US foreign policy between 1865 and 1890: Tensions over Canada Flashcards
What were the 3 main issues causing tension and raising the possibility of American annexation of Canadian territory?
- The Fenian Raids
- The Red River Colony
- The western Canadian province of British Columbia
What happened between 1866 and 1871?
There were 5 Fenian Raids into Canada by unofficial militias supporting the Fenian Brotherhood
What was the Fenian Brotherhood?
An Irish American nationalist organisation established in 1858 to fight for an independent Irish republic
Why did the US government turn a blind eye to the Fenian Raids at first?
Because of ongoing disputes between Britain and Canada over the Alabama Claims.
How did the US government eventually take action and what effect did this have?
They arrested several Fenian ringleaders. The raids did arouse fear of American annexation - pushed the Canadian provinces to join together in a national Confederation.
Why else did American expansionists want to extend into Canada?
The fertile Red River valley seemed ideal for settlement and development.
What did Seward’s Alaskan success in 1867 open the way for?
American annexation of the entire Pacific Northwest coast.
Did British Columbia join the US or the Canadian Confederation?
Canadian Confederation - by the commitment to build a national railway, the Canadian Pacific, and to connect British Columbia to the rest of the nation.
Describe tensions between the US and Canada after 1871.
They were generally at a low level, though they never entirely disappeared.
What was the last flurry of hostility?
The Alaska Boundary Dispute, but this was amicably resolved in 1903. By 1890 the US-Canada border was already the most peaceful and open border in the world.
