By an Order in Council in the United Kingdom, B.C. joined Confederation in 1871 thanks to two main developments. ​First, the United Kingdom transferred the Northwestern Territory and Rupert's Land, which lay between the colony of British Columbia and Canada, to Canada; this area would become the North-West Territories​.​​
With Canada gaining control of that land came the second development: the agreement that a national railway​ be built to link B.C. with the rest of Canada. The promise of a railroad, together with other concessions, encouraged the Colony of British Columbia to join Confederation.​
Even though B.C. joined Confederation on July 20, 1871, the first Premier was not chosen until after the first general election was held in October of that year (the new provincial Legislative Assembly did not meet for the first time until February of 1872). In the meantime, a temporary Cabinet was chosen and the Lieutenant Governor - the Crown’s representative in B.C. - acted as the head of government.
