Chronology of Canadian Military History Canadian Military History, Colonial Period, New France, First Peoples, Seven Years War, French Indian War Canadian Military History, British North America, American Invasion, War of 1812, Dominion of Canada, Riel Rebellion, South African War Canadian Military History, World War 1 History, 1914-1918, Canadian Armed Forces, conscription Canadian Military History, World War 2, 1939-1945, Battle of the Atlantic, conscription, invasion, Dday, Normandy, Germany, axis, allies, Hong Kong, Dieppe 1946-today
Canada within the Empire
NAC/ANC C-18,737
British North America
The War of 1812: Invasion Repelled
The War of 1812: Canada Saved
Fortifying Canada
Rebellions in the Canadas
The Fenian Raids
Confederation and Expansion
Creating a Standing Army
Developing the Canadian Nation
The Northwest Campaign
Canada and Imperialism
The South African War
Military Reform

FORTIFYING CANADA

1815-1837

To protect Canada, Britain built fortifications, roads, and canals.

With peace restored in North America, the United States and Britain signed the Rush-Bagot Treaty in 1817 and agreed to remove most of their warships from the Great Lakes.

Both sides retained strong defences on land. In the 1820s and 1830s, while British garrisons provided the first line of defence, military engineers erected powerful citadels at Halifax and Québec City and built forts and other defensive installations at Kingston and along the Richelieu River south of Montréal. They dug canals, including the Rideau Canal between the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario, and improved roads to facilitate the transport of troops and supplies.


FORTIFYING CANADA
Courtesy/Courtoisie
Musé e de la civilisation 1993.16935.3

Rush-Bagot Treaty, Richelieu River
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0M8
1-800-555-5621