Which was one of the major causes of Confederation?

• A. End of reciprocity with the United States
• B. End of free trade with Britain
• C. Political Deadlock in the Province of Canada
• D. Need for railway to improve trade between colonies

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that governing was grinding to a halt in the Province of Canada due to political deadlock. Canada West and Canada East shared a single Parliament with roughly equal representation, so as populations shifted, the split created constant stalemate—needing coalitions that could never secure stable majorities. Confederation offered a solution by creating a federal system with a stronger central government to handle national issues and other provinces to manage local matters, breaking the gridlock and moving toward unified action, including building a railway to knit the colonies together and boost trade.

The other options touch on economic concerns, but they aren’t the main catalyst. The end of reciprocity with the United States and trade with Britain were important contexts, yet the dominant driving force behind Confederation was resolving the political deadlock in the Province of Canada.