(1790) Treaty of Nootka Convention between Spain and Great Britain resolved overlapping claims to portions of northwestern coast
(1793) Sir Alexander MacKenzie, first European to cross North America overland to Pacific Ocean, inscribed stone marker on shoreline of Dean Channel
(1794)Spain conceded claims of exclusivity in Pacific
1800's
(1803) Chief Maquinna led attack against crew of Boston off Vancouver Island coast; killed most of crew
(1808) Simon Fraser led expedition to descend his now namesake Fraser River
(1811) Tonquin ship captured, crew killed at Clayoquot Sound
(1821) North West Company, Hudson Bay Company merged, B.C.'s fur trading departments organized into New Caledonia (central and interior), Thompson River Watershed (interior south), Columbia District (North of Columbia)
(1835) Coal discovered on Vancouver Island
(1843) Hudson Bay Company established Fort Victoria on Vancouver Island
(1846) Oregon Treaty between United States, Great Britain signed; Britain relinquished claims to territory south of 49th parallel
(1849) Vancouver Island proclaimed Crown Colony
(1850) Gold quartz discovered on west coast of Queen Charlotte Islands; coal miners struck at Nanaimo due to non-working mine, inferior coal, food shortages, danger from warring natives
(1852) Queen Charlotte Islands became dependency of Crown Colony Vancouver Island
(1857) Gold rush began after discovery at Fraser River
(1858) Colony of B.C. formed
(1859) New Westminster named capital of B.C.
(1862) Smallpox epidemic killed 14,000 Indians along coast from Vancouver to Alaska
(1866) Vancouver Island, B.C. united with passage of Imperial Act
(1868) Victoria named capital of B.C.
(1871) B.C. became 6th Canadian province
(1875) Steamship Pacific collided with Orpheus, enroute to Victoria, killed 275
(1885) Transcontinental railroad completed
(1896) Streetcar in Victoria crashed through Point Ellice Bridge into Gorge Waterway, 55 killed
