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Welcome to my timeline where I have displayed important events from the Great War (1914-1918) that have shaped Canada's history! These events have been either a period of decline or a period of progress.
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During 1914, Canada was a part of the British Empire. Great Britain controlled Canada’s foreign affairs. When Great Britain declared war against Germany in August 1914, Canada was automatically at war as well. Over 650,000 Canadian men and women served in uniform during the First World War, with more than 66,000 giving their lives and over 172,000 more being wounded.This period of time represents a period of decline due to the significant impact on the physical and mental health of Canadians. -
The Corps was Canada's principal fighting force throughout the war, with a strength of 100,000 men by late 1916, including infantry, artillery and engineering troops. As the war continued, the Corps repeatedly distinguished itself in battle at Passchendaele, Amiens, and Cambrai, gaining a reputation.This was a very significant period of progress because the Canadian corps gained more independence in warfare and were finally able to command their own troops rather than the British. -
The outnumbered Canadian Division faced the first use of chlorine gas as a battlefield agent. However, a third of the force, were killed, wounded, or captured, but the Canadians still kept the Germans from breaking through. Thus, in their first major appearance on a European battlefield, the Canadians established a reputation as a formidable fighting force. This was a period of progress for Canada because Canadian soldiers had proven themselves to be strong and useful in the war. -
The Battle of the Somme, which took place from July to November 1916, began as an Allied offensive against German forces on the Western Front and turned into one of the most bitter and costly battles of World War I. There were a total of 24,000 Canadian Casualties. The courage of Canadian soldiers there helped their growing reputation as first-rate front line troops who could capture enemy positions in the face of heavy fire. This was a period of success because it was a huge victory for Canada. -
Discrimination was a reoccurring problem in society. Germans and immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire were victims of prejudice. Black Canadians also faced discrimination for being minorities. Specifically, a group was created called The No.2 Construction battalion on July 5 1916.The battalion was tasked with non-combat support roles, which included building roads & trenches. This was a period of decline because it segregated many Canadians and made them feel unwanted in the country. -
Canadians were given the task of storming Vimy Ridge in France. The Canadian wiped out the German front line and seized the heights.The victory for Canada of the Battle of Vimy Ridge resulted a separate signatory to the Treaty of Versailles. Vimy Ridge is aptly characterized by historians as representing Canada's "coming of age.The taking of this ridge was something that no other country was able to do. This was a period of progress as it gained Canadian independence and patriotism. -
After enormous difficulty, the Military Service Act became law on 29 August 1917. It made all male citizens aged 20 to 45 subject to call-up for military service. The Military Voters Act gave the vote to all Canadian soldiers regardless of their period of residence in the country. With this ability to assign votes, the governing party was able to use the vote in a constituency that was beneficial to their party. The act introduced conscription- forced military service. -
The Canadian Wartime Elections Act was a bill passed on September 20, 1917. The Wartime Elections Act of 1917 gave the vote to female relatives of Canadian soldiers serving overseas in the First World War. It took the vote away from many Canadians who had immigrated from “enemy” countries. The Act was passed by Prime Minister Robert Borden’s Conservative government in an attempt to gain votes. This was the first time Canadian women were granted the right to vote in federal elections. -
Halifax was devastated on December 6, 1917 when two ships collided in the city's harbour, one of them a munitions ship loaded with explosives bound for the battlefields of the First World War. Nearly 2,000 people died, another 9,000 were maimed or blinded, and more than 25,000 were left without adequate shelter. The explosion had profound and long-lasting consequences.This was a period of decline for Canada, because Halifax was very important to contributing to the war efforts. -
The Spanish flu is a devastating, previously unknown form of influenza, that struck Canada hard between 1918 and 1920.The loss of so many Canadians had a profound social and economic impact on a country that had already suffered 60,000 war dead.It left thousands of families without a primary wage earner and orphaned thousands of children. Inadequate quarantine measures, powerlessness against the illness, and a lack of coordinated efforts from health authorities led to unsurmountable chaos.
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