2. The First Nations
• Native tribe of
Canada came from
Asia 12,000 years
ago.
• crossed Bering
Land Bridge that
joined Russia to
Alaska
• 12 tribes made up
the First Nations
3. Inuit
• one of the First
Native tribes
• still live in Canada
today
• 1999—Canada’s
government gave
the Inuit Nunavut
Territory in
northeast Canada
4. The Europeans in Canada…
• first explorers to settle Canada were Norse
invaders from the Scandinavian Peninsula
• In 1000 CE, they built a town on the
northeast coast of Canada & established a
trading relationship with the Inuit.
• The Norse deserted the settlement for
unknown reasons.
• Europeans did not return to Canada until
almost 500 years later.
7. England Claims Newfoundland
• 1497- Italian explorer John Cabot,
sailed to Canada’s east coast
• He was looking for a sea route to
Asia.
• His tales about Canada brought other
explorers
• Cabot claimed an area of land for
England (his sponsor) & named it
Newfoundland
9. New France
• Jacques Cartier
sailed up the St.
Lawrence River in
1534.
• claimed the land for
France
• French colonists
named the area New
France
10. New France (Quebec)
• 1608--Samuel de Champlain built the
first permanent French settlement-later
called Quebec.
• population grew slowly
• Many people moved inland to trap
animals—hats made of beaver fur were
in high demand in Europe.
• Trade with Natives became profitable
and more settled on the St. Lawrence
River
12. New France (Quebec)
• European fur traders were joined by
French farmers, merchants, and
missionaries from the Catholic Church
• brought with them French laws, traditions,
& religion
• France wouldn’t let anyone move to
New France who was not Catholic.
14. The British in Canada…
• British colonized region south of New
France
• Saw New France’s success in fur trapping
& wanted to take control of the fur trade
• France built forts on British land which led
to the French and Indian War in 1754.
15. French and Indian War
(1754)
• Great Britain and Iroquois Indians versus
France and Huron Indians
• Great Britain fought for control of
Canadian territory & the fur trade.
• British conquered Quebec in 1754 and
forced France to sign the Treaty of Paris in
1763
16. Treaty of Paris (1763)
• Great Britain controls all lands east of the
Mississippi River, except for two islands off
of Newfoundland
• French gave up land in Canada
• British forced Nova Scotia’s Frenchspeaking people to leave
• Nova Scotia’s French went to another
French colony(New Orleans, Louisiana—
descendants of these people are the
Cajuns)
17. Quebec Act--1774
• British allowed French to stay
in Quebec, but continued to
control the region
• Problems arose between the
two groups due to cultural
differences
• Quebec Act guaranteed the
French the right to maintain
their culture (language,
religion, traditions)
18. Quebec Act (1774)
• Loyalists- people who supported the
British in America who did not want
independence.
• Loyalists moved into Canada to avoid war
in America.
• Cultural difference between the English
speakers & French speakers sparked many
conflicts.
• 1774—The British government passed the
Quebec Act.
19. Quebec Act’s Results
• Gave French Canadians in Quebec the right to
continue practicing the Catholic religion & and
allowed French civil law
• Loyalists were irritated with the new political
& cultural power of the French
• The differences among the two groups
eventually led to a re-division of the country.
20. American Revolution
• 1776—Americans gained independence from
Great Britain
• This initiated a huge cultural change in
Canada.
• Americans who did not believe in
independence left America and moved to
Quebec.
• These people were called “Loyalists”
because they were loyal to Great Britain.
• Result—Quebec began to have people who
spoke English as well as French.
21. Division of CanadaBritish Solution
• Most English
speaking citizens
lived in Upper
Canada (Ontario).
• Most French
speaking citizens
lived in Lower
Canada (Quebec).
22. After the War of 1812
• War of 1812 – French and British worked
together against the US who tried to
invade Canada
• French Canadians and British Canadians
hated British rule.
• They felt that Great Britain was too far
away to understand their needs.
• So…1837 – Louis Papineau organized a
revolt to establish Quebec as a separate
country.
• result of revolt: British easily defeated
Papineau
23. Road to Independence
• Britain sends Earl of Durham
• Canadians want:
1. more control over government
2. all Provinces to unite
• The British only wanted Quebec and
Ontario to unite. All provinces together
could create a successful rebellion.
24. British/North American Act
•
•
•
•
•
•
July 1, 1867- Dominion of Canada Created
New country had four providences
Ontario (formerly Upper Canada)
Quebec (formerly Lower Canada)
Nova Scotia
Brunswick
*Results
1. Canada was still part of the British empire
2. Canada had their own central government
3. Now they could solve their own
problems(Except in regards to defense, treaties,
and foreign trade)
4. Happened without a war
25. 20 Century Problems
th
• 1931: Statue of Westminster gave Canada
independence from Great Britain
• Canada became part of the British
Commonwealth of Nations.
• WWII – built factories for war supplies
(clothes, shoes, etc.)
• Immigrants poured in from Asia, Africa,
Europe, and the Caribbean.
26. 20 Century Problems
th
• Industrialization brought old conflicts:
1. British wanted factories in Quebec,
French didn’t
2. 1976 – French were tired of being part of
Canada – wanted independence
3. 1982 – new constitution – in response to
French wanting a bilingual country – two
official languages: French and English
4. Canadian government modeled after
British parliament – constitutional monarchy
