Historical Influences on Modern Canada Influence of French and English on the Languages and Religions of Canada 1. Europeans who settled Canada came mainly from Great Britain and France. 2. Languages and Religions from each country were brought with the settlers. A. Settlers from Great Britain brought the English language and Protestant Christianity. B. Settlers from France brought the French language and Roman Catholic Christianity. 3. Great Britain gained control of Canada in 1763 by defeating France in the French and Indian War. A. British settlers moved across the country from coast to coast B. Result - Today 70% of Canadians speak English as a first language and only 20% speak French as a first language. 4. Influence of French settlement still EXTREMELY strong – especially in Quebec, A. 81% of people in Quebec speak French as the first language, B. Only 8% of Quebec’s citizens speak English as a first language. 5, Both English and French are the official languages of government and business in Canada. A. All government documents are written in both French and English, B. In Quebec, advertising may be written in both languages, but the French must come first, and the English words must be of smaller size. 6. Although other religions are practiced, the main religions are those that were brought from Great Britain and France A. Over 50% of Canadians practice Protestant Christianity, B. 44% of Canadians practice Roman Catholic Christianity. C. 80% of people in Quebec are Roman Catholic.

How Canada Became an Independent Nation 1.Unlike many European colonies which gained their independence only through wars, Canada gained its independence from Great Britain through peaceful means. 2. Great Britain gained control of Canada in 1763 by defeating France in the French and Indian War. A. After 100 years of expansion of settlers across the country, the people in Canada wanted to be united and protected from invasion by the United States wanting to gain new lands. B. At the request of the Canadians, in 1867, the British Parliament wrote a constitution which: 1) created the Dominion of Canada, comprised of 4 original provinces 2) allowed the country to have its own parliament and prime minister 3) prohibited Canada from making treaties with other countries 4) required Canadians to be a part of the military of the United Kingdom 5) allowed for the monarch of the United Kingdom to also serve as the monarch of Canada 3. Following huge losses of lives of soldiers called to serve in the military for England in World War I, the Canadians decided they wanted more control in foreign affairs. A British Parliament granted independence to Canada B – Final links between British Parliament and Canadian government were broken 4. The Canadians still share the same monarch with the British

Quebec’s Independence Movement (CRCT Test Prep book pg. 108) 1. In a desire to preserve their French language and culture, some people in Quebec, called separatists want that province to be independent of Canada A. Quebec province is important to the rest of the country for its computer and electronics industries B. Twice the people have voted on the issue of independence and both times have decided to remain a part of Canada 2. Canadian government has passed laws to help Quebec’s citizens preserve their French language and culture A. Country is officially bilingual - English and French are both used for government and business B. Law guarantees the right to preserve ones cultural heritage – Quebec is officially a “distinct society” 3. The “Independence Movement” lives on – despite these governmental actions, some people in Quebec are still seeking independence.