Northwest Territory
The Northwest Territory (Engl. North-Western Territory ) was until 1870 a region in British America (now Canada ) and was on its position in relation to Rupert's Land named. At its greatest extent, it included what is now the Yukon Territory , the mainland portion of the Northwest Territories , the northwest mainland of Nunavut , northwest Saskatchewan , northern Alberta, and northern British Columbia .
It is not known exactly when the UK first claimed the area. However, when France had to recognize British sovereignty over the Hudson Bay coast in the Peace of Utrecht in 1713 , Great Britain was the only European power with access to this part of the continent. Though only Rupert's land had been awarded to her , the Hudson's Bay Company traded with the indigenous people further west. It was not until 1859 that the company was explicitly entrusted with the administration of the Northwest Territory. The British made virtually no effort to rule over the indigenous people there. In accordance with the royal proclamation of 1763 , settlement by non-indigenous people was prohibited until the area was surrendered by treaty.
During the Cariboo Gold Rush in 1862, part of the area was declared Stikine Territory to allow administration from the west coast. In the following year the southern part was added to British Columbia , the northern part fell back to the Northwest Territory. In 1868 the Hudson's Bay Company agreed to cede their territories to the Canadian Confederation founded the previous year . On July 15, 1870, the Northwest Territory and Rupert's Land were united to form the Northwest Territories.
