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The history of British Columbia covers the period from the arrival of Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago to the present day. Prior to European colonization, the lands encompassing present-day British Columbia were inhabited for millennia by a number of First Nations.
One of the last regions of the North American continent to be explored and settled, British Columbia emerged in the second half of the 20th century as one of the leading provinces of Canada in population, economic wealth, and overall growth.
The gold strike of 1858 in the Cariboo Mountains made Fort Victoria into a city, opened the mainland to settlement, and transformed the frontier into a prosperous and dynamic society that was proclaimed the Colony of British Columbia.
In order to establish government and maintain law and order around the goldfields, the British established a separate mainland colony of British Columbia in 1858 under the authority of James Douglas, who also remained the governor of Vancouver Island.
British Columbia's political history is typified by scandal and a cast of colourful characters, beginning with various colonial-era land scandals and abuses of power by early officials (such as those that led to McGowan's War in 1858–59).
While there are myriad events to choose from, here are thirteen moments in the long and storied history of the province of British Columbia. Archaeological discoveries indicate that Indigenous peoples lived in what is now British Columbia as long as 12,000 to 25,000 years ago.
The colony of British Columbia was founded in 1858 in response to the Fraser River Gold Rush. (See also The Fraser River Gold Rush and the Founding of British Columbia.) The colony established representative government in 1864 and merged with the colony of Vancouver Island in 1866.
An interactive timeline that complements the series British Columbia: An Untold History through diverse, racialized and marginalized histories from across the geographical regions of B.C.
British Columbia's history is a fascinating and complex story ranging from Prehistoric times to modern day. Please explore the stories, documents, maps, politics, and culture of this spectacular province.
Learn about BC’s history that began with the First Nations people, the province's union with Canada and the expansion and growth that formed present-day BC.