Great Migration of Canada

The Great Migration of Canada (otherwise known as the Great Migration from Britain) was period of high immigration to Canada from 1815 to 1850 involving over 80,000 migrants. [http://www.linksnorth.com/canada-history/thecolonies.html] Though Europe was becoming richer through the Industrial Revolution, population growth made the number of jobs low, forcing many to look to the New World for economic success. [http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/Events-leading-up-to-Canadian-Confederacy/1815-1850-The-Great-Migration-1]

Background

In the late 18th and early 19th century, there occurred a transition in parts of Great Britain's previously manual-labor-based economy towards machine-based manufacturing. It started with the mechanization of the textile industries, the development of iron-making techniques and the increased use of refined coal. Though the Revolution began an era of expanded economic growth and higher standards of living, it was at the same time met with rapid population explosion. A slow rise in quality of living standards throughout the past two hundred years allowed more children to survive and made child bearing more economic. As well, jobs that were previously done poor peasatns could now be done even more cheaply by machinery. This led to the loss of many jobs. The combined effects made it difficult for some to find jobs, leading them to look to the colonies in the Americas for work. [Cite web | publisher = Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | url = http://www.minneapolisfed.org/pubs/region/04-05/essay.cfm | title = The Industrial Revolution | accessdate = 2007-11-14 | author = Robert Lucas, Jr. | year = 2003 | quote = it is fairly clear that up to 1800 or maybe 1750, no society had experienced sustained growth in per capita income. (Eighteenth century population growth also averaged one-third of 1 percent, the same as production growth.) That is, up to about two centuries ago, per capita incomes in all societies were stagnated at around $400 to $800 per year. ] [http://vmccorley.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/The+Industrial+Revolution+and+the+Great+Migration.doc]

The migration

Because the Industrial Revolution began in Britain, the first (and therefore the majority of) settlers were English speaking British. Sixty percent of these immigrants to Canada were British. This made them the largest cultural group in Canada. [http://www.brandonsd.mb.ca/crocus/library/immigration_to_canada_in_seven_s.htm]

Other people from other countries migrated as well. Americans went to look for new gold, a material that was quickly evaporating from the American California gold rush. Chinese came too for the same reason, and to escape war. The Irish came to escape the Great Potato Famine. [http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/ict/2learn/jkshpur/2cultures/grmigrat.html]

Impact

The Great Migration had profound impacts on Canadian culture.

References