CANADA HISTORY - NATION BUILDING

Once Canada became a country in name in 1867, the task of unifying, defining, and building a functioning state truly began. The real expansion took off in the 1870s, with the country's territory doubling and tripling in size. Central to this growth was Macdonald's National Policy, which sought to connect the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the construction of a transcontinental railway. This period marked the earnest beginnings of the creation of a national consciousness. For the first time, many citizens of the new nation began to see themselves as Canadians. While this did not mean that French Canadians completely abandoned their identity as Canadiens, or that Irish immigrants forgot their heritage, or that British loyalty faded from the hearts of the Orangemen, there was a growing sense of belonging to something larger. Many embraced this new Canadian identity, feeling a sense of excitement and pride in the opportunities and promise it offered.