class assignment

Forestry

i.                     Forestry today has been on the decline because of the lacking of trees. In 2008, roughly 80,000 jobs relied upon the forestry industry.

ii.                   People have been thinking of ways to make the harvested wood more valuable so the industry can sustain itself. This has caused people to be laid off when it’s running slow, but later being re-hired when it picks up.

Fishing

i.                     The fishing industry has been a staple of British Columbia’s economy for hundreds of years. It has been declining in the past few decades due to the lacking of fish. This lead to fish farms. In 1990 just salmon brought in 55% of the entire catch. In 2005 that has gone down to 10%.

ii.                   To deal with the lack of fish people have created large estuaries that breed fish in a controlled environment.

Agriculture

i.                     Agriculture doesn’t play a huge role in British Columbia’s economy. Though the Hudson’s Bay Company has encouraged farming on Vancouver Island, that wouldn’t contribute a lot. The land in British Columbia doesn’t have much land that is available for farming.

ii.                   Due to the lack of good enough land, British Columbia has depended upon imported foods. There still are farms, but it’s mainly for produce and meats.

Mining

i.                     Mining has always been a popular industry in British Columbia. The mining industry depends upon export sales; the demand and value of the material is always changing.

ii.                   In British Columbia, the government has been trying to use mines to the fullest and not waste any materials they find. And with risks of Acid Rock, they try to prevent those things.

Google Maps Settlement Assignment

The Kanakas Settlement

                The Kanakas are Hawaiian natives that were called up to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company. By 1827, they had built Fort Langley. There were 6 Kanaka people that worked on building the fort. While working on the lower mainland, many of them married First Nations women, mostly from the Kwantlen. These families crossed the Fraser to settle and began crossing the river every day to get to work. This gave Kanaka Creek its name.

Black Settlement

                Black people first settled in British Columbia in 1818, when they were given permission to trade and settle in the Columbia District. The black people in the district were not allowing French Canadians in and didn`t agree with marriage of white people with black people. In California, the black people weren`t being treated properly even as free citizens. The policies were too strict, so they left to seek a new home.

The Jewish Settlement

                The Jewish people immigrated to British Columbia from 1850 to throughout the 1890s. They wanted to work for the British Empire because they knew the British Empire had jobs available with developing the territories in Canada. During the mid-1860s, Victoria had a good agricultural ground. The Jewish people were accepted nicely as well as many other different races and religions. The first synagogue in Victoria was built in 1863, and roughly half of the building was funded by people that weren`t Jewish.

The Sikh Settlement

                In 1897, the first Sikhs to enter British Columbia had arrived, But they weren`t there to settle. They were there to travel through Canada to commemorate Queen Victoria of England`s Diamond Jubilee. Later in 1902, Punjabi soldiers came through British Columbia to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII. But the group led by Sardar Major Kadir Khan Bahadur thought settling there wasn`t a bad idea. They were happy with immigrating to Canada because the agriculture was very rich like their homeland.

The Chinese Settlement

                The Chinese began to settle in British Columbia during the Gold Rush in 1858. They came in large groups from California. But in 1885 the Canadian government began taxing the Chinese if the wanted to come in. Starting at fifty dollars they taxed them. When the amount of people still immigrating didn`t decrease, they increased it to one hundred dollars. That still didn`t decrease the numbers, so they increased the tax even more, up to five hundred dollars.

View Vancouver Settlements in a larger map

Who would you consider the father of Vancouver? Explain why you wouldn't consider the others

Gassy Jack or John Deighton was a steamship operator for a large portion of his life. But from 1862 – 1867 he ran a bar in New Westminster. During the Caribou Gold Rush he made a large profit, but in 1867 he closed down. The people who worked at the Mill wanted alcohol but it was not allowed on the site property. So at the property line, Jack sold alcohol so the workers could drink.

                Lauchlan Hamilton was the land commissioner for Vancouver in 1885. He named a large portion of the streets and worked almost all his life.

                David Oppenheimer was a businessman who did work with the CPR during its construction. In 1888, David was elected to be the second mayor of Vancouver. He served until 1891, and during that time he established the fire department, the Burrard inlet ferry, the streets for cars and a water line from the Capilano River.

                Richard Moody was the first Governor of British Columbia. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor in 1841 and later was elected the first Governor of the Falkland Islands. He chose New Westminster as the new capital for Vancouver.

                The achievements each of these people has formed Vancouver into what it is today, but I believe David Oppenheimer has made the largest impact upon Vancouver. He established multiple public services during his time as Mayor and He helped in the creation of the railroads through the mountains. The other men are very significant, but it seems to me that David Oppenheimer did the most to put Vancouver where it is today.

Should BC be a part of USA or Canada

British Columbia should stay a part of Canada because the taxes pay for medicare and yet it is still reasonably affordable tax rates. Canada is not nearly in the amount of debt that the United States is. They today owe roughly 3 trillion dollars to different countries, companies etc. If British Columbia were to join the United States, the difference would be substantial. The British Columbians wouldn’t appreciate the American stereotypes.

Mind Map

Cornwallis Questions

1. Describe some of the dangers shown in Corwallis’s anecdotes of travelling up the Fraser River.

They had heard of other miners dying canoeing in the river. Your partner could shoot you and take your gold. The greed of people can cause them to kill for gold. The first nations can find you dangerous.

2. How were aboriginals vital to the miners? (evidence throughout the story)

They knew where they were, and they knew where to go. After all, it is their land they are mining on. Help prepare the camps, collect firewood etc. The aboriginal can help communicate with other first nations without it being so hostile.

3. What does Cornwallis write that shows his attitude towards Americans?

He thinks the Americans are more of risk takers for their benefit. Maybe he thinks of them as selfish.

4. Why can’t Cornwallis fully enjoy the nature and scenery?

He is excited to strike gold and he is afraid of the stories he has heard happening to him. He was on edge about being out there with only a few people. He is enjoying himself by the fire though. He’s too eager to mine gold, so he can’t stop to enjoy where he is and the beauty surrounding him.

5. Why do you think Cornwallis and his men were mining at every chance while his aboriginal guide gathered firewood? Why wouldn’t the aboriginals mine as well?

Cornwallis wanted to get rich quick. He wanted to get mining to find his “big strike.” The “Yankees” were pressuring them. They expected more and more gold each time they mined.

6. What made the miners leave their great find and move on up the Fraser?

They kept going farther up hearing about “bigger strikes.” It wasn’t that they wanted to stop mining, but find the mother-load for lack of a better term.