1. Confederation

2. The Future of BNA • Once the colonies had responsible government for a few years, they began to consider what the future of British North America would look like. • There were many issues they had to consider. • Some were external (from outside of BNA) and some were internal (from within BNA)

3. The Future of BNA • The leaders of the British colonies considered two questions: • 1. Would each colony have more economic and political power if it took charge of its own affairs? • Or • 2. Would the colonies do best if they all worked together?

4. The Maritimes • Some maritime leaders were interested in a “Maritime Union”. • They thought that NS, NB and PEI might have a stronger economy and better defence if they were all one province (like the province of Canada)

5. Province of Canada • The united province of Canada was not working out (political deadlock). • However, they did not want to go back to being two separate colonies. • Some thought it might be better to • unite with the other colonies in one large union but • with separate regions. (this might solve the deadlock problem)

6. The Charlottetown ConferenceSeptember 1864 • NS, NB, and PEI planned a meeting to discuss the idea of Maritime Union. • The Province of Canada invited themselves as well. • In Charlottetown the idea of a whole union was discussed.

7. The Quebec ConferenceOctober 1864 • The colonies met again in Quebec. The leaders discussed whether a union was a good idea and how it would work. • They made a list of decisions called the “Seventy-Two Resolutions” • Each leaders took these resolutions back to his colony for discussion