Question

look at the distribution of the population in 1851 in british north american and answer the questions below.

colony/territories | population | percentage of bna’s population
canada east (quebec) | 890 261 | 35.2%
canada west (ontario) | 952 004 | 37.6%
nova scotia | 276 854 | 10.9%
new brunswick | 193 800 | 7.7%
newfoundland | 101 600 | 4%
pei | 56 878 | 2.2%
new caledonia | 55 000 | 2.2%
ruperts land and northwest territories | 5700 | 0.2%
total | 2 532 097 | 100%

why do you think rupert’s land has the largest landmass in bna while also having the smallest population? what factors contributed to this?

why do you think colonies toward the east have much larger populations than colonies on the west?

Explanation:

First Question (Rupert's Land):

Rupert’s Land (and Northwest Territories) had a large landmass but small population due to several factors:

1. Geography/Climate: It had harsh climates (cold, tundra/forest) and difficult terrain (swamps, rocky areas), limiting agriculture and settlement.
2. Economic Focus: The region was controlled by the Hudson’s Bay Company, focused on fur trade (using Indigenous trappers) rather than large - scale settlement.
3. Settlement Incentives: Little government or private investment in infrastructure (roads, towns) to attract settlers, unlike eastern colonies.
4. Indigenous Presence: Dominated by Indigenous peoples with traditional lifestyles, and colonial settlement efforts were minimal.

Eastern colonies (e.g., Canada East/West, Nova Scotia) had larger populations than western ones for these reasons:

1. Historical Settlement: Eastern areas were settled earlier (by French, British colonists), with established towns, farms, and trade networks.
2. Geography/Climate: Eastern regions had milder climates, better soil for farming, and access to coastal trade (ports like Halifax, Quebec City).
3. Economic Opportunities: Eastern colonies had established industries (fishing, farming, shipbuilding) and trade ties with Europe, attracting more settlers.
4. Infrastructure/Policy: Governments prioritized eastern development (roads, canals, governance), while western regions were less accessible and slower to be settled.

Answer:

Rupert’s Land had a large landmass but small population due to harsh climate/terrain (limiting agriculture/settlement), Hudson’s Bay Company’s fur - trade - focused use (not settlement), lack of settlement - attracting infrastructure, and minimal colonial settlement efforts (with Indigenous - dominated traditional lifestyles).

Second Question (Eastern vs. Western Colonies):