Please research your ‘Father of Confederation’ by answering the following questions:
- Background – education, where they were born and raised (When did they arrive in Canada?)
- Political association / philosophy (beliefs)
- Contribution to Confederation
Due Date: Please post t0 the blog by April 14 Friday @ 12:00 pm
The format to be posted:
Please have the title on the top of your post, this will be your father of Confederation ….. ” John A. Macdonald”
Create Three subheadings underneath:
- Background:
- Political association/philosophy:
- Contribution to Confederation:
Fathers of Confederation
John Hamilton Gray
1.John Hamilton Gray, premier of Prince Edward Island (1863–64), politician, military officer and administrator. Born June 14 1811 in Charlottetown, PEI died August 13 1887 in Charlottetown. Gray got and education from the Island and was followed by schooling in England. John Hamilton Gray’s father settled on Nova Scotia and later moved to Prince Edward Island in 1787. Both men came to British North America as Loyalist refugees in the wake of the American Revolution.
2.Gray, an elder of St. James Church of Scotland in Charlottetown, rode the controversy into the House of Assembly, winning a seat in 1858 for the Conservatives. Gray played a role in attempting to resolve a unending political pre-occupation on how to take control of Island land from resident and absentee landlords with large holdings. Gray, who became premier in 1863, passed compromise legislation that give tenants the right to purchase their leaseholds from landlords who agreed to be bound by the legislation.
3.John Hamilton Gray became interested in the of colonial union as a way to obtain greater trading potential with Britain and the United States. As premier, Gray hosted the Charlottetown Conference in September 1864, convened to discuss a union between Prince Edward Island with its Maritime neighbors. Delegates from the Province of Canada changed the focus to a Confederation of all of British North America’s colonies. Gray supported the Confederation scheme at the Québec Conference in October 1864.
Edward Palmer
Edward Palmer was born in Charlottetown. He was born on September 1, 1809 and died in November 3, 1889. His father was James Bardin Palmer who was an Irish born attorney(died in 1833). Edward studied law in this fathers office. He entered the Bar in 1830. When he entered the political scene on the island, he won a Family Compact stronghold in 1834. He also quickly established himself as a leading Tory spokesman in the Assembly. Palmer believed that he “had always been an advocate for the rights of proprietors”. Palmer opposed confederation because he believed, like most islanders at the time, confederation would not benefit Prince Edward Island until he changed his mind by 1873. Confederation marked the end of Palmer’s career as a politician. Palmer had been a Premier of PE in 1859-1863, a politician, judge, lawyer and land agent.
Edward Whelan
1. In Edward Whelan’s early years, he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia from Ballina, Ireland with his mother at the age of seven, growing up in Halifax he was highly influenced by a man named Joseph Howe which who he worked for until 1842. In the summer of 1843, Whelan decided to move to Prince Edward Island to start working with a different printing office. Edward worked as a printing apprentice and his father Richard Baptist O’Brien was an Irish priest. He was also educated at St Mary’s School in Halifax. Edwards influences made him abandon his studies at age 18 and became an editor of “The Register,” an Irish-Catholic Liberal newspaper.
2. In August 1846, Whelan was elected as an assemblyman for St. Peters in Kings County. He stayed as an assemblyman till the last year of his life. Critics announced that Whelan’s voice lacked the passion and genius that was in his printed work. Later in 1846, Whelan went to embark on another newspaper venture named the Examiner. This newspaper nearly failed but he managed to keep it going. In 1850, he spent lots of time speaking at meeting regarding the government, this led Whelan to rise in status. Later on, Whelan got awarded as being the “Queen’s Printer.”
3. Whelan supported confederation as he saw an opportunity for Prince Edward Island to gain more control of its affairs. Whelan was one of the people chosen to be part of the Quebec Conference. Edward attending the conference made him an even stronger proponent. Whelan complained in 1866 that he had never been given so much abuse as over this issue. The following year, he suffered electoral defeat for the first time. The Liberals won an election over a horribly divided Conservative party. Several factors made Whelan have defeat, and Confederation was one of them.
Andrew Archibald Macdonald
1. Andrew was a politician and a businessman. He was born on February 14 1829 in Brundenell Point P.E; he died on 21 march 1912 in Ottawa. He was tutored privately.
2. Andrew Archibald Macdonald won a seat in Prince Edward Island House of Assembly for the Liberal party, representing Georgetown. He favoured peaceful land reform that would end the island’s leasehold system. He became leader of opposition in 1864. In 1867 he became a member of the Executive Council where he stayed till 1873.
3. Andrew was one of five island delegates sent to the Charlottetown Conference. He was one of seven representatives sent to the Quebec Conference in 1864. He suggested that each province should have equal representation in the Proposed Federal House. Andrew played a small role in deliberations. BY the end of Quebec Conference he argued that P.E.I. would not gain much from a union since it would be taxed at provincial and federal union. He converted to confederation after the Railway debt.
Amrit Kooner 1-3
William Alexander Henry
1. Henry was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, shorty afterward ,his family moved to Antigonish.He attended Halifax high school then he studied law and was admitted to the bar.He went on to practise law in both Halifax and Antigonish. He married Sophia McDonald in 1841, and she died in 1845. He remarried in 1850 to Christianna McDonald. Henry had eight children, including one with his first wife, Sophia.
2. William Henry entered politics in 1840 as the Liberal member for Antigonish in Nova Scotia’s House of Assembly. He would hold the seat for most of the next 27 years. The only exception was his defeat in 1843; he was returned to his seat after winning the 1847 election on his backing of responsible government.Henry was appointed to the provincial Cabinet in 1852, as minister without portfolio, became solicitor general in 1854 and provincial secretary in 1856. However, he stepped down in 1856 owing to a dispute over the dismissal of the exciseman at the Port of Halifax.
3. William Henry initially expressed little enthusiasm for Nova Scotia joining a proposed Maritime Union. He was also not a proponent for a broader merger of British North American colonies. However, Henry changed his mind after attending the Charlottetown Conference in September 1864. He attended with Premier Charles Tupper, Opposition Leader Adams George Archibald and several other politicians.After hearing the vision for Canadian Confederation, Henry became convinced that federal union offered the best means for Nova Scotia to grow economically. Henry attended the next two Confederation conferences and enthusiastically promoted the movement at home. He reputedly helped draft the British North America Act in London, England.
1)Sir Charles Tupper was born on July 2,1821 in Amherst, Nova Scotia.He was the oldest of three sons and his parents’ names were Miriam Lockhart Lowe and Charles Tupper. To further his education, Tupper attended Horton Academy and Acadia College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He also studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He then went on to receive an M.D. degree in 1843.
2)Tupper entered the world of politics in 1855.He won the election in Nova Scotia as a Conservative Representative. In 1857, he entered the Cabinet of Premier J.W. Johnston of Nova Scotia as the provincial secretary.He also served as premier of the province. He defeated Joseph Howe, the Liberal Party leader in Nova Scotia. He was also well known for persuading the British Government to grant more independence for local affairs for the colonies. Tupper also won the reelection to the Liberals after they gained power back in 1860.As Premier, he worked to establish railroads and a system of nonreligious public schools. He also introduced the school act, which meant that schools would be financially supported with tax funds.
3)Tupper was delegate from Nova Scotia at the conferences that led to confederation, the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences. The Nova Scotia, which Tupper led,approved the plan for confederation.When the Liberals gained power back in 1867, Tupper was elected to the Canadian House of Commons.The next year, Tupper went to British Parliament and argued about Nova Scotia Not leaving the Dominion. Tupper went to Sir John A. Macdonald and asked if Joseph Howe could have a Cabinet position. By getting Howe on the Dominion government, Tupper assisted in ending the anti-confederation movement in Nova Scotia.
John Hamilton grey
Back ground
John H Gray was born June 14 1811 in Charlettown and died august 13 1887. John Hamilton Grey was sent to England for his education. Grey spent his early adult years serving in the English army in South Africa and India he ended his service as a captain of the 7th dragoon guards
Political association or philosophy
John Hamilton Gray was part the PEI conservative party and an elder of the Church of Scotland in Charlettown. gray was part of the movement in PEI to reduce the absentee land owners with large amounts of land, we have a similar problem hear in Vancouver with absentee land owners why buy houses hear.
Contribution to Confederation
Grey wanted to open more trade rotes with England and the United States. Grey hosted the Charlettown conference in 1864 with the hopes of uniting the Canadian colonies and creating a union. Grey was a very large supporter of the confederation movement once again at the Quebec conferences in 1864
Sir Hector-Louis Langevin
1. Sir Hector-Louis Langevin was born August 25, 1826. He was one of thirteen children and received religious education. Langevin was born and grew up in Québec City, Lower Canada and was a part in the rising middle class. He studied law under Augustin-Norbert Morin and George-Étienne Cartier. Langevin’s interests were mainly politics.
2. Hector Langevin was opposed to radicalism and the annexation to the United States. Instead, he spoke out about the confederation of the British North American colonies. Langevin was a politician, lawyer and a journalist. In 1856, Langevin was elected to the municipal council of Québec. Shortly after in 1858, he became mayor of Québec and stayed in the office until 1861. In 1857-58, he was sent to the Legislative Assembly, as a member of Parti Bleu and represented Dorchester. After confederation, Langevin was connected to the Pacific Scandal and was not in the next federal election. He later tried to rejoin into politics but was held back by an election. Langevin was also a trusted administrator in Sir John A. McDonald’s government and an enthusiastic federalist.
3. Langevin was a member of the Great Coalition and because of this, he defended the position of Québec, Québec’s interests and the French-speaking Canadians at the Charlottetown and Québec conferences of 1864. He thought that Canada East was a distinct society and that French Canadians were their own people who needed to be defended. He refused anything that made Québec more inferior to the French Canadians as he thought that Confederation meant that all of them would be equal and not Canada East and Canada West, or English Canadians and French Canadians. During the Confederation conference, his arguments and speeches showed people he was very passionate about this subject.
John A. Macdonald was the first prime minister of Canada. He was born January 10, 1815 in Glasgow Britain. He was brought to Upper Canada by his parents when he was 5 years old. He spent his childhood growing up in Kingston, Lennox and Addington County. He attended the Midland District Grammer School, as well as a private school in Kingston where he was educated in Rhetoric, Latin, Greek, grammer, arithmetic and geography. At age 15 he became the apprentice of a prominent Kingston lawyer. At 17 he managed a branch legal office in Napanee by himself, and at 19 he opened his office in Kingston. Two years later he was called to the Law Society of Upper Canada. He took part in the attack on the rebels at Montgomery’s Tavern in 1837. in 1837 he defended accused rebels and gained public notice. He practised law for the rest of his life, primarily in commercial law. He started dealing in real estate in the 1840’s ], and acquired land in many parts of the province. He was also appointed director of many companies. He became the prime minister of Canada in 1867 when the British North America was passed. He died June 6 1891 from a stroke.
William Henry Pope
Background:
William Henry Pope was born on May 29, 1825, Central Bedeque P.E.I and he died on October 7, 1879 in St. Eleanors , P.E.I Summerside. Pope was an Independent Politician. William studied in Prince Edward Island and then moved to England where he studied law in London in the Inner Temple. When he returned to Charlottetown, he studied law at the office of Edward Palmer. William was a politician, journalist, lawyer, judge and land agent. He also became involved in timber trades and shipbuilding.
Politician:
When the Tories took to the office in 1859, they appointed Pope to be the colonial secretary. Pope was not elected to the office in the 1850s, In the same year William became editor of the Islander which was the most important newspaper in the colony. Pope became involved in a series of verbal exchanges with Roman Catholic writers. The Conservatives tried but failed to make peace with the local Catholic bishop.
Confederation:
Pope became one of the most committed pro-Confederation politicians and he also became involved in timer trade and shipbuilding. He was the leading Conservative politician in the 1830s and the 1840s. He attended the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences. Confederation was very unpopular locally and Pope got involved in a conflict within his party over this issue. Pope resigned as executive councilor and colonial secretary in 1866 and never stood for elective office again.
1. Georges-Étienne Cartier born 6th September, 1814 at Saint-Antoine-Sir-Richelieu and was Baptized at birth. He was one of the sons of Jacque Cartier and Marguerite Paradis. The family also once stated that Saint-Malo a famous French navigator was a distant ancestor. Georges father worked as a salt and fish merchant while his brother worked in grain trading and one also represented Consistently of Surrey. George-Étienne Cartier name comes from a Sovereign of that time, George III. Being raised in Saint- Antoine there was no school, he was home schooled and then enter the college of Montreal. After few years he started to train in the office of Edouard-Etheine.
2. Georges-Étienne Cartier was a very important French political figure he worked during 1834 election behalf Louis-Joseph Papineau. He was also a secretary of Commite Centeral et Permanet du district de Montréal. When the rebellion of 1837 had occurred he one of the leaders among patriots and later he had to run away to Pittsburgh returning a year after. He had a good lawyer career from 1838 to 1848 where after in 1848 he was elected a member of Legislative Assembly of United Canada. He took Much interest in public Affair and had become the most influential man of Lower Canada section because the retirement of La Fontaine. Also as the Prime minister he was behind many legislative measures.
3. The fight for Confederation was always a French matter and Georges Cartier was a major leader. Cartier party battled to break up the Union and to have a province with a French Majority and had succeeded. He soon had a big chance to make confederation happen because he was a long time solicitor of the Grand Trunk Railway he convinced the Mari-timers that the inter colonial railway would help defend them from United States and help connect them with the Pacific Ocean.
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Sir Hector Louis Langevin
Background
Sir Hector Louis Langevin was born August 25th 1826 in Quebec City and was born in a family with 13 children, and he was part of a rising middle class family. his education was mostly religious and he studied law later in his life under Augustin-Norbert Morin and George-Étienne Cartier, though, he had already taken on journalism as a hobby and worked under people as an editor. Langevin started to become very interested in politics and started to show it in his work by it reveal him to be a cautious nationalist.
Political Association
Langevin had been elected to the municipal council in 1856, he had been elected as mayor of Quebec City in 1858-1861, he had been sent to the Legislative Assembly to represent Dorchester as a member of the Parti Bleu, he served as a solicitor general, and also served as head of the St. John Baptiste Society. After Confederation, he had taken a break from politics, for a couple of years, but he attempted to return to the life he had before, but it was delayed due to a contested election. After all of this, he became Macdonald’s right hand man and lead the post office and later on the public works.
Contribution to Confederation
Back when he used to do journalism as a regular thing, he wrote arguments that would eventually be used by the Fathers of Confederation. Later in life, he was a part of: The Great Coalition, both conferences in Quebec and Charlottetown, and the London conference in 1866. His main goal of confederation was to defend the interests of his country and protect the rights of French Canadians. He was very distrustful of the English. Since he wanted his people to keep their traditions and culture, he wanted to have a federal system run the country. Finally, he influenced his colleagues to take on and respect the 72 resolutions
Sir Adamds George Archibald
1. Adams George Archibald was born in Truro,Nova Scotia son of Samuel Archibald and Elizabeth Archibald. He studied at Pictou Academy a non-sectarian school that specialized in liberal science. Archibald studied science under Thomas Mcculloch. Archibald later moved to Halifax as a young man and started studying medicine under Dr. Edward Carritt. Archibald soon changed directions and trained as a lawyer and earned his commission as a notary public. Archibald married Elizabeth Burn Yeat and had three girls and one boy.
2. In 1851 Archibald set aside his legal career to enter politics. In 1854 Archibald opposed universal male suffrage which had been introduced by James William Johnston but that year Nova Scotia became the first British North America colony to introduce universal male suffrage. After serving as solicitor general 1856–57 and attorney general 1860–63 in the Nova Scotia assembly Archibald succeeded Joseph Howe as a provincial liberal leader in 1863. Archibald found common ground with conservative premier Charles Tupper in supporting free compulsory education. Arhibald later on established a school in Truro.
3. Archibald was a strong supporter of confederation and with Charles Tupper invitation to he the Charlottetown conference in september in 1864 where the idea was first proposed to the maritime colonies. In 1866 Archibald publicly defended confederation against the attacks of Joseph Howe and William Annand its most prominent detractors in Nova Scotia. He did not agree with all of the financial terms of union but he accepted them arguing in the legislature that the province would be able to gain concessions from the federal government once Confederation was established. Archibald’s contributions to Confederation were recognized in 1867 when he was appointed to Sir John A Macdonald federal cabinet as secretary of state. He lost his seat in the 1867 election to anti-Confederate Archibald McLelan and resigned in a wave of Nova Scotian opposition to Confederation. later when Joseph Howe joined Macdonald’s government in 1869 sentiment towards Confederation shifted in Nova Scotia and Archibald won the federal seat in Colchester County in 1869 by election after McLelan was appointed to the Senate.
George Brown
Background
George Brown raised in Edinburgh, George immigrated with his father to New York in 1837. They moved to Toronto in 1843 and began a paper, the Banner, for Upper Canadian Presbyterians. The next year, Brown launched the Toronto Globe to back Reform efforts for responsible government.
Political Association
Brown helped win the Reformers’ victory of 1848, and made his Globe a vigorous force in Upper Canada. New issues rising in church-state relations (notably Catholic demands for state-aided separate schools) led him into the Assembly as member for Kent in 1851, where he sat as an independent Reformer.Moreover, in 1853 he supported the idea of representation by population, which would give the more populous Upper Canada a majority of seats in the legislature. Beset by sectional strains, the Reform regime collapsed in 1854. The Liberal-Conservatives took office, while Brown sought to rebuild the Reform Party.In the interest of Reform unity, he won over the Clear Grit radicals, strong in rural Upper Canada, whom he had formerly opposed for their sweeping American-style democracy. In January 1857, a reorganized Upper Canadian Reform Party adopted Brown’s policies of “rep by pop” and annexation of the Northwest, the fur trade expanse beyond the Great Lakes. This potent combination of Toronto leadership, the Globe’s influence and agrarian Grit numbers helped Brown’s Reform party sweep the Upper Canada elections of late 1857. The Upper Canada leader then steered a Reform Convention in 1859 in Toronto to discuss the federal union of the Canadas as a remedy for sectional division. Yet his concept did not carry Parliament, and in 1861, ill and temporarily defeated, he withdrew to recuperate.
Contribute to confederation
A restored, deeply happy Brown returned to politics in 1863 as member for South Oxford. Here he explored more conciliatory means to achieve reform of the Union.On the same day that a last, ineffectual Conservative ministry broke down, Brown offered to support a new government ready to pursue constitutional changes. In consequence, he joined with his chief Conservative rivals John A. Macdonald, Alexander Tilloch Galt and George-Étienne Cartier, to form a coalition that would seek a federal union of all the British provinces or, failing that, of the Canadas.Through this strong new coalition, stemming from Brown’s crucial initiative, the movement to Confederation surged ahead. He played a major role at the Charlottetown Conference and the Québec Conference, which formulated the plan; he was first to carry it to the British government in December 1864, and spoke compellingly for it in the 1865 Confederation debates in the Canadian Assembly. In December 1865, however, he resigned from the coalition Cabinet over internal dissensions.
Peter Mitchell
Peter Mitchell was born on January 4, 1824 in Newcastle New Brunswick and died October 25, 1899. His father was Peter Mitchell who immigrated to New Brunswick from Scotland in 1818 and settled on the Miramichi River. Peter was a lawyer and shipbuilder. He was educated at the Newcastle Grammar school before he apprenticed with the law office of George Kerr and was the Premier of New Brunswick in 1867 and was instrumental in bringing the colony into Confederation. Peter entered Politics in 1852 by-election and he became known for his headstrong personality and unwillingness to compromise with his opponents. In 1856 he emphasized his opposition to prohibition legislation, Peter married Isabella Gough in 1853 and had one daughter and the marriage brought Mitchell new connections that furthered his business interests in the shipbuilding and lumber trades.
`Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee
Background
Thomas D’Arcy Mcgee was born in April,13,1825 in carlingford Ireland.
He was born in a small coastal village in eastern Ireland.
His Career
In the United States, he achieved prominence in Irish American circles and founded and edited the New York Nation and the American Celt (Boston). After 1851, however, he veered increasingly toward the opposite pole, espousing an ultramontane conservatism. He accused the Americans of hostile and expansionist motives toward Canada and of desiring to spread its republican ideas over all of North America. McGee worked energetically for continued Canadian devotion. In 1857, he set up the publication of the New Era in Montreal, Quebec. In his editorials and pamphlets he attacked the influence of the Orange Order and defended the Irish Catholic right to representation in the assembly. McGee became the minister of agriculture, immigration, and statistics in the Conservative government which was formed in 1863.On 7 April 1868, McGee participated in a parliamentary debate that went on past midnight.McGee was opening the door to Trotter’s Boarding House in Ottawa when he was shot by someone waiting for him on the inside.
Charles Tupper
Charles Tupper was born in a small farm near Amherst. His father was a co-pastor and his mother was a “pious, devout woman”.He had six siblings,three girls and three boys with two of the girls who died in infancy. His education was mainly at his own home but did go to grammar school when he was young. In August of 1837 he had entered Horton Academy In Wolfville. Charles was fairly proficient in Latin and Greek he had also acquired a reading knowledge of French and a smattering of Science. After going to the Horton Academy he had entered the University of Edinburgh after studying there for awhile he received his diploma from The Royal College Of Surgeons Of Edinburgh on April 20th,1843, later on that year he had gotten his MD on August 1st. He had been encouraged to run for a seat in NS by a family friend and James Williams Johnston as a conservative, After joining the conservatives and taking power on February 14,1857 he had become a provincial secretary and Johnston had become a premier. He believed that Nova Scotia had to have a better railway system and that railways would make the province’s major port city Halifax. Once premier Tupper championed both Maritime and British North America union. Charles had argued that joining Canada would strengthen Nova Scotia’s commercial sector and provide the colony with greater influence in Canada and the broader British Empire. In 1864 tupper focused on what seemed to be more achievable goal of maritime union, Canadian representatives joined Tupper at the Charlottetown conference and quickly turned from Maritime Union to Confederation. Tupper envisioned a centralized federal union that would reserve significant independence for the provinces. After much political work and in the teeth of strong opposition from Joseph Howe a strong anti-confederation voice.
Robert Barry Dickey
Background
He was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Most of his education is from Truro Grammar School and Windsor Academy. He Studied law at the age of 15. He was accepted into the Nova Scotia bar and in 1835 was accepted in the New Brunswick Bar.
Political association
Robert Barry Dicky was appointed to the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia in 1858, he was in it until 1867. He had gained opposition from lots of people. Wilkins said he didn’t have the people’s confidence. He was like the consular agent for the U.S.A. He was made a Queen’s Counsel in 1863.
Confederation
He was invited to represent Nova Scotia as a Conservative delegate and Quebec Conference in 1864. He was opposed against confederation because he thought it would be bad because thought it would be bad for Nova Scotia and that it would affect the financial situation if there was a confederation. He not wanting to confederation caused him to not be able to go to the London Conference. He would only join confederation if Nova Scotia would get better terms. Eventually he had to join confederation out of fear of annexation from Canada
George Brown
1. George Brown (November 29, 1818 – May 9, 1880) was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, a politician who was raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brown immigrated with his father to New York in 1837. They then moved to Toronto in 1843.
2. Brown helped win the Reformers’ victory of 1848 and made his Globe a force in Upper Canada. The new issues that were rising in church relations led Brown into the Assembly as member for Kent in 1851, where he sat as an independent Reformer. In 1853 he supported the idea of representation by population, which gave Upper Canada a majority of seats in the legislature. Beset by sectional strains, the Reform regime collapsed in 1854. The Liberal-Conservatives took office, while Brown thought to rebuild the Reform Party. Since George was interested in the reform unity he won over the Clear Grit radicals who he had formerly opposed for their sweeping American-style democracy.
3. Brown joined with his chief Conservative rivals John A. Macdonald, Alexander Tilloch Galt and George Etienne Cartier, to form a coalition that would seek a federal union of all the British provinces or, failing that, of the Canadas. Through this strong new coalition, stemming from Brown’s crucial initiative, the movement to the Confederation surged ahead. He played a major role at the Charlotte and Quebec Conference. He was the first one to carry the Great Coalition to the British government in December 1864 and spoke for it in the Confederation in the year 1865 debates in the Canadian Assembly. In December 1865, however, Brown resigned from the coalition over internal dissensions.
William Henry Steeves
1.Background
-William Henry Steeves born in May 20,1814 and died in December 9,1873. Steeves was born and raised in Hillsbrough, New Brunswick, Steeves was educated in a piblic school which later he finished the University of Edinburgh, and a prominent early educator in the colony. then he began his career in a small store, later he worked at a lumber exporting business, which was his brothers business. Steeve moved to Saint John, New Brunswick in order to grow the business. He became a leaders to the city financial community.
2.Political Association/Philosophy
-In 1846 Steeves was elected to the New Brunswick house of assembly. He was reelected at the general election of 1850, but only sat for one session. A few years later Steeves was appointed to the Legislative Council in December 1851. In 1852 he was offered the position of surveyor general by the governor, Sir Edmund Head, in 1855 Steeves became the chair man of the Department of Public Works. He took a short time out of the office when the government led by Fisher and Samuel Leonard Tilley was defeated over the unpopular prohibition act.
3.Contribution to the Confederation
Steeves was a New Brunswick delegate at the Charlottetown conference in September 1864. Steevs was also a delegate to the Quebec conference in October 1864 when the terms of confederation were discussed. In these meetings he supported Sir Leonard Tilley, there is no record of his having made any speeches of importance. As a reward for his support of confederation, in 1867 Steeves was called to the Canadian Senate as one of the original 12 senators for New Brunswick.
John Mercer Johnson
1. John Mercer Johnson was born in Liverpool, England on October 1818. Johnson immigrated Chatham, New Brunswick, in 1821, three years after his father. He was admitted to the Bar as an attorney in 1838 and as a barrister two years later. He died on November 8 1868 in Chatham New Brunswick.
2. Johnson was active in numerous local organizations, including a debating society and a temperance movement group called the Union Lodge of Good Templars. He was first elected to the New Brunswick Assembly in July 1850 and was considered a liberal who supported calls for responsible government. He developed a reputation as strong as a speaker whose colourful debating style led to equally colourful insults from such opponents as newspaper publisher Timothy Anglin, who called Johnson “a pothouse brawler and swaggerer.” Alternately, pro-Confederation ally Samuel Leonard Tilley observed that “a more intimate acquaintance with him will not diminish your respect for his talents and gentlemanly bearings.”
3. Johnson was chosen to serve as part of New Brunswick’s delegation to the Charlottetown conference in September 1864. He favoured a legislative union instead of a federal one. He also had ideas as to which province might be dissolved under confederation. Johnson realized that legislative union would not work so he switched his support to a strong central government the following month at the Quebec conference. Barely defeated by anti-Confederation forces in the 1865 New Brunswick election, Johnson topped the polls when he was returned to the Assembly the following year. He was among the colony’s five representatives at the London Conference in December 1866.
Fathers of Confederation
Johnathan McCully
1.Johnathan McCully was born July,25,1809 and died January,2,1877.Johnathan was born and rain in Cumberland county, He was the fifth of nine children.He join the one-room school house he was teaching between 1828 and 1830 to earn the study of law.
2.In 1848 Johnathan got appointed by Nova Scotia premier Joseph Howe.Johnathan held the position until 1867.He held variety of office related to building the railway in the province.In 1853 he was appointed to judge and support Howe’s rail way project,including the the building of the line form Halifax to Truro,and ran the Nova scotia railway form 1860 to 1863.
3.Johnathan was persuaded of the merits of confederation at the Charlottetown Conference of 1864,a conversation that was received with some cynicism by his colleagues in Nova Scotia.He was not a supported to be apart of the Charlottetown Conference,but he was chosen by Charles Tupper as a replacement when one of their team mate withdraw last minute.TUpper valued the support the McCully gave him because the was the former teacher, in the face of Nova Scotia business.
Edward Palmer
Background:.
Edward Palmer was born on September 1, 1809 in Charlottetown, and died on November 3, 1889. He was born and lived in Canada for most his life and the son of James Bardin Palmer. He attended a local school called Alexander Brown’s grammar school and then, later studied law in his father’s office. After studying in his fathers office he entered political life on the Islands winning Family compact stronghold.
Political association/philosophy:
Edward Palmer had represented Charlottetown without interruption until 1870. He did this first in the House of Assembly and then, later in the Legislative Council. In 1849 he became Conservative leader in the assembly and was against responsible government. He ensued Liberal Legislative, like the Free Education Act in 1852. Also, the Franchise bill in 1853. Edward was in need of a political strategy so, he divided the liberals and their base of popular support.
Contributions to Confederation:
In November of 1864 the British North America union brought differences between John Hamilton Gray and Edward Palmer. Gray supported the confederation, but Palmer forcefully was against it. He attended both Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences. After Island delegates went home series of confrontations towards confederation among Conservative leader ends in leaving Palmer and Gray out of reconstituted cabinet. Later he joined a liberal and anti-Confederation government, he like most the Islanders did not know that it would benefit Prince Edward Island.
Robert Duncan Wilmot
Robert Duncan Wilmot was born on October 16, 1809 and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. He died on February 13, 1891. Robert was the son of Tory, a politician. In his late 20s, Robert served in his father’s business in Liverpool. He was also part of industrial construction and directed in the European and North American Railway. In his political career, he first was a representative for Saint John in 1849-50. Robert was well known for switching sides. Campaigning against the Confederation government in 1850 and was an opposer to responsible government. Robert gave solutions to avoid individual legislatures under a strong central government. He also served as a provincial secretary in 1856 to 1857. During Confederation, Robert was involved in the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly. His objective was to bring New Brunswick under one union. He believed that Québec Resolutions was creating a weak central government, yet realized that they would never accept a high central government. His spot in Confederation was slowly slipping. Later on, Robert had been exclude from the Québec trade talks. Before leaving, Gordon tried to make him stay, he supposed that Robert’s views gave the pro-Confederation a way that would help destabilize the government. Robert resigned on April, 1866. Through the matters of confederation about the role of the central government, Robert played a role in undermining the anti-Confederation government, he assisted and helped New Brunswick into a new union.
George Brown
Background
George Brown was born 29 November 1818 in Alloa, Scotland and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, an evangelical Presbyterian, who was committed to civil and religious liberty, progress, and laissez-faire economics. He immigrated with his father to New York in 1837 and they moved to Toronto in 1843. Where they started a newspaper, the Banner, for Upper Canadian Presbyterians. His father provided a good education for his son, who brought similar beliefs to the new world.
Political association/philosophy
George Brown helped win the Reformers’ victory in 1848 and made his Globe a vigorous force in Upper Canada. He’s pronouncements against church-state ties drew favour within its predominantly Anglo-Protestant Upper Canadians half, but animosity in largely French-Catholic Lower Canada. Brown supported the idea of representation by population in 1853, which would give the more populous Upper Canada a majority of seats in the legislature but the Reform regime collapsed in 1854. The Liberal-Conservatives took office, while Brown sought to rebuild the Reform Party.
Contribution to Confederation
George Brown contributed to the Confederation by participating in the Charlottetown Conference in September 1864 and the Québec Conference in October 1864. Brown was the first to carry a plan to the British government in December 1864 and spoke compellingly for it in 1865 Confederation debates in the Canadian Assembly. However, he resigned from the coalition Cabinet over internal dissensions in 1865. Brown chaired an all-party parliamentary committee on reforming the Union, in 1864. Which reported in favour of the “federal principle” to overcome the sectionalism that had brought political deadlock, on June 14.
Confederation Blk:1-4
Charles Fisher
Background:
Charles Fisher was born on August 15, 1808 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He died in December 1880. Fisher was a leading reformer of his day who headed the first responsible government in New Brunswick from 1854-1861. Fisher was educated at Fredericton Collegiate School and KIng’s College. After he received his Bachelor of Arts(BA), he studied law under Attorney General George Frederick Street. He spent a year at Inns of Court in London, England becoming a barrister in 1833. Fisher is married to Amelia Hadfield and had 4 sons and daughters.
Political association:
Charles fisher was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a liberal representative for York county in 1837. He led the Opposition to power, serving as an attorney general. Fisher was elected to the House of Commons in 1867 as a liberal but resigned his seat in 1868 to accept an appointment to the New Brunswick Supreme Court. He was also the head of a reform of a party known as the “Smashers” for its support of prohibition legislation against the wishes of the “Rummies”.
Contribution to Confederation:
Charles Fisher later joined with the other New Brunswick delegates, under the leadership of Samuel Tilley, at the Quebéc and London
conferences, where they contributed to the drafting and completion of the 72 resolutions.
Fisher lost his seat in the assembly when supporters of Confederation were ousted from office in the 1865 elections. His 1866 campaign was equivocal, addressing New Brunswick both for and against Confederation. Fisher was one of five New Brunswick delegates who attended the London Conferences. He also helped draft the British North America Act in 1867.
Sir Ambrose Shea
1. Background – Ambrose Shea was raised in a family of 6 boys and 4 girls. His father was a successful merchant arriving to Newfoundland in the late 1700s. Shea was born in 1815 in St. John’s. Shea was dedicated to expand Newfoundlands economy by construction after he was first elected in the assembly in 1848. For the next 6 years, Shea will speak at the House of Assembly.
2. Political association/philosophy – Ambrose Shea was a very influential politician in the 19th century. He served in the House of Assembly for 34 years. His points and ideas made him a key player, but he never got to be appointed as governor. Shea was very promoted to the island’s colony and it’s development. Shea was also concerned about some of the political issues and obstacles. Unfortunately, Shea was not well-positioned to lead the Liberal Party. Nonetheless, Shea’s contribution did not make changes to the economy until the mid 20th century.
3. Contribution to Confederation – Shea represented Liberal-Catholics in the Quebec Conference along with another delegate; Frederic Carter. Both delegates had trouble convincing the colleagues for their benefits.
A year later, Carter was promoted a premier. Shea and his brother Edward, and John Kent joined the executive of the new government. Shea’s team lost when they led the Pro-confederation candidates. Ambrose Shea for a first, lost his own seat.
William Henry Pope
Backround:
William Henry Pope was born on May 29, 1825, Bedeque, PE. His father, Joseph Pope, emigrated from the English West Country as a adolescent in 1819, and became a Conservative politician during the 1830s and 40s. William was educated on PE, later on in England, learning law in London. He was accepted into the Bar in 1847, and became a land agent for people like retiring Charles Worrell. Due to this, Pope received a bad standing. Later when William’s father-in-law lied to Worrell, that the Liberal government wouldn’t purchase his land, William, along side his co-workers, acquired the property for £14,000. Quickly, they resold the property for £24,100 to the government, a misappropriation that became famous.
Political Association/Philosophy:
William was active in the shadows in the Conservative Party in the 1850s. He was given the role of colonial secretary at the time when the Tories took office in 1859. Later on, Pope was appointed as editor for the most essential Conservative newspaper, “Islander.” His centered journalistic foe was the Liberal Edward Whelan, who described Pope as a frightening man with determination and talent, which later on, became true. During the early 1860s, Pope had got himself into a lineup of jarring verbal trades with Roman Catholic writers on topics like the secular works of the pope. Due to his religion, a Methodist, it’s unlikely for him to give out his views that he had created. But because of the Conservatives’ attempt to make up with the local Catholic bishop, Pope gave journalistic guidance to the Conservatives, which led to victory in the most sour election in 1863. Pope also was able to oppose a tough Protestant group of voters. The status of William before Confederation was one of dishonourable, win-no-matter-the-cost, political operative.
Contribution to Confederation:
Pope had open arms for the joining of the colonies. He accepted that Confederation was unavoidable and that it would supply Islanders with extra help dealing with the leasehold system. He went to the Charlottetown and Québec Conferences, however had to confront that Confederation was very unliked locally. Subsequently, when representatives came back to Québec, Pope got himself into a bitter problem in his group over the matter. Because of this dispute, it led in the emergence of a new Conservative government in 1865, which was being controlled by Williams younger brother, James Colledge Pope, though his role on Confederation was obscure. William then gave up his place as executive councillor and colonial secretary a year later. He stayed as editor of Islander and focused on two main goals, Confederation for the Island and renewal of the Conservative Party, now having a tough, confederate aura. The plan was to encourage argument in the Liberals, which even thou secured victory of the election of 1867, had leadership troubles and were split on land and educational inquiries. He utilized the latter by recommending little financial help to Catholic educational establishment and pressuring Catholics to compel their case. In 1870, the Liberals went over the educational questions with all Catholic legislators. The goal that William had urged for many years, had shown that it was too costly for the Island, which led to it joining thee Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1873.
Father of confederation : Robert Duncan Wilmot
Background:
Robert Duncan Wilmot was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1809 and Died in Sudbury, New Brunswick in 1891 . Wilmot was Raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. He lived In Liverpool, England during his late 20’s.
Education:
Wilmot was a businessman. He assumed a role in his father’s shipping company and spent several years in Liverpool, England as spokesperson for the family business.
Political association/ Philosophy:
He was first Elected to the New Brunswick assembly as the representative for Saint John County and City in October 1846. He served this rate for the next 15 years. Wilmot showed that he liked to switch sides. He campaigned against the conservative government, then accepted the post of surveyor general general with that party, he had a campaign against. He didn’t like the idea of responsible government, he was one that wanted the ballot system. Wilmot was the surveyor general from 1851-1854. He then served as provincial secretary from 1856-1857. He retired from colonial politics and pursued farming.
Contribution to Canada:
Robert Duncan wilmot was anti-confederation and he formed a new administration in 1865. Wilmot’s feelings started to shift about confederation. He believed that the pro-confederation wedge that would further destabilize the government. He resigned in February of 1866.
Cristian Giron
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April 14/17
John William Ritchie
Background/Early life
John William Ritchie was born on the 26th of March 1809 in Annapolis Royal,Nova Scotia. He was born into an important family in nova Scotia that was active in politics and law. His father,Thomas Ritchie was a lawyer later judge that represented Annapolis county in Nova Scotia assembly. His mother wasn’t as popular , but she had brothers and one of them were one of the best and influential lawyers in Nova Scotia.
Ritchie did most of his early education in Annapolis Royal.He was tutored at home before studying in Halifax. His uncle (James William Johnston) who was one of the most if not the best influential lawyer in Halifax. His uncle was also the leader of the Provincial conservative party for 20 years. In 1831 Ritchie became a barrister,he represented a few clients and devoted his time in legal studies.
In 1836 married Amelia Rebecca Almon They had 12 children.
Political Association/Career
Ritchie entered politics in 1836 with the help of his family.
In 1836,he stood for election to the legislative assembly in Annapolis County
but he was defeated.1837, he was appointed law clerk of the legislative council where lots of his families were members. He became a Queen’s Counsel in 1858
In 1859, the Colonial Office appointed Ritchie to a commission to investigate land ownership in P.E.I In 1863, Ritchie was appointed to the Board of Governors of Dalhousie University and held this position to the rest of his life. In 1864, he was appointed to the Legislative Council. He became solicitor general of Nova Scotia and replaced Robert Dickey as leader of the government in the upper house.
Confederation
in 1864. Ritchie supported Confederation for economic reasons.. He believed a united Canada would be stronger. In 1865, he represented Nova Scotia at the Confederate Council.s. Ritchie made his contribution to the negotiations for Canadian Confederation at the London Conference of 1866, where he was one of the Nova Scotia delegates. Ritchie replaced Robert Dickey’s role.
Ritchie helped with the terms for the union of the British North American colonies.
Charles Fisher(father of Confederation)
(1)Member of parliament (1867-68), attorney general of New Bruinswick (1854-56, 1857-61),judge, lawyer, (born 16 September or 15 August 1808 in Fredericton, NB;died 8 December 1880 in Fredericton). Loyalists who settled in New Bruinswick after the American Revolution.
(2)Political association and philosophy:
Elected to the Legislative Assembly as a Liberal representative for York County in 1837.In 1854, he led the Opposition to power, serving as attorney general. He was a reserved man who rarely divulged his plans to others. At the same time, he was praised for his calmness and intellect.
(3)Contribution to Confederation:
-led the first responsible government in New Bruinswick(1854-61) and was the leading constitutional lawyer day.
-attended the Quebec and London conferences
-contributed to the drafting of the British North America Act (1867) as New Bruinswick’s attorney general.
Colonel John Hamilton Gray
Background-
Colonel John Hamilton Gray, son of Robert Gray and and Mary Burns, was born on June 14, 1811 at Prince Edward Island and passed away on August 13, 1887. His father came to Prince Edward Island in 1787 as a United Empire Loyalist during the American Revolution. Gray was educated in Charlottetown and was sent to England to complete it. John Gray was a soldier even more than he was a politician. He served in the British Military before entering P.E.I politics. He joined the 7th Dragoon Guards for the British army in his early twenties for 21 years. Gray married Susan Pennefather and had atleast 2 children. After her death in 1866, he married Sarah Caroline Cambridge and had 3 children.
Political Association/Philosophy-
Gray was a conservative and the Premier of Prince Edward Island from 1863. He resigned in 1864. Gray served as administrative head of Canadian militia on the Island when it joined Conferation in 1873.
Contribution to Confederation-
As premier, Gray hosted the Charlottetown Conferences in September 1864. He had supported the 1860 Land Commision that many Islanders hoped would settle the Prince Edward Island land question. With its failure he looked to colonial Union to solve the matter. However, he faced a lot of opposition to Cofederation from his own party and resigned. He supported the Confederation scheme at Quebec Conference in October 1864.
John Mercer Johnson
Background: John mercer Johnson is a politician and a lawyer, was born on October 1818 in Liverpool, England but died on November 8 1868. Son of John Mercer and Ellen Johnson. He was an immigrant to New Brunswick. He was admitted to the bar for attorney at 1838. He was delegate for New Brunswick at the Charlottetown, Quebec and London conferences.
Political association/philosophy: was first elected to the New Brunswick assembly. He had a good reputation on strong speaker. Later he served as solicitor general in Charles Fisher’s government from 1854 to 1856. He was accused for taking home “money he never earned” because his clerks do so much work for him. He occupied the post of postmaster in June 1857 but then was resign November 1858 because of his lax management style he remained a speaker until 1862, when Tilley appointed him attorney general, a role he held for three years.
Contribution to confederation: He was chosen to serve as part of New Brunswick’s delegation to the Charlottetown conference in September 1864. He favoured a legislative union instead of a federal one. He suggested it would benefit Prince Edward Island to become “ the partner in the land of New Brunswick”. He also believed that the judicial system should be controlled by the federal government.
(ps. I got mixed up with the time I thought 12 pm was at midnight but when I realized I was wrong it was already late I apologize for my late work I hope you would still accept it)
Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt
Background:
Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt was born on September 6, 1817. He was the third son of John and Elizabeth Galt. In 1824, Alexander was enrolled to a new Anglican Seminary In Chambly, Lower Canada. His father John Galt was an amazing history and fiction writer, to pay for each of his son’s debts. Alexander Galt emigrated to Sherbrooke in 1835 to work for the British American land company..
Political Association/Philosophy:
Galt went into politics to be a representative in Sherbrooke, getting a seat in the legislature. He resigned, but later re-entered politics by an election in 1843. Railroads brought Galt closer to the conservatives. He was a minister of finance but later resigned after the government rejected $500,000 to be given to a struggling bank.
Contribution for Confederation:
He wanted a federal union so that Ontario and Quebec would get separate legislatives. With help from the coalition government to forward a federal union plan. He was sent to England in 1865-1866 to negotiate the plans for the British North American plan.
Thomas Heath Haviland
He was born in 13/11/1822, he was born to a rich family and belonged to the family compact. He was born in Charlottetown but his dad was from England. His dads name was Thomas Heath Haviland, and his mothers was Anne Elizabeth grubbe. He had a privileged upbringing, for elementary he went to a school in Charlottetown and after he had finished elementary he went to boarding school. When he came back he began to study law and became a lawyer. His father was part of the family compact and so was he. He believed in responsible government and wanted confederation to happen in order to prevent American annexation. He favored confederation because of the constant fear of the U.S taking over. He attended the Quebec conference and helped negotiate P.E.I. entry to confederation in 1873. He held many positions in The Family Compact including, colonial secretary of P.E.I., speaker of the house, and also solicitor general. He was also a colonel in the island militia.
James Cockburn
1. James Cockburn, the son of a merchant, was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. When his family immigrated to Lower Canada in 1832, his father settled them in Montréal. Cockburn’s mother moved the family to Toronto. There, Cockburn was educated at Upper Canada College. He went on to study law and gained admission to the Bar of Upper Canada in 1846. He then moved to Cobourg, where he practised law and participated in various business endeavours. By 1866, he was nearly bankrupt after his business affairs ran into difficulties. He never restored his financial position throughout the rest of his life.
2. Though James Cockburn wasn’t a prominent lawyer and proved to be a poor businessman, he did see some success in politics. He served on the Cobourg Town Council from 1855 to 1856 and again from 1858 to 1859. His reputation as an honest man who dealt fairly with local matters presented him as a strong candidate for the Legislative Council.In 1861, Cockburn was elected as an independent candidate to represent Northumberland West in the Legislative Assembly, defeating John A. Macdonald’s postmaster general. Cockburn was a strong nationalist and expressed his desire to see all political parties united in common interest. This leaning allowed him to empathize with Macdonald, who saw the need to unite the provinces.In 1863, he was elected by acclamation as a Liberal-Conservative, and in the following year he won a by-election. He was appointed solicitor general in March 1864.
3. As a member of the Great Coalition, James Cockburn was an attending delegate at the Québec Conference in 1864. Cockburn endorsed representation by population, but he wanted unity of political opinion for it to be achieved. However, Cockburn’s contributions to the proceedings in Québec, and his participation in debates on Confederation in the Legislative Assembly, are negligible. Documentation from the period indicates that he barely spoke a word. Despite his silence, during the delegation tour following the Québec Conference, Cockburn went to Cobourg. This stop is predominantly seen as a move to please the local delegate, who at that point was a loyal supporter of John A. Macdonald.
WILLIAM PEARCE HOWLAND
William was Born in 1811 in Pauling new York, William Holland was educated at Kinder hook. In 1830 he settled in cooksville,upper Canada, and became a naturalized British subject in 1841. He operated Lamb ton Mills and later a grocery business in Toronto. In 1852 he acquired a grist mill, sawmill, and general store in Klein wood, whose operations he left to his brother Henry Stark Holland .In 1857, Holland became a Member of the legislative assembly of the province of Canada, and later served in the cabinet as Minister of Finance, Receiver General, postmaster and Minister of Finance. He became a Member of Parliament in 1867 and was Minister of Inland revenue from 1867 to 1868. He was created a C.B., 1867. Holland was appointed Ontario’s second lieutenant governor in 1868 and served until 1873. He was created a K.C.M.G., 1879. He was knighted in 1879 and died in Toronto in 1907. He is buried in Toronto’s St, James cemetery.
SIr John Alexander Macdonald-True Father of Confederation
Background:
– Was born in January 10 or 11 1815 in Glasgow Scotland
– Hugh Macdonald and Helen Shaw was his parents- Margaret Madonald, Loo
– Grew up in Kingston
– Attended Midland District Grammar School
– Knows Latin, Greek, grammar, arithmetic and geography
– Married his first spouse Isabella Clark 1843-1857, had two sons Hugh John Macdonald and John Alexander Macdonald Jr.
– Married his second spouse Susan Agnes 1867-1891, had one daughter Margaret Mary Theodora Macdonald
– Died in June 6 1891 in Ottawa
Political Association:
– Lawyer- Focused on Commercial Law and studied law for the rest of his life
– Businessman- He began to be involved in real estate in 1840, has taken many parts of land in the province
– Politician- He entered politics as an alderman in Kingston 1843-1846
– Was elected to represent Kingston in 1844 at the age of 29
– First Prime Minister of Canada in (1867-73, 1878-91)
– Oversaw the expansion of the Dominion from sea to sea
Contribution to Confederation:
– Created the British North America Act and union of provinces which made Canada
– Inspired the provinces to unite due to the coalition of the Clear Grits and the Bleus in 1867
– First Prime Minister of Canada