Charlottetown Conference

ARTICLE CONTENTS:  |  Links to Other Sites
The Charlottetown Conference, 1-9 September 1864 in Charlottetown, PEI, set CONFEDERATION in motion. Maritime union had long been talked of in NS, NB and PEI. In March-April 1864 all 3 legislatures passed resolutions to have a conference to discuss it. Nothing happened until after the June 1864 constitutional crisis in the PROVINCE OF CANADA, when the Canadians asked to attend the conference to propose a union of all BRITISH NORTH AMERICA. This request rather staggered the Maritime governments, but through the action of NS Lieutenant-Governor Richard MacDonnell the place and date of meeting were selected.

At the conference Maritime union was virtually dropped, and the delegates agreed on the outline of a scheme for more general union. It was decided to have a more comprehensive meeting at Québec in October. External circumstances, such as the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, Britain's desire to divest itself of financial and administrative colonial obligations, and the political condition of the Province of Canada, combined to create an ambience at Charlottetown which produced the momentum that was so obvious at the QUÉBEC CONFERENCE and that was so necessary to carry Confederation.


Fathers of Confederation
Confederation Chamber
Confederation Chamber
Confederation Chamber, within Province House, was the site of the Charlottetown Conference setting Confederation into motion (courtesy Parks Canada).

Author P.B. WAITE


Links to Other Sites
Charlottetown Conference of 1864
This website covers the key issues and events at the Charlottetown Conference of 1864. Also features biographical profiles and an impressive collection of archival photographs and documents. From Library and Archives Canada.

Sir John A. Macdonald
A biography of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister and one of the Fathers of Confederation. Includes photographs and other archival resources. Part of the “Canadian Confederation” website from Library and Archives Canada.

Charlottetown Conference
This “Canadian Confederation” website focuses on the delegates and major issues discussed at the Charlottetown Conference. Includes photos, an account of the proceedings and other archival materials. From Library and Archives Canada.

0
Feature Articles
Toronto Maple Leafs 1967: The Last Stanley Cup

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ victory in the 1967 Stanley Cup was a singular event. Who would have predicted that it would not happen again?

INSIDE TCE

Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.