Introduction:

The first step of the project is figuring out what nationalism is. We had to define what a nation is and what nationalism is. Here is what I said:

Nation: a large body of people untied by common descent, history, culture, or language inhabiting a particular country or territory. 

Nationalism: identification of one’s own nation and support for it’s interest, especially to the exclusion or detriment of other nations.

Then, we looked into how Nationalism has played a role in Canadian history… 

How has Nationalism Played a Role in Canada’s History?

Nationalism has played a massive role in Canada’s history and in the journey to confederation. Economic factors such as building a railway and a need for more infrastructure for the increase of people were critical because if BC joined confederation, then Canada would be able to give them a railway and more infrastructure. BC also united all of Canada and offered protection against American expansionism.  

An Example of Canadian Nationalism 🇨🇦:

The video is 25 years old, but I think that it resonates with life today. It shows unique parts about our country and shows that we’re not just different from America, but better. 

Why Join Confederation (or not):

The main reason that the people of British Columbia wanted to join confederation was because of the railway that Canada would give them so they could have access to more resources and the infrastructure that they would need to accommodate the influx of people that were moving to BC. The railway would also bring a wider Canadian market, this would be important because Ottawa’s absorption of debt looked good to British Columbians and they it would give them an opportunity to become richer. Joining Canada would also offer a national identity and they would become stronger as a nation.

Some people didn’t want to join confederation. The old British elite in Victoria and New Westminster opposed joining Canada. They were scared that they would lose their jobs and their pensions if they became a province with a fully elected legislature. People with ties to the HBC (Hudson’s Bay Company), also didn’t want to join Canada because they wanted to maintain their connection with the British.

Final Product:

Conclusion:

In conclusion, nationalism has played a significant role in making our country what it is today. Thank you for reading this blog post!