The Confederation Happened in 1867

“Confederation is only yet in the gristle, and it will require five years more before it

hardens into bone”

Sir John A. Macdonald

Fundamentally any association or league of individuals or groups of individuals. In

contemporary politics, the word is typically limited to a permanent union of independent states

for specific shared objectives is how Confederation is defined. Canada is also known as

federation country yet it was then announced of it being a Confederation. An important message

is that we cannot take the Canada we know for granted. Not so long ago, its fate was dicey, its

leaders factionalized and angry. Sir John A. Macdonald 1, is the first prime minister who was

being the minister during the confederation. (Hemmingford) He spoke about the Canadians and

defend them as they should not being take for granted. He uses metaphor to describe

Confederation to a gristle or a tendon that it takes time to hardens the bone because Sir

Macdonald believes that Confederation takes time and it should takes time to be understand and

employ to the Canadians and to the Canada.

Confederation refers to the process of federal union in which the British North American

colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada joined together to form the

Dominion of Canada(Britannica). The term Confederation also stands for 1 July 1867, the date of

the creation of the Dominion. According to (Canada Confederation) Canada is a federation,

rather than a confederate association of sovereign states, and is often considered one of the

world's more decentralized federations. The term confederation originated in the Province of
1
Sir John Macdonald, (born January 11, 1815, Glasgow, Scotland—died June 6, 1891, Ottawa, Ontario, Dominion of
Canada), the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada (1867–73, 1878–91), who led Canada through its
period of early growth.
Canada to refer to proposals to federate all British North American colonies, rather than just

Canada West and Canada East. In Canadian context, confederation describes the political process

that united the colonies in 1867, events related to that process, and the subsequent incorporation

of other colonies and territories. The term is now used to describe Canada in an abstract way,

such as "the Fathers of Confederation," and to divide Canadian history into pre-Confederation

and post-Confederation periods.

According to (P. B. Waite) The Charlottetown Conference 2 was likely held due to

Canadian initiative interference, leading some to believe that the Canadians corrupted delegates

and swayed them to sign the Quebec Resolutions. Confederation in Canadian context refers to

the political process that united the colonies in 1867, events related to that process, and the

subsequent incorporation of other colonies and territories. The term is now used to describe

Canada in an abstract way, such as "the Fathers of Confederation," and to divide Canadian

history into pre-Confederation and post-Confederation periods. Provinces that became part of

Canada after 1867 are also considered to have joined or entered into Confederation.

As some of the twenty-three delegates started to sip on the deeper draught of nationalism,

the luncheon on the Queen Victoria in Charlottetown Harbor signaled the start of Confederation.

The method of establishing municipal and federal administrations was one of the main

constitutional concerns of the meeting. Newspapers were filled with rumors on federal authority,

which included the authority to regulate public lands and impose educational uniformity. Signed

"Ind6x," a considerably more exact list that was very identical to the Quebec Resolutions

surfaced in the Halifax Morning Chronicle on September 10, 1910. On September 6, the

Canadians concluded their argument and left it to the Maritime delegates after the conference
2
Prince Edward Island for representatives from colonies of British North America to discuss Canadian
Confederation. Led to the formation of the Dominion of Canada
deliberated over specifics on Tuesday. All of the maritime delegates agreed that confederation

would be highly desirable if acceptable arrangements could be reached and that the issue of

maritime union would be dropped. The conference ended with a trip to Halifax.

Confederation happened in 1867 because they didn't want Britain to dominate Ireland, the

Fenian assaulted the British colonies in 1866. The British North America Act, which united

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the United Canadas (Ontario and Quebec) as a unified

dominion under the British Empire, is credited with bringing about Confederation, as most

Canadians are aware, which happened in 1867. British were concerned that Americans intended

to take more land protected the Fenians from the danger of American expansion during the

1866–1870 raid. Confederation served as their unifying force that the railway served as a means

of defense, commerce, and the deployment of troops to colonies in an emergency. It also aided in

the development of new markets and the unification of the region. (Collins) Approximately 3600

km of track were added to the colonies between 1850 and 1867 and this make Canada nearly

went bankrupt due to financial difficulties, but it was crucial.

The Canadians had a good deal of these resources at their disposal, and they went ashore

at Charlottetown feeling like conquerors. The Maritimers 3 would have resented Canadians and

Canadian methods, but the glitter of a future, the audacious realism of the means, and the surging

vitality of the men who proposed both ends and means swept obstacles aside. Charlottetown was

more than just a Canadian triumph, it was the first appearance of an authentic national spirit.

However, the whole picture is not provided by these facts. Even though Confederation had a

significant impact on women's and Indigenous people daily lives, traditional accounts of the

Confederation story frequently omit these vital voices and viewpoints. Not everyone benefited
3
Maritime Canada (or the Maritimes) includes New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, but not
Newfoundland and Labrador.
from the union of provinces at the time, and other people categorically opposed the idea of

confederation. Confederation4 was linked to a political assassination and had a strong influence

on both US prosperity and expansion as well as global politics. Confederation is examined in this

package through the viewpoints, individuals, and historical events of the era.

REFERENCES:

“Canadian Confederation.” Wikipedia, 12 Dec. 2023,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Confederation .

Canada, Natural Resources. Introduction - Atlantic Canada. 29 Jan. 2019, natural-

resources.canada.ca/environment/resources/publications/impacts-adaptation/reports/
assessments/2008/ch4/10339.

Collins, Rose. “Factors of Confederation.” prezi.com, prezi.com/ywuzo9japhez/factors-of-

confederation.

“Confederation.” The Canadian Encyclopedia,

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/confederation.

Hemmingford, Info. “1866: Not yet a Nation.” Bulletin Communautaire Info Hemmingford, 16
June 2016, infohemmingford.org/en/1866.

P. B. Waite (1962) The Life and times Ofconfederation1864-1867

https://utorontopress.com/9781487584511/the-life-and-times-of-confederation-1864-1867/

4
A confederation is a form of government that loosely unites states or political communities that are otherwise
independent. They are an inherently unstable and weak form of government.