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The first democracy was established by the ancient Greeks. The word "democracy" is derived from two Greek words that signify "people" and "rule". The Greek concept of democracy differed from modern democracy in that all adult citizens in Athens were required to participate actively in the government. Influence of Greece in Canada Family and Public Laws Have an Impact in jury trial. Ancient Greece's democratic citizens, particularly those of Athens, were the first to use jury trials. -
The Roman Empire, which included the Principate and the Early Empire, was created in ancient Rome in 27 B.C. This style of government is governed by elected officials who are accountable to the voters who elect them. After deposing a king, the Romans established a republic. -
The idea of divine rights of kings maintained that monarchs obtain their authority from God and hence could not be held accountable for their conduct by any earthly authority, such as a parliament. Because kings obtain their authority from God, no earthly authority, such as a parliament, could hold them accountable for their conduct. -
The Magna Carta is a charter of liberty and political rights gained from King John of England by his rebellious barons at Runnymede in 1215, and it is considered the foundational document of English constitutional practice. Magna Carta's concern with a limited monarchy under the rule of law, as well as the establishment of certain essential rights and freedoms in a written charter, has been crucial to the development of Canada's justice system and legal framework. -
The Iroquois are an American Indian tribe who live in the northeastern United States and Canada. The Grand Council is the representative government of the Iroquois. The Grand Council is North America's oldest governmental entity currently operating in its original form. Chiefs are sent by each tribe to function as spokespeople and make decisions on behalf of the entire nation. -
Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher and one of the founding fathers of contemporary political theory. He maintained that we should all have equal rights and that no one should have authority over another. This convinced the authorities that without a well-built government, society would perish. -
John Locke was an English philosopher and physician who is often considered as the "Father of Liberalism" and one of the most prominent Enlightenment theorists. The Canadian founders and their forefathers defined the parliamentary idea in their definition of it as "responsible governance" thanks to their knowledge of Locke. -
The British Parliament is the United Kingdom's legislative body and the major law-making institution under the constitutional monarchy. The British government continued to exert significant influence over Canadian affairs through the royally appointed Governors. When the province was granted responsible administration in 1848, this influence was reduced. -
The American Revolution, also known as the United States War of Independence, was a 1775–1783 insurgency in which 13 of Great Britain's North American colonies rebelled against British rule to establish the sovereign United States of America, which was founded with the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In many ways, Canada's nationhood was a result of the American Revolution, when the Thirteen Colonies' triumph prompted a mass flight of Loyalist Americans to British North America. -
The French Revolution, which began in 1789 and finished in the late 1790s with Napoleon Bonaparte's ascension, was a watershed event in modern European history. The most major repercussions of the French Revolution in Canada are widely believed to be the solidification of British sovereignty over Canada and the formation of Upper and Lower Canada. -
The Great Depression was the most severe and long-lasting economic downturn in contemporary history. The Great Depression ushered in the emergence of social welfare and populist political movements. It also prompted the government to become more involved in the economy. -
The decade of the 1960s lasted from January 1, 1960, to December 31, 1969. Protest marches for peace and the civil rights struggle characterized the decade. The new ideology elevated people above group leadership and what many saw as antiquated moral standards. Many people saw government as a corporate partner rather than a defender of individuals and the environment.