History of Vancouver Island

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 51. Chapters: Nootka Crisis, José María Narváez, James Colnett, List of coal mines and landmarks in the Nanaimo area, Imperial Eagle, Southern Railway of Vancouver Island, Pacific Station, John R. Jewitt, Princess Royal, Sooke Flowline, Colony of Vancouver Island, Juan Carrasco, Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, Kinsol Trestle, 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake, Nootka Convention, Adventure, United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia, Douglas Treaties, Charles William Barkley, Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition, Robert Brown, Maquinna, Thetis Lake Monster Hoax, Fort San Miguel, Yuquot, British Columbia, King George's Sound Company, Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island, Kingfisher, 1887 Nanaimo mine explosion, Postage stamps and postal history of British Columbia, Discovery Island Light, Wickaninnish, McLean Mill National Historic Site, Kiix?in, Mining on Vancouver Island, Leonora and Mt. Sicker Railway. Excerpt: The Nootka Crisis was an international incident and political dispute between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Spain, triggered by a series of events that took place during the summer of 1789 at Nootka Sound. Nootka Sound is a network of inlets on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, now part of the Canadian province of British Columbia and the territory of the Mowachaht group of the Nuu-chah-nulth indigenous people. The crisis revolved around larger issues about sovereignty claims and rights of navigation and trade. Since 1774 Spain sent several expeditions to the Pacific Northwest reasserting its long-held claims to the area. By 1776 Spanish exploration had reached Bucareli Bay including the mouth of the Columbia River and Sitka Sound. Territorial claims and navigation rights were established according to acts of sovereignty customary of the time. A complex series of events led to several British fur trading vessels being seized by the Spanish Navy at Nootka Sound. When the news reached Europe, Britain requested compensation and the Spanish government refused. Both sides prepared for war and sought assistance from allies. The crisis was resolved peacefully but with difficulty through a set of three agreements, known collectively as the Nootka Conventions. Spain agreed to share some rights to settle along the Pacific coast but kept its main Pacific claims. The outcome was considered a victory for mercantile interests of Britain and opened the way to British expansion in the Pacific. Spain continued to colonize and settle the Pacific coast, especially present-day California, until 1821. The events at Nootka Sound, apart from the larger international crisis, are sometimes called the Nootka Incident, the Nootka Sound Incident, and similar terms. The larger Nootka Crisis is known variously by names such as the Nootka Sound Crisis, the Nootka Sound Controversy, the Great Spanish Armament, and other variatio