SS test on the Cordillera Region this Thursday

The Cordillera Region Study Guide- Test will be Thursday this week!

 Includes BC, part of the Yukon and part of the NWT

Major Cities:

Victoria (Capital of BC)

Vancouver

The Okanagan Valley is important in this region as well because of the agriculture there. It produces 5% Canada’s fruit, and are famous for wine making.

Cherries, grapes, pears, apples and peaches are some of the major fruits that grow there.

Climate:

Mild and rainy for the most part, with some very snowy areas such as Whistler, Fernie. It is mild because it is next to the Pacific Ocean.

The Cordillera is a chain of mountains, there are deep harbors, sheltered waterways and deltas.

Deltas are broad flat areas of land formed where a river drains into a large body of water.

Natural Resources:

Gold- gold rush is an important part of our history

Forestry- logging

Fishing

Farming

Mining

Oil and gas

Hydroelectricity plants- these generate electricity for homes etc by harnessing the power of the currents.

More than 100 first

nations groups have always lived in this region, including the Haida who are famous for their artwork. The first nations people living on the coast have always had a strong relationship with the land and sea. The Haida built canoes of cedar and would take them on long voyages.

What is a potlatch?

It is a ceremony and/or feast help by the Aboriginal peoples of North America’s NW coast. People would gifts to ensure the wealth of a community was shared. They would sing, dance, and eat together. This was important in times of nee, it was the center of life.  In 1884 the government passed a law that banned the potlatch because the European missionaries did not like it and felt it was a threat to their own personal religious beliefs.  The First Nations fought this law for a long time, and fought hard. It was not changed until 1951- which is far too long. It was a discriminatory law.

The first Europeans to come to this land were James Cook, who was a British explorer who was looking for a route between the pacific and Atlantic oceans. George Vancouver was one of Cook’s officers. Alexander MacKenzie was sent by the North West Company to find new sources of furs. He became the first European to reach the Pacific ocean by travelling across Canada. The named the MacKenzie river after him. Simon Fraser also explored this region for the North West Company. He built forts, like Fort George, which is now known as Prince George. They named a river and a valley after him.

The Chinese railroad workers

In the late 1800s, the CP railway was still under construction. In order to complete this massive project, John A McDonald pushed to have workers brought in from China to help build the railway. They were not paid equally, were given the most dangerous jobs, often handled explosives, lived in harsh conditions with very little food, and many of them died as a result. It was very racist. Many died of Scurvy, which is a lack of vitamin C that can ultimately kill you. It was very difficult for them to survive, and the conditions were unfair. The government has since acknowledged how horrible this was, and apologized for how the Chinese were treated. It is a small step toward making amends.

The Japanese Internment

Because of the second world war, Canada and the united states were fighting against Japan, who were part of the other side. What happened was that in a state of fear, anyone who was already a citizen of Canada, who happened to be of Japanese decent, was sent to an internment camp (similar to a prison) and their businesses and properties were seized by the government. Many families were separated. It is an ugly part of Canadian history. When the war ended, the Japanese were released. Some moved away, some stayed and started their businesses again. 

Wildfires/forest fires

These are very common in the Cordillera region. It is very hot in the Kelowna area/ Okanagan valley, and often wildfires happen during the summer months.

Panning for gold- watch the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-7EQgaUFkQ

The Northwest Mounted Police

The mounties came to the Wild Wild West as a result fo the Gold Rush. People were being very competitive and sometimes violent in the pursuit of finding gold, and the NW Mounted Police helped restore order and laws in the region. Sir Sam Steel was the RCMP super intendant- big boss (the NW Mounted police are now known as the RCMP- which stands for Royal Canadian Mounted Police)