About The Early Era Of Canadian Railway Development (1850s-1870s)

In some senses, the railway was the leading power among many aspects of the developing society of Canada. It was a promoting factor of the Confederation and had also helped Canada become an independent nation in the world. Railway has very important status in Canadian history. It has significant effect to the economic prosperity, political unity, multiculturalism and social development. In 1830s, Railway Zeal which was originated in America had expanded to Canada. Transport by railway, which is more convenient than canals, is especially fit for the great width of Canada. The period from 1850s to 1870s was the early age of the development of Canadian railway. From 50s to 60s, and from 60s to 70s, it reached two climaxes. In 30 years, Canadian railway came into being and developed the basic for the coming days.As a new technology, the application of railway is a symbol of the progress of human beings. It was later for Canada to be a developed country than the others, and during the development of its railway, she has to import technology and materials from other country. But still the developing process of Canadian railway has its unique characters. And the characters were even more prominent during the early age of the process of Canadian railway development. In the other countries, railway was a supplement to their industrial revolutions, and has more effect in promoting economic development. But in Canada, which at that time was still a country based on agriculture and whose transport still depended on canals, railway became the backbone of its industrial revolution. Railway brought all kinds of manufactures to development. At the same time, railway development at the early age had more significance to Canada than to the other countries. For so long time being colonies of British north America, the provinces had localism deep in their hears, and there are much estrangement and indifference among them. But after the development of railway, these negativities all disappeared. Railway was one of the necessities of the Confederation and the forming of Canadian nation. It has very important meaning to the history of the Canadian nation.This essay will have four parts:The first part will be about the interior and exterior environment before the development of Canadian railway. It will also talk about several short railroads which were built before the railway zeal in 50s.The second part will talk about the first climax of the early age of Canadian railroading. It was at the same period of the railroading climax in British and America. Railroading was the most profitable business in the world at that time. Promoted by the economic profit, investigators put great amount of money into Canadian railroading. Most of the railway which was built during this period had centralized around the St. Lawrence River for the supplement to the canal transport, although eventually it didn't brought so much profit as it had been expected. As a new technology for transport, railway had expanded the traditional transport paths and prospered economics of Canada. And it had also prepared technological foundation for the next climax of railroading.The third part will be about the second climax of the early period of Canadian railroading. It was different from the first one that the railroading during the 60s and 70s was often brought about by political reasons. In 60s, threaten from America that Canada had been faced was growing. Reciprocal trade had disappeared, and the colonies had to search the way of development all by themselves. Confederation became the best choice for them, in which railway would play a very important role. It was a character of the second climax of Canadian railroading that railway became a qualification to the confederation of the British North America colonies. With railway as its backbone, the Dominion of Canada came into being and developed into a great country across the American continent.The fourth part will further talk about the characters and the effect of the development of Canadian railway during its early period, which were quite different from those of European or American railways. As Canadian railway had many unique characters in the materials and technology it had used, and Canada government had played a very important role in its development. Railway had been much more important for the economic development, political unity and social progress in Canada than in other western countries.In summary, research about the early period of Canadian railways has important significance for the studies of Canadian railway history and Canadian social development. Railway has played a much more important role in the early period of the development in Canada than in other countries. It was the backbone factor of the formation of Canadian nation, and the key factor of the economic development of the new country. It also had profound influences on all the important aspects of Canadian society.