changes, Confederation was the least undesirable for French Canadians. The conference was already underway. Discussions for Maritime union were not making much progress.

The Canadians were invited to submit their own proposals for a union of the BNA colonies. The idea of a united country quickly took over. A month later, the colonies called a second meeting to discuss Confederation. At the Quebec Conference , the delegates passed 72 Resolutions. These explicitly laid out the fundamental decisions made at Charlottetown , including a constitutional framework for a new country. The Resolutions were legalistic and contractual in tone.

They were deliberately different from the revolutionary tone of the American Constitution, which had been drafted a century earlier. See also: Quebec Conference of ; Constitutional History. The Canadian Resolutions outlined the concept of federalism.

Powers and responsibilities would be divided between the provinces and the federal government. See also: Distribution of Powers. Cartier pushed hard for provincial powers and rights. Macdonald was keen to avoid the mistakes that had led to the US Civil War. He advocated for a strong central government.

A semblance of balance was reached between these two ideas. The Resolutions also outlined the shape of a national Parliament. There would be an elected House of Commons based on representation by population , and an appointed Senate. Each region would have an equal voice in the appointed chamber.

The resolutions also included specific financial commitments. What other words follow this pattern? Try using both the verbs and the new nouns in sentences. Skip to Main Content Area. The Business of Parliament. Your Capital. Parliament in Motion. Teacher's Guide. Home » Canada: The Road to Democracy.