British ColumbiaTies to the Pacific Rim

Fishers, Hunters, Traders, MinersBeginning of Page 130First people (indigenous people) arrived

10,000-12,000 years ago.◦Many groups, many languages◦Each group had their own customs and

complex societyPeople on the coast caught fish, whales,

and clams◦Totem Poles – used as symbols for a group or

clanOther lived and hunted in the forestsAs with any group of people some got

along others fought.

New ArrivalsLate 1500’s – Spanish, British, Russian

explorers arrivedBritish sailed to Vancouver Island and

set up a trading post. ◦ Indigenous people wanted iron tools and

the British wanted fur. So they tradedThis trade unlike in Saskatchewan, did

not change the indigenous people’s lives a whole lot

People came and went until…..They found GOLD along the Fraser River

The Gold TradeVictoria was a quiet town with good people in it.

◦ 1858 Americans dropped off 450 men who looked dangerous

◦ They were there to mine for goldThe population more than doubled in one

morningThousands of people showed up and Victoria was

a “stumptown” Why?Cariboo Mountains had gold too.

◦ Miners from China, Europe, and the US came to mine◦ Government built a highway because it was hard to

get to. This created boomtowns – towns built only for the purpose of

mining. Died out one the gold rush was over

Changes for Indigenous PeopleIndigenous people were “given”

reserves to live on. The same land they had lived on for years.

They were the majority and in just a few years were the minority.

Laws banned many of their customs, religions, and languages

Today the people are demanding land, and political rights

The Canadian Pacific Railway1881 – Canadians begin to build a

railroad all the way across the country. From Montreal to Vancouver◦Obstacles – mountains, steep valleys,

freezing weather, and glaciers◦Had to build 600 bridges and blast 27

tunnels through mountainsImmigrants arrived from all over the

world to build the railroad. Criminals arrived too

◦Police were brought in (The police used horses at this time)

British Columbia TodayCanadian Pacific Railroad did unite Canada

◦ mountains are a natural barrier separating British Columbia from the rest of Canada

2/3 of the people live along the coast of British Columbia◦ Many feel their future and their ways of life are tied to

the Pacific Rim countries, not with the rest of Canada11% have Asian ancestorsThe people here do a lot of trade with the Pacific

Rim countries◦ 40% is done with these countries

In school the students learn Asian languges ◦ Japanese, Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese,

Punjabi (pun jah bee) – spoken in India and Pakistan