Canada History and Culture

History: Native Canadians Much like the rest of the Americas, as the Ice Age ended, people moved into the lands that now make up Canada. The Inuit and other Native groups were the First Canadians.

History: Native Canadians These Native people divided into groups and became known as the First Nations. The Cree in the interior became great bison hunters while the Inuit adapted to the extreme cold of the north.

European Settlement The first Europeans to Canada were the Vikings. They came and settled on Newfoundland at about 1000 AD, but would later abandon their settlements.

European Settlement In the 1400’s, Europeans again come and explore Canada. Many would come from Western Europe for the fishing and trapping opportunities. Trade between natives and the Europeans would develop. Furs could be traded for axes and guns and later exchanges of food clothing and ideas would ensue.

New France The French were the first to successfully settle Canada. They would found Quebec City in 1608 and later Montreal. They would call the territory New France and at its height would cover Eastern Canada and much of the central United States.

New France New France was important as it provided money and goods to French settlers and it served as a base to spread French culture to the region.

New France The French would have to compete with Britain for control of Canada. The French would build trade and diplomatic relationships with the Natives to protect their interests.

New France They would export fish and furs from Canada and send manufactured goods to New France. French missionaries would come and convert the Natives to Christianity. The relationship was so good that the French would intermarry.

New France The British would finally run the French out, the French and Indian War would have a lot to do with that. However, the cultural makeup of Canada would be heavily influenced by the French and still makes up a major part of its ethnic background.

British Conquest The French and Indian war would make Canada a British territory. Many of the French would return home, but many more would stay and assimilate into society – particularly Quebec where they would maintain there language, religion and way of life.

British Conquest The British divided Quebec into 2 colonies – Lower Canada, which was mainly French and Upper Canada which was mainly English. The boundary between the two is very similar to the boundary between present day Quebec and Ontario.

British Conquest Nova Scotia to the east will also be divided into two colonies creating New Brunswick. New Brunswick would be a haven for English settlers.

Creation of Canada As colonies developed, they saw themselves as different from the rest of the Empire. Parliament created the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Canadians saw this as a step towards independence, the British saw it as a way to maintain a sphere of influence.

Creation of Canada To connect all of the provinces into one united entity, Canada will complete the TransCanadian (Canadian-Pacific) Railroad in 1885. Afterwards, Canada would acquire vast lands to the north, much from the Hudson Bay Company

Creation of Canada Most of the people living in the north were native Canadians and mixed European and native ancestry. The railroads allowed for more people to settle in the territories.

Culture Canada is truly a melting pot, much like the USA. Although it stems from English and French background, immigration has brought a variety of ethnic groups and culture.

Immigration During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, immigrants came to Canada from Europe, particularly Britain, France, German and Russia and some from the US. Most of them farmed, worked in mines, forests or factories. In 1897, gold would bring many more.

Immigration Immigrants also came from China, Japan and India. Many coming from China worked on the railroad, like the US. British Columbia was the first province to have a large Asian population.

Immigration All of the immigrants helped a boom in the Canadian economy in the 1900’s. Wheat, pulp and paper from Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick and minerals and hydroelectricity from British Columbia and Ontario promoted one of the highest standards of living in the world by 1940.

Movement to Cities After WWII, a wave of immigration hits Canadian cities. Toronto will become one of the worlds most culturally diverse cities with immigrants from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

Movement to Cities A recent move from farm to city has seen some rural settlements completely disappear. To find jobs, people are moving to Toronto and Vancouver for job opportunities, access to resources and milder climates. Political and economic power remains in cities of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

To Sum Up Exit: How has Immigration changed Canada? Stay tuned nest time for Canada today