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Samuel de Champlain was a French navigator, explorer, and founder of Quebec city (the oldest city in Canada and the first to be meant as a permanent settlement). He made more than twenty voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, along with other explorations of the Ottawa River and the eastern Great Lakes. His accomplishments were of extreme importance to “Canadian” history as they were vital to French expansion and consolidation in the “New World” (America). -
The Hudson’s Bay Company was founded by Groseilliers and Radisson. The company controlled approximately a third of North America (Rupert’s Land) and earned money using Its resources (mostly beaver fur, lumber, and fish). Once those industries stopped making much money, the company started to sell parts of the land to the Americans, French, and British. The Hudson’s Bay company was important to “Canadian” history due to its involvement with the colonization of British North America. -
In addition to establishing a peace agreement, the Treaty of Utrecht divided North America "equally" between the British and the French. Neither Side Knew what land they were claiming. Thus, they sent out explorers to figure it out. It took a long time to map all of North America. By 1713, only a percentage of the land was mapped. That resulted in the British getting more land. This event was Important to “Canadian” History because it helped calm the relationship between the French and British. -
During this event, the British forcibly evicted the Acadians from their colonies, burned down their houses, and gave their lands to loyal settlers. This led about 11,000 Acadians to relocate to New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, while the other 4000 died of hunger, illness, or in shipwrecks. This event was important to “Canadian” history because it forever changed the human geography of Canada’s coastal provinces. -
The Seven Years War began as a regional dispute between Great Britain and France seeking control over North America's extensive resources. Over time, the war erupted into a worldwide conflict for global supremacy with many other countries involved. The war ended with the signing of the treaty of Paris and a victory for Great Britain in 1763. This event was significant for “Canadian” history because it laid the bicultural foundation of modern Canada and ensured Britain's rule of North America. -
The war of 1812 was a conflict between the United States of America and British North America. There were several causes of this war. Some of which were the American inclination to overtake “Canada“ and Britain's interference with U.S trade. This war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent when both sides agreed to end the war in 1814. This event was important to “Canadian” history because it essentially established the modern-day border between the two countries. -
The Reciprocity Treaty was a free trade agreement between the British North American colonies and the United States of America. After the American Civil War, the Northern States were upset with Britain for supporting/trading with the Southern States and, as a result, canceled the treaty. This event was a major part of “Canadian” history because it reinforced the argument for a Canadian Confederation. -
Canadian Confederation occurred when the four British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec united to form Canada. That was a result of the British North America Act passed by the British parliament (Canada’s First Prime Minister was Sir John A. Macdonald). Confederation was extremely important in “Canadian” history because it granted the British North American Colonies strength and improved their economic state.