Select Documents in Canadian Economic History 1783-1885

Book excerpt: This second volume of economic documents resumes the story of the development of Canada as told by contemporary sources. Newspaper accounts of economic forces and factors, contemporary writings by statesmen and business men, poems depicting current situations, official documents—all have been included. The volume divides the period into two eras, 1783-1850 and 1850-85. The basis of classification of entries is by topics and geographic sections. It is hoped that the material which follows will amplify and illustrate the blend of materialistic and non-materialistic factors which has determined the nature of Canadian history and will allow students in Canadian universities to study with some degree of fullness the development of the economic institutions of their native land.