A Brief Canadian History

 A Brief Canadian History

Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) makes trip from England to the shores of Newfoundland.

1534
Jacques Cartier explored the costs of now-a-day Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and then New Brunswick. The clamed the land for his country, France.

1535
Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River. He discovered the Native cities of Stadacona (now Quebec City) and Hochelega (now Montreal). While talking with the natives he named the land Canada from their word "Kanata" meaning village.

1582
Sir Humphrey Gilbert visits Newfoundland and claims the land for England.

1756
France and Great Britain begin the Seven Year War.

September 8, 1759
The British under command General Wolfe attacked Quebec City on the plains of Abraham. They captured the city from the General Montcalm of the French.

1763
New France becomes a British colony. It is renamed Quebec. This ends the Seven Year War.

1769
Prince Edward Island separates from Nova Scotia, and becomes its own separate British colony.

1774
The Quebec Act is passed by the British Parliament. This recognized the French Canadian's right to preserve their language, religion, and civil law.

1775
The start of the American Revolution begins. Thirteen colonies rebel against the British. Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island decide not to join the movement.

December 31, 1775
Because of Quebec not joining the revolution the Americans attack Quebec City. The city stays under siege until spring when the British reinforcement drive the American forces away.

1784
Nova Scotia separates once again into two separate colonies; Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

1791
Quebec is divided up into two colonies Upper Canada (Now called Ontario) and Lower Canada, (Now called Quebec). They are each run separately.

1812
The United States started another war between Britain.

August 16, 1812
Detroit surrenders to the British, lead by general Isaac Brock.

October 13, 1812
Brock was killed during the battle of Queenston Heights.

June 22, 1813
Laura Secord overhears American troops planning an attack. She walked 30 km from the united States to what is now Canada to warn Colonel James FitzGibbon. Two days later on the 24th the Americans were ambushed and surrendered.

December 24, 1814
The British and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent officialy ending the war.

1841
The Act of Union unites Upper and Lower Canada. They are renamed Canada East and Canada West into the province of Canada. It has one government with Kingston as it's capital.

1864
Confederation conference start in Charlottetown from September 1 to 9. They move to Quebec from October 10 to 29. The delegates fight over the ideas of a union of the British North American colonies

March 29, 1867
The British government passes the British North America Act. This allows the Canadian Confederation.

July 1, 1867
The colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec join together to become The Dominion of Canada. On this day John A. Macdonald becomes Canada's first Prime Minster.

July 15, 1869
Manitoba joins the Dominion of Canada. It is less then one third the size of Manitoba today.

July 20, 1871
British Columbia joins the Dominion of Canada.

July 1, 1873
Prince Edward Island joins the Dominion of Canada.

November 7, 1882
The last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway main line is driven in.

September 1, 1905
Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the rest of Manitoba joins the Dominion of Canada.

1914-1918
World War I is on. Britain declares war on Germany. As a part of the British Empire, Canada is also at war.

April 9-14 1917
The battle of Vimy Ridge (France) occurs. Canada's first major victory by Canadian troops. More then 10,000 Canadian's were killed or wounded.

December 6, 1917
A French munitions ship exploded in Halifax harbour. The whole city was flattened. Over 1600 people were killed and 9000 people were injured.

1918
Women win the right to vote in federal elections.

1939-1945
World War II starts. After Germany invaded Poland, Britain declared war. Canada declared war separately one week later.

March 31, 1949
Newfoundland is the last Province to joins the Dominion of Canada.

1950
Inuits win the right to vote in federal elections.

1960
Native people living on reserves get the right to vote in federal elections.

February 15, 1965
Canada gets it's new maple leaf flag.

July 1, 1967
Canada celebrates one hundred years of Confederation. Across the country communities sponsor centennial projects.

1968
Rene Levesque founds the Parti Quebecois, with the goal of making Quebec a sovereign state associated with Canada.

October 1970
The FLQ kidnaps a Quebec government minister and a British trade commissioner. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau invokes the War Measures Act, which allows Canadians to be arrested and held without be charged.

May 15, 1980
Quebec rejects "sovereignty association".

April 17, 1982
Canada gets a new Constitution Act, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

April 1, 1999
The eastern 2/3 of the Northwest Territories became a new territory named Nunavut

Published on: 2004-08-05 (20614 reads)