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History of Canada  Early on, Canada was was colonized by Vikings.  The Vikings abandoned the region and 500 years passed before the Europeans would discover Canadian land.  In 1497, Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) landed in Newfoundland and claimed the region for the English.

Early Settlement  Native Americans known as Inuits (or Eskimos) lived throughout the Canadian Arctic and Alaska.  During the 16 th and 17 th centuries, French explorers claimed most of Canada.  The region was known as New France.

The French and Indian War  After the French and Indian War, Britain captured most Canadian land the French had owned.  The French settlers still remained after Britain gained control of the region.  By the 18 th century, Canada had two very distinct cultures  Roman Catholic French  Protestant English

Upper and Lower Canada  In 1791, the British split Canada into two provinces  Upper Canada: near the Great Lakes, English speaking  Lower Canada: along the St. Lawrence River, French speaking

Conflict Continues  By the 1830s, the conflict between the French population and English population had not ended.  Major cities began developing including:  Quebec City  Montreal  Toronto  In 1867, the British government passed the British North America Act creating the Dominion of Canada.

Dominion of Canada  The Dominion was a loose confederation, or political union.  The region included:  Ontario (Upper Canada)  Quebec (Lower Canada)  Nova Scotia  New Brunswick  The Dominion had its own government, but remained part of the British Empire.  Ottawa became the capital

Canada- a nation  Canada became an independent nation in  Canada has a parliamentary government  A system where legislative and executive branches are combined in a group call parliament.  Although independent, Canada still recognizes the British King or Queen.  Parliament consists of an appointed senate and an elected House of Commons.  The majority leader is known as the Prime Minister (head of the government).

Provinces  Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories.

The Atlantic Provinces  Prince Edward Island  New Brunswick  Nova Scotia  Newfoundland  These provinces are home to only 8 percent of Canada’s population  These provinces are home to harsh weather and rugged terrain  Coastal benefits (fishing, shipping) draw people to this region

Core Provinces  Quebec  Ontario  These provinces make up the heartland of Canada  Ontario is primarily English speaking  Quebec is primarily French speaking  Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is located in Ontario  This region is the center of economic and political activity in Canada

Prairie Provinces  Manitoba  Saskatchewan  Alberta  Center of the nations agricultural production  These provinces are part of the Great Plains region  This region is responsible for 90 percent of Canada’s natural gas  There is a large amount of European diversity in this region (Germans, Irish, Scandinavians, Ukrainians, and Poles)

Pacific Province and Territories  British Columbia  3 Territories:  Yukon Territory  Northwest Territory  Nunavut  Most of BC is in the Rocky Mountain Range and most of the economy is built on mining  The territories make up 41 percent of Canada’s land mass  The territories are not highly populated because of harsh weather conditions and rugged land

Economy  Canada is one of the world’s richest countries.  Farming, logging, mining, and fishing are among Canada’s most important industries.  However, 60 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) comes from service industries.  Some of Canada’s service industries include: finance, utilities, transportation, tourism, communication, and real estate.  Historically, most Canadian wealth came from trading. The fur trade was a large part of early Canadian growth.

Dual Languages  Canada is officially a bilingual country.  The English speakers make up the majority of Canadians.  However, there is a large French speaking minority.

Canada Today  Canada, like the US, has become increasingly urbanized.  Most Canadians enjoy a relatively high standard of living.  Canada has a 97 percent literacy (reading) rate.  Winter sports like ice hockey and figure skating are popular throughout Canada.