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Canada

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Last updated: 19 June 2009

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History

People migrating from Asia, probably crossing the Bering Strait, first settled the North American continent. They formed a number of tribes that can be distinguished by language. The largest group was the Algonquian, often migratory, who inhabited the eastern sub-arctic and maritime areas but by the 18th century had spread into the prairies and plains of the mid-west. The Iriquioian speaking tribes lived mostly in the St Lawrence Valley and around Lakes Ontario and Erie. The Salishan, Athabascan and other linguistic groups lived along the rivers and coastline of British Columbia. Small, isolated Inuit bands developed a unique culture in the harsh environment of the Arctic. The first Europeans to reach North America were probably from Greenland in about AD 1000. But the firm knowledge of the existence of land was not established until around 1480 to 1500 AD. John Cabot, a Venetian working in the service of the English sailed to Newfoundland in 1497. This and later explorations formed the basis of the English claim to Canada. The Frenchman Jacques Cartier undertook a series of explorations, mainly along the route of the St Lawrence River during the 1530s and 1540s and he claimed the land for France.

Hunting and trading was the principal interest of the European settlers in Canada and rival companies, including the Hudson’s Bay Company, dominated economic activity. But the rivalries in Europe spilled over into North America and a number of conflicts were fought leading up to the truce agreed in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The peace was short-lived however and the period from about 1745 to 1760 was one of Anglo-French conflict leading to the surrender of Montreal to the British. The 1763 Treaty of Paris brought British rule to the area known as British North America. Tensions between the French and English speaking communities continued to affect the Colony although in the War of 1812 against the Americans most Canadians sided with the British army in the defence of what was known as Upper and Lower Canada.

Partly arising from concern about developments in the USA (the American Civil War of 1861-1865) came a movement for the unification of the colonies of British North America. A new nation, called the Dominion of Canada, was created by the British North America Act of 1867 and proclaimed in Canada on 1 July 1867. The federation included Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland refused to join. The Province of Manitoba was created in 1870 and with the North West Territories joined the confederation. British Columbia joined the confederation in 1871. Prince Edward Island agreed to join in 1873. The District of Saskatchewan was created in 1882. The Yukon Territory joined Canada in 1898. In 1905 Saskatchewan and Alberta joined the Dominion. Newfoundland joined in 1949. In 1999 Nunavut was created.

Further information about the road to Confederation: The National Library of Canada

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