Canada History Flashcards
What term did Europeans use to refer to native peoples in Canada?
Indians
This term was used because early explorers believed they had reached the East Indies.
What were the primary means of subsistence for the Huron-Wendat and Iroquois?
Farming and hunting
These groups lived in the Great Lakes region.
What lifestyle did the Cree and Dene of the Northwest follow?
Hunter-gatherers
What was the nomadic lifestyle of the Sioux centered around?
Following the bison (buffalo) herd
How did the Inuit sustain themselves?
Off Arctic wildlife
What preservation methods did West Coast natives use for fish?
Drying and smoking
What was common among Aboriginal groups in terms of social interactions?
Warfare
Aboriginal groups competed for land, resources, and prestige.
What impact did European traders and colonists have on native populations?
Large numbers of Aboriginals died from European diseases
What type of bonds did Aboriginals and Europeans form during the first 200 years of coexistence?
Economic, religious, and military bonds
Who was the first to map Canada’s Atlantic shore?
John Cabot
What year did John Cabot claim Newfoundland for England?
1497
When did English settlement in Canada begin?
1610
Which group of Europeans reached Labrador and Newfoundland 1,000 years ago?
The Vikings
What is the significance of l’Anse aux Meadows?
It is a World Heritage site
What did Jacques Cartier do between 1534 and 1542?
Made three voyages across the Atlantic, claiming land for France
What does the Iroquoian word ‘kanata’ mean?
Village
By the 1550s, what name began appearing on maps?
Canada
What year was the first European settlement established north of Florida?
1604
Who were the French explorers that established the first European settlement in New France?
Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain
Where was the first settlement located?
St. Croix Island (present-day Maine) and Port-Royal (present-day Nova Scotia)
What significant fortress did Champlain build in 1608?
A fortress at Québec City
Which Indigenous groups did Champlain ally with?
Algonquin, Montagnais, and Huron
Who were the historic enemies of the French settlements?
The Iroquois Confederation
What year did the French and Iroquois make peace?
1701
What was the driving force behind the fur-trade economy?
Demand for beaver pelts in Europe
Name three outstanding leaders who built the French Empire in North America.
- Jean Talon
- Bishop Laval
- Count Frontenac
What company was granted exclusive trading rights over the watershed draining into Hudson Bay in 1670?
Hudson’s Bay Company
What were the skilled canoe travelers known as?
Voyageurs and coureurs des bois
Which colonies became richer and more populous than New France?
English colonies along the Atlantic seaboard
What battle marked the end of France’s empire in America?
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
Who were the commanders killed in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham?
- Brigadier James Wolfe
- Marquis de Montcalm
What was the new name of the colony after Great Britain took control?
Province of Quebec
What term refers to the French-speaking Catholic people in Quebec?
Habitants or Canadiens
What was one of the constitutional foundations of Canada passed in 1774?
Quebec Act
What did the Quebec Act allow for Catholics?
Religious freedom and the ability to hold public office
What laws did the Quebec Act restore and maintain?
- Restored French civil law
- Maintained British criminal law
What significant event occurred in 1776 regarding the 13 British colonies?
They declared independence and formed the United States
What were the people loyal to the Crown during the American Revolution called?
Loyalists
How many Loyalists fled to Nova Scotia and Quebec?
More than 40,000
Who led thousands of Loyalist Mohawk Indians into Canada?
Joseph Brant
What backgrounds did the Loyalists come from? (6)
- Dutch
- German
- British
- Scandinavian
- Aboriginal
- Others
What was the fate of about 3,000 black Loyalists?
They came north seeking a better life
What was established by some black Nova Scotians in 1792?
Freetown, Sierra Leone
What was Freetown, Sierra Leone, established as?
A new British colony for freed slaves
When was the first representative assembly elected in Halifax, Nova Scotia?
1758
Which provinces followed Halifax in electing their first representative assemblies?
- Prince Edward Island in 1773
- New Brunswick in 1785
What did the Constitutional Act of 1791 accomplish?
Divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada and granted legislative assemblies elected by the people
What were the characteristics of Upper Canada?
- Mainly Loyalist
- Protestant
- English-speaking
What were the characteristics of Lower Canada?
- Heavily Catholic
- French-speaking
What name became official in 1791 and is still used today?
Canada
What was British North America comprised of?
The Atlantic colonies and the two Canadas
When did the movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade begin?
Late 1700s in the British Parliament
Who led Upper Canada in the movement toward abolition?
Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe
What significant action did the British Parliament take in 1807?
Prohibited the buying and selling of slaves
What was the outcome of the 1833 legislation regarding slavery?
Abolished slavery throughout the Empire
What route did thousands of escaped slaves use to reach Canada?
The Underground Railroad
What was the primary economy of Canada for centuries?
Farming and exporting natural resources
Which company dominated the fur trade in Canada?
The Hudson’s Bay Company
When did the Montreal Stock Exchange open?
1832
Who was the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada?
Lieutenant-Colonel John Graves Simcoe
What city did John Graves Simcoe found?
The City of York (now Toronto)
Fill in the blank: The first province in the British Empire to abolish slavery was _______.
Upper Canada
True or False: The Hudson’s Bay Company employed only British workers.
False
The first companies in Canada were formed during the ____ and _____ _______ and they …..
The first companies in Canada were formed during the French and British regimes and competed for the fur trade.
Who dominated trade?
The Hudson’s Bay Company, with French, British and Aboriginal employees, came to dominate the trade in the northwest from Fort Garry (Winnipeg) and Fort
Edmonton to Fort Langley (near Vancouver) and Fort Victoria—trading posts that later became cities.
The first financial institutions opened in the ____ and _____centuries.
The first financial institutions opened in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The Montreal Stock Exchange opened in
1832.
For centuries Canada’s economy was based mainly on _____ and on exporting ___________ such as (3) transported by (4).
For centuries Canada’s economy was based mainly on farming and on exporting natural resources such as fur, fish and timber, transported by roads, lakes, rivers and canals.
The War of 1812 was also the
The War of 1812: The Fight for Canada
What battle in 1805 established British naval dominance?
The Battle of Trafalgar
This battle marked the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte’s fleet.
What was the main reason for American resentment towards the British Empire?
British interference with American shipping
This interference was part of the broader conflict involving the War of 1812.
In what year did the United States launch an invasion of Canada?
June 1812
The U.S. believed conquering Canada would be easy.
Who led the Shawnee in support of British forces during the War of 1812?
Chief Tecumseh
Tecumseh played a significant role in rallying First Nations support.
What significant event did Major-General Sir Isaac Brock achieve in July 1812?
Captured Detroit
Brock was later killed at Queenston Heights while defending against an American attack.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Queenston Heights?
The Americans lost
This battle was significant for Canadian defense.
Who turned back 4,000 American invaders at Châteauguay in 1813?
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles de Salaberry
He led 460 soldiers, mostly French Canadiens, in this defense.
What major event occurred in York (now Toronto) in 1813?
The Americans burned Government House and the Parliament Buildings
This was part of the conflict during the War of 1812.
What did Major-General Robert Ross do in retaliation for the burning of York?
Led an expedition that burned the White House and other public buildings in Washington, D.C.
Ross’s actions were a direct response to American aggression.
Where was Major-General Robert Ross buried after his death?
Halifax
He received full military honors at his burial.
What was the outcome of the American attempt to conquer Canada by 1814?
The attempt failed, and Canada remained independent of the United States.
This was partly due to the War of 1812.
What significant military structures were built by the British for Canadian defense?
- Citadels at Halifax and Québec City
- Naval drydock at Halifax
- Fort Henry at Kingston
These sites are now popular historic locations.
Who sent soldiers to defend Canada in 1814?
The Duke of Wellington.
He later played a role in choosing Bytown (Ottawa) as the endpoint of the Rideau Canal.
What was Laura Secord known for during the War of 1812?
She made a 19-mile journey to warn of an American attack, contributing to victory at the Battle of Beaver Dams.
Secord is recognized as a heroine.
What triggered the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada in 1837–38?
Belief that progress toward full democracy was too slow.
Some reformers wanted to adopt American republican values.
What was the result of the 1837–38 rebellions?
The rebels were defeated by British troops and Canadian volunteers.
Many rebels faced hanging or exile.
What recommendation did Lord Durham make regarding Upper and Lower Canada?
To merge them and establish responsible government.
He controversially suggested assimilating the Canadiens into English-speaking culture.
Who were the Fathers of Confederation?
- Sir Étienne-Paschal Taché
- Sir George-Étienne Cartier
- Sir John A. Macdonald
They played key roles in establishing the Dominion of Canada.
When was the Dominion of Canada established?
July 1, 1867.
This date marks the birth of the country we know today.
What did responsible government entail?
Ministers of the Crown must have the support of a majority of elected representatives.
This system is still in place today.
Which was the first British North American colony to achieve full responsible government?
Nova Scotia in 1847–48.
Lord Elgin introduced responsible government in United Canada in 1848–49.
What two levels of government were established in the Dominion of Canada?
- Federal
- Provincial
This structure allowed provinces to control areas like education and health.
What act did the British Parliament pass in 1867?
The British North America Act.
This act officially created the Dominion of Canada.
What was July 1 celebrated as until 1982?
Dominion Day.
It is now officially known as Canada Day.
What inspired Sir Leonard Tilley to suggest the term ‘Dominion of Canada’?
Psalm 72 in the Bible, which refers to ‘dominion from sea to sea.’
This phrase reflected a vision for a united and powerful country.
