The Canadian Pacific
A railway built to hold a country together
See it on the timeline →In depth
British Columbia joined Canada in 1871 on one condition: that a railway be built across the continent within ten years. The railway is the physical precondition for Canada becoming a country from sea to sea rather than being absorbed southward. As soon as it was finished, Canada imposed a head tax on Chinese immigrants — the same people who had built it — raised it twice, and banned the immigration outright in 1923. The route ran through land that had not been ceded, and the numbered treaties were negotiated under pressure while construction went on.
For children
Canada promised British Columbia a railway to the Pacific if the province would join the country. It was built through the Rockies by Chinese labourers under extremely dangerous conditions — several hundred died.
Sources
- Berton, The Last Spike (1971)
- Bibliothèque et Archives Canada: Chinese head tax registers
Report a correction
Found something that does not hold? Tell us — sources help, but are not required.
Report a correctionPart of Terra Saga — the story of Earth on a timeline. terrasaga.org ·