Welcome to Grade 8 Ontario History! Today we begin our journey through one of the most transformative periods in Canadian history, from 1850 to 1914. During these 64 years, Canada evolved from a collection of British colonies into a unified nation with its own identity. We'll explore three key themes: economic development through industrialization and railway construction, social changes brought by immigration and urbanization, and political evolution including Confederation and territorial expansion. This period laid the foundation for modern Canada, shaping our economy, society, and political system in ways that continue to influence us today.
Canada's economic transformation from 1850 to 1914 was remarkable. The National Policy of 1879 established protective tariffs to encourage domestic manufacturing. The completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 connected the country from coast to coast, opening up western territories for settlement and resource extraction. Population grew from 2.4 million in 1851 to over 7 million by 1911. Industrial growth accelerated, with factories producing goods for both domestic and export markets. Natural resources like coal, lumber, and gold from the Klondike became major economic drivers. This period established Canada as a modern industrial nation and set the stage for the social changes that would follow.