Canada's History

When Europeans explored Canada, they found all regions occupied by Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal and European settlers formed economic, religious, and military bonds in the first 200 years of coexistence, which laid the foundations of Canada.

In 1497, John Cabot, an Italian immigrant to England, was the first to map Canada's Atlantic shore, setting foot on Newfoundland or Cape Breton Island and claiming the New Found Land for England.

Jacques Cartier was the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River and to set eyes on present-day Quebec City and Montreal in 1534. He heard two captured guides speak the Iroquoian word "kanata," meaning "village." By the 1550s, the name "Canada" appeared on maps.

Samuel de Champlain made his first trip to Canada in 1603 and established the first permanent European settlement at Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) in 1605. In 1608, he built a fortress at what is now Quebec City. Champlain is known as "the Father of New France."

From 1864 to 1867, representatives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) worked together to establish a new country. These men are known as the Fathers of Confederation.

The British North America Act of 1867 (today known as the Constitution Act, 1867) created the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. This is the date Canadians celebrate as Canada Day.

Sir John A. Macdonald, a Father of Confederation, became Canada's first Prime Minister. He was born in Scotland and immigrated to Canada as a child.

The original four provinces were Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The other provinces and territories joined Confederation over the following years: - Manitoba and Northwest Territories (1870) - British Columbia (1871) - Prince Edward Island (1873) - Yukon Territory (1898) - Saskatchewan and Alberta (1905) - Newfoundland and Labrador (1949) - Nunavut (1999)

The First World War (1914-1918): Canada's contributions to the Allied war effort were significant. Over 600,000 Canadians served in the war, and more than 60,000 were killed. The Canadian victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 is considered a defining moment for Canada as a nation.

The Second World War (1939-1945): More than one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the war. Over 44,000 were killed. Canadians fought in many important battles, including the Battle of the Atlantic, the Italian campaign, and the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Canada's role in liberating the Netherlands is particularly remembered.

The Korean War (1950-1953): 26,791 Canadians served, and 516 died. Canada has also contributed to international peacekeeping missions through the United Nations.

In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was entrenched in the Constitution. The Charter protects the fundamental rights and freedoms of all people in Canada.