Early Contact
Name the two main European powers competing for control of New France before 1763.
France and Great Britain.
What did the Constitutional Act (1791) create (name the two colonies)?
Upper Canada and Lower Canada (renamed Canada West and Canada East).
In what year did Confederation occur and which four provinces joined in 1867?
1867 — Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick.
Which province joined Confederation in 1871, partly after a promise of a transcontinental railway?
British Columbia; joined in 1871 with the promise of the CPR.
What major infrastructure project connected British Columbia to the rest of Canada and when was it completed?
The Canadian Pacific Railway (completed across the country in 1885).
What was the significance of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759)?
It was the decisive battle where British forces defeated the French, leading to British control of New France; both commanding generals died.
Define "political deadlock" in the context of the Province of Canada.
When Canada West and Canada East repeatedly blocked each other's governments, leaving legislation stalled and governments unstable.
List two reasons leaders pushed for Confederation.
To fix political deadlock; to defend against U.S. expansion; to improve trade and build railways; Britain wanted colonies to assume more responsibility.
Who led the Red River Resistance and which province was created soon after?
Louis Riel; Manitoba was created in 1870.
Name one industry important in the Maritimes in the 1800s and one in the Prairies after expansion.
Maritimes: shipbuilding/fishing; Prairies: cattle ranching (and later grain).
Explain one major effect of early European contact on Indigenous populations.
Large population decline from disease; disruption of social, economic, and political systems; loss of land and autonomy.
Name two causes of the Rebellions of 1837–38.
Frustration with appointed elites (Family Compact), lack of responsible government, economic distress, and cultural tensions; leaders like Papineau and Mackenzie led rebellions.
Explain why Prince Edward Island did not join Confederation in 1867 but joined later.
PEI was worried about local control and land issues and later faced railway debt; Canada assumed PEI's debts and promised better transport, so PEI joined in 1873.
What was the North-West Resistance (1885) and name one consequence for Métis or Indigenous peoples.
The 1885 North-West Resistance was Métis and some First Nations resistance to Canadian authority and settlement; consequence: Riel was executed, Métis lost land and influence, increased military suppression
Describe the role of Chinese labour in building the Canadian Pacific Railway and one major cost they paid.
Chinese workers were essential in the dangerous mountain sections; faced low pay, discrimination, dangerous conditions, and many deaths; faced exclusionary policies later (e.g., head tax).
Who was Samuel de Champlain and why is he important to early Canadian history?
Champlain founded Quebec City (1608), allied with some Indigenous nations, and helped establish New France.
What was the Durham Report's major recommendation and why did Britain accept it?
Durham recommended union of the Canadas and responsible government; Britain accepted to stabilize the colonies and encourage assimilation.
From the perspective of Canada East (Quebec), what were the advantages and risks of Confederation?
Advantages: provincial powers to protect language, religion, civil law; escape deadlock. Risks: being outnumbered by English Protestants at the federal level; too-strong federal power.
Give two reasons western provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) were created in the early 1900s.
Population growth from settlement, need for local governance, and formal organization of lands previously in Northwest Territories; creation in 1905 (Alberta & Saskatchewan) to manage settlement and resources.
Explain how railways changed trade and settlement patterns in Canada after Confederation (two effects).
Railways made it faster to move goods and people, opened new agricultural land, encouraged settlement, linked markets, and made centralized control easier; also accelerated Indigenous land dispossession and regional inequalities.
Describe how the fur trade shaped relationships among Europeans and Indigenous nations (include trade and alliances).
Fur trade created economic interdependence, alliances (e.g., French–Wendat), competition, and introduced European goods and firearms; it also led to displacement and conflict.
Explain how the War of 1812 contributed to a growing sense of Canadian identity (give two specific examples).
The war united diverse groups in defence (Indigenous alliances, militia), reinforced resistance to U.S. invasion, and fostered pride and cooperation that fed later nation-building.
Describe the main ways Indigenous peoples were affected by Confederation (focus on representation and federal responsibility).
Indigenous peoples were excluded from conferences; federal government gained responsibility for "Indigenous affairs"; expansion increased settlement pressure, treaties negotiated often without fair terms, and later assimilation policies followed.
Explain how the Klondike Gold Rush (Yukon) affected Canadian government control and northern settlement.
The Klondike rush brought thousands of prospectors, increased federal presence (NWMP), more settlement and resource control, and greater pressure on Indigenous lands and sovereignty.
How did industrial projects contributed to nation-building and unequal impacts on different groups (include at least one positive and one negative impact).
Projects like Victoria Bridge and telegraph improved communication and trade (positive: economic growth, national unity). Negative: displacement of Indigenous peoples, labour exploitation (e.g., Chinese workers), and uneven regional benefits.