Origins of Government

  • 507 BCE

    Ancient Greece Democracy

    Ancient Greece Democracy
    The Ancient Greeks had a major impact on the way Canada is today. They were the first ever true democracy known to man. The Canadian law and justice system is strictly built off the Greeks along with many other factors like the English language sourcing all the way back to original Greek language.
  • 476

    The Roman Empire

    The Roman Empire
    Canada took after the Roman Empire in various different ways such as, modern architecture, entertainment, sports and the calendar etc...
  • Jun 17, 1142

    Iroquois Confederacy

    Iroquois Confederacy
    The Iroquois had to relocate to what is now Ontario and Quebec in 1783 after the American revolution had ended and the Americans had sold off their land without talking to them prior.
  • Jun 15, 1215

    The Magna Carta

    The Magna Carta
    The Magna Carta still has an impact on Canada today in the way we strive for new norms in regards to equality, human rights, environmental protection and the supremacy of the rule of law.
  • Divine Right of Kings

    Divine Right of Kings
    The Divine right of kings was a major way Canada was led for hundreds of years until it became its own country in 1867. Technically Canada is still led by the British Monarch but they have little control over the country.
  • Thomas Hobbes

    Thomas Hobbes
    The impact he had wasn't just Canada but worldwide. He justified wide-ranging government powers on the basis of the self-interested consent of citizens.
  • John Locke

    John Locke
    He created the modern idea of constitutionalism that defines the relationship between the political system and the bureaucracy that we use in Canada today. He also argued for the basic rights to life for everyone.
  • The American Revolution

    The American Revolution
    In 1775-76, the Americans invaded Quebec to seize from the British but that wasn't the major impact on Canada. In 1783 when the war ended, about 40 thousand Loyalists arrived in the country and forever transformed it.
  • The French Revolution

    The French Revolution
    This was the solidification of the British rule over Canada and the creation of upper and lower Canada.
  • British Parliament

    British Parliament
    Canada after it's establishment in 1867 would later inherit the common law of the British that is still used to this day.
  • The Great Depression

    The Great Depression
    This time in Canada had a major impact on the people of Canada and the economy itself. People lost their homes and couldn't afford basic needs. Jobs were lost and Canada was falling apart.
  • Social Revolutions / Persons day

    Social Revolutions / Persons day
    This was the first true step to equality for women in Canada that finally considered women as people for the first time ever.
  • The Push From British / 1960s

    The Push From British / 1960s
    This is the time when Canada finally starts to push away from the British and pushes towards North American first beliefs.