Sir John A'Macdonald

1
Sir John A.Macdonald

• By Crystal

2
Why Is He Famous?

• He became the first Prime Minister of Canada
• He founded the Canadian Pacific Railway

3
Early Life

• Educated at Midland District Grammar School and
  John Cruick Shank School
• Opened up own law office
• Held a variety of society offices before becoming
  alderman

4
Personal Information

• B. January 11, 1815, Glasgow, Scotland
• D. June 6, 1891, Ottawa, Ontario
• Parents Hugh Macdonald and Helen Shaw
• Two sisters, Margaret and Louisa
• Married Isabella Clark
• Had two children, John Alexander and Hugh John
• Isabella died from tuberculosis

Son, Hugh John Macdonald
5
Later Life

• Married Susan Agnes Bernard
• Had a child, Margret Mary Theodora
• Term as Prime Minister was interrupted in 1873,
  by Pacific Scandal
• Arrest and execution of Louis Riel caused him to
  lose political ground with French Catholics and
  English Protestants
• Died from a massive stroke

6
Main Accomplishments

• First term in office, marked by nation building
• He added Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, British
  Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan
• He devoted himself to the building of Canada

Campaign poster
7
Other Accomplishments

• He started the Canadian Pacific Railway, which
  marked his second term in office
• Financial problems brought his resignation, 1873,
  party defeated at polls in 1874
• 1885, still trying to complete the troubled CPR
• Rebellion helped to complete CPR
• CPR completed in 1887

Canadian Pacific Railway
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Why Is He Important as a Canadian?

• He helped Canada become a nation
• Laid foundation of Canada today
• Father of Canada

9
Other Interesting Facts

• In newspapers, rumours speculated that Macdonald
  was always drunk
• Often broke
• Smart, hard-working
• Quick with jokes
• Had an amazing memory for names and faces

10
Bibliography

• Books
• De L. Furtado, R. Prime Ministers of Canada.
  Markham, Ont. Canada Datinders, Sodhl, 1980.
• Coucill, Irma. Canadas Prime Ministers Of
  Canada. Toronto, Canada Paqurian Press, 1985.
• Hancock, Pat. The Kids Book of Canadian Prime
  Ministers. Toronto, Canada KidsCanpress, 1998.
• Encyclopedias
• World Book Millenium. 2000, 2000. Sir John A.
  Macdonald.
• World Book. 2, 1996. Sir John A. Macdonald.
• Websites
• Sir John A. Macdonald. http//www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/1
  8/n18-2360-e.html.
• January 3, 2003
• John A. Macdonald. http//www.macdonald.egate.ne
  t/sirJohn/plannerbio.html.
• January 6, 2003
• Macdonald, John http//www.parl.gc.ca. January
  8, 2003

11
Conclusion

• I chose Sir John A. Macdonald as my Famous Person
  because I wanted to know more about the First
  Prime Minister of Canada.
• He made a huge impact on Canada by strengthening
  and building a new nation.
• I learned that John was a brilliant laywer, which
  brought him the role of Prime Minister. He
  promoted western expansion, railway construction
  and economic development.