Era Summary Characters Timeline Reading Assignments
The exploration of Canada by French and English explorers commenced very soon after the discovery of the Americas by Columbus, although permanent settlement of the new world colonies did not occur until the early seventeenth century. The early explorers of North America, whose names are still recorded on lakes, bays, and rivers of the region, began with the voyage of John Cabot in 1497, and include Jacques Cartier , Henry Hudson, Samuel de Champlain, Martin Frobisher, John Davis, William Baffin, Alexander Mackenzie, and many others. Most were in search of the elusive Northwest-passage, from the Atlantic to Asia, that would have meant enormous riches for its discoverers, had it existed.
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From the beginning, the region of Canada was disputed between England and France. England controlled Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, and the southern coastal areas, while France centered its colonies around the St. Lawrence seaway and the great lakes. Britain's domination of the seas meant that its settlements were better supplied, and in closer contact with the mother country, but France's close relations with the Indian tribes gave it almost complete control of the fur trade, and easy access to the interior regions. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries, France and Britain were often at war, and although these conflicts went by different names in Europe, in the Americas, they were called the French Indian Wars. These Indian wars even continued when France and England were official at peace, but in spite of over seventy years of fighting, and many heroic and horrible events, nothing was permanently resolved until 1759, the year in which Britain conquered Quebec. Within a few years of that battle, fought between the famous Generals General Wolfe and General Montcalm, Britain had driven France from North America, and taken possession of all of her French colonies in the region.
Canada under British Rule—When Britain took control of New France, she allowed the French settlers to continue to govern themselves according to their own customs, and allowed freedom of worship for all Catholics. One exception to this general tolerance of their French subjects, occurred in Nova Scotia, were an independent settlement of Acadians refused to take an oath of loyalty to the British government. In consequence they were forcibly deported from the region, and many ended up in New Orleans. Many ethnic Cajuns in New Orleans are the descendents of these deported Acadians. The French-speaking colonies of Canada continued as a British province until 1791, when New France was partitioned into French-speaking Lower Canada, (modern Quebec), and English-speaking Upper Canada (modern Ontario). The reason for this, was that following the revolutionary war, a great number of Tory settlers had migrated to Upper Canada, and the two settlements were too dissimilar to rule under a single government. During this time other British colonies were also settled in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia.
Most of the British settlement at this time were located off the eastern seaboard, but traders from the Hudson Bay Company, a company first chartered by Charles II, were busy discovering and mapping the vast land to the west. The colonization of the western plains began in 1811 with the settlement of the Red River Valley, but the settlers there ran into many of the same troubles that plagued the earlier settlers in America: hostile Indians, disease, and hunger. Over a long period of time, however, the southern parts of Manitoba became a thriving colony. In the far west, George Vancouver explored the Columbia river basin and Vancouver Island, and claimed the entire region for Britain. Like most of the rest of western Canada, however, permanent settlement occurred slowly until the opening of the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1885.
Confederation of Canada—In the early 1830's, the elections reform bill in Great Britain resulted an a grand restructuring of the British Parliament. After this occurred many of the colonies, including the provinces of Canada, became enamored with the idea of democratic self-rule. In 1837 there were widespread riots in both Upper and Lower Canada in protest against the British colonial government. Lord Durham went to investigate and proposed the Union of the two provinces under limited self-rule. While the residents were still British subjects, they were allowed to elect parliaments and pass laws that pertained to local matters. In 1867, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia joined the confederation, followed by Manitoba and British Columbia in 1870, and Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905. The last province to join the Canadian Federation was Newfoundland in 1947.
Character/Date | Short Biography |
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Explorers | |
1537–1583 |
Sea-faring adventurer. Founded the first English colony in Canada. |
1535–1594 |
Explored much of Canada in seach of the Northwest Passage. Fought in the Armada. |
1550–1605 |
British explorer who sought the Northwest Passage through Canada. |
1575–1611 |
Explorer who discovered Hudson Bay and other parts of North America. |
1491–1557 |
Discovered the St. Lawrence Seaway and great lakes, while searching for Northwest Passage. |
1637–1675 |
French Missionary who explored the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes. |
1643–1687 |
Dauntless adventurer who followed the Mississippi to its mouth, and claimed all for France. |
1585–1622 |
Discovered Baffin Bay while on a quest to find the Northwest Passage. |
1757–1798 |
Discovered Puget Sound, Vancouver Island, Columbia River; claimed region for Britain. |
1764–1820 |
Discovered the Mackenzie River and Great Northern Lakes of Canada. |
French Heroes | |
1580–1635 |
Founded French colonies in the St. Lawrence seaway and great lake region. Father of 'New France.' |
1622–1698 |
Governor of New France from 1672 to 1698. Expanded fur trade, and fought with British. |
1678–1747 |
Fended off a tribe of Indians attacking her for when she was only fourteen. |
1635–1660 |
Led a group of volunteers form Montreal to ambush a force of Iroquois. The entire force was killed to a man. |
1607–1646 |
Heroic Jesuit missionary to Indians. Tortured by the Indians, but returned to preach the gospel. |
1712–1759 |
Military leader of New France during the Seven Year War; died at Battle of Quebec. |
British Heroes | |
1695–1755 |
Led a disastrous campaign to Fort Duquesne (Ohio) during the French and Indian Wars. |
1727–1759 |
Defeated the French at the Battle of Quebec, giving Canada to Britain. Died during battle. |
1792–1840 |
Helped draft the Reform bill of 1832. Then recommended a form of self government for Canada. |
1771–1820 |
Obtained a land grand near Red River valley and help poor Scottish pioneers settle there. |
1775–1868 |
During War of 1812, warned a British Lieutenant of an impending surprise attack. |
Native Heroes | |
1768–1813 |
Shawnee Hero. Tried to unify tribes against the colonists. Fought for Britain during War of 1812. |
1844–1885 |
Leader of the Metis tribes of Manitoba and Saskatchewan who fought for their rights. |
AD Year | Event |
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Exploration | |
1497 | John Cabot claims Newfoundland for England. |
1534 | Jacques Cartier explores Gulf of St. Lawrence on first voyage. |
1576 | Martin Frobisher searches for the Northwest Passage. |
1583 | Humphrey Gilbert attempts to found colony in Newfoundland. |
1611 | Henry Hudson is killed by a mutinous crew in Hudson Bay. |
1789 | Alexander Mackenzie crosses Canada, discovers Mackenzie River and Artic Ocean. |
1792 | George Vancouver discovers Vancouver Island and Puget Sound. |
French colonies | |
1542 | Jacques Cartier fails to establish permanent colonies on third voyage. |
French Wars of religion interrupt settlement. Huguenots forbidden to emigrate. | |
1608 | Samuel de Champlain establishes a French colony at Quebec; becomes capital of New France. |
1615 | First Catholic missionaries sent to New France to convert natives. |
1632 | Colony at Port Royal on Bay of Fundy re-established; becomes capital of Acadia. |
1646 | Isaac Jogues, missionary to the Hurons, tortured, martyred by Mohawks. |
Count Frontenac first term as governor of New France. Protects colonists from Iroquois. | |
French Indian Wars results in loss of French colonies in America. | |
1755 | Defeat of British General Braddock at Battle of Fort Duquesne. |
1755 | Acadians from Nova Scotia forced to relocate. |
1759 | At the Battle of Quebec General Wolfe wins New France for the British. |
British Canada | |
1670 | Hudson Bay Trading Company chartered by Charles II. |
1763 | Treaty of Paris grants New France to Britain on condition of religious liberty for Catholics. |
1776 | Canada declines to revolt against Britain, due to British toleration for French Catholics. |
1783 | Emigration of Tories in lower colonies to Canadian dominions after Revolutionary War. |
1791 | Former territories of New France partitioned into Lower and Upper Canada. |
1837 | Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada against British rule. |
1840 | Act of Union, unites Upper and Lower Canada. |
1867 | New Brunswick and Nova Scotia join Canadian Federation. |
1870 | Manitoba and British Columbia join Canadian Federation. |
1885 | Completion of Canadian Pacific Rail, Montreal to Vancouver. |
1905 | Saskatchewan and Albert join Canadian Federation. |
1949 | Newfoundland joins Canadian Federation. |
Core Reading Assignments | ||
---|---|---|
Marshall - Our Empire Story | Part I—Canada to Louis Riel (22) | |
Home - Canada: Peeps at History | entire book | |
Also Recommended | ||
Gaskoin - The Hanoverians | Britains Beyond the Sea (1) | |
Synge - The Reign of Queen Victoria | Canadian Federation to Dominion of Canada (2) | |
Synge - A Book of Discovery | Cabot Sails to Newfoundland to Franklin Discovers Passage (21) |