Canadian History Exam Review
Unit I: The First Peoples of Canada:
1. What does it mean when we say that early aboriginals lived in a Matriarchal society?
2. Explain some characteristics of early aboriginal culture and Worldview.
3. Who were the Iroquois? Who are the Huron? Generally, what European groups did they
form an alliance with?
4. What is meant by the term “First Contact”? How did it shape the relationship between
aboriginals and Europeans in early Canadian History? What is the historical significance of
this event in history?
Unit II: New France: (1500s – 1759)
5. Who was Samual de Champlain? Why is he considered the “Father of New France”?
6. What is New France? Describe why various groups of people came to settle this area.
(Merchants / Missionaries / Explorers and Adventures / Soldiers / Farmers / Filles du Roi)
What were some of the problems / conflicts that faced this early group of French people?
7. Who were the Jesuits?
a. What was their main goal in coming to New France?
b. Discuss how their relationship with various aboriginal groups is symbolic of
Aboriginal – European relations?
8. What is the Seigneurial System?
9. In what ways was the fur trade important to the development of Canada? In what ways did
it shape the course of early Canadian history?
10. What was the HBC? Why was it important? Who owned it?
11. What was the Battle of the Plains of Abraham?
a. What year was it fought? Where? How long did the battle last?
b. Explain how the battle played out – What moves did the British make that won
them the war? What mistakes did the French make?
c. What is the historical significance of this battle?
Unit III: British North America (1759 – 1867)
12. What was the Royal Proclamation Act of 1763 and what did it do?
13. What was the Quebec Act and what did it do? Why is this act so important in Canadian
History?
14. What was the American Revolution of 1775?
a. Who was it fought between?
b. What did the American Revolution result in?
c. What impact did this conflict have on Indigenous peoples?
d. What was the historical significance of this war on Canadian history?
15. Who were the Loyalists? Identify and explain 4 ways their arrival in Canada impacted
and/or shaped early Canadian culture and life?
16. What was the War of 1812?
a. What role did Indigenous people play in this conflict?
b. What was the historical significance of this conflict ?
17. Explain what lead to the 1837 rebellions in both Upper and Lower Canada?
a. What did the people rebelling want?
b. Be able to define Oligarchy and name the Oligarchies that existed in Upper
Canada and Lower Canada at this time.
c. Describe the result of these rebellions making specific reference to the impact that
Lord Durham’s report had on Canada.
Unit IV: Canada in the 19th Century (1800s -1900)
18. What does the Great Migration refer to?
19. Who were some of the earliest immigrant into Canada?
a. Why did so many Irish immigrants come to Canada prior to the 1850s?
b. What was the Underground Railway? What did it result in?
c. Why did so many Chinese immigrants come to Canada? Why was their treatment
an example of racial discrimination?
20. Who was John A. Macdonald?
a. Why was he called one of the “Fathers of Confederation”?
b. What was his major project?
21. Identify and explain four major factors that lead to Confederation?
22. What was Confederation?
a. Identify the first four provinces to join Confederation?
b. What year did Confederation take place?
c. What year did Manitoba become a province and join Confederation?
d. When did B.C join and why did they finally agree to this?
23. What does the CPR stand for?
a. What year was the famous “last spike” completed?
b. How did the railway lead to the “opening of the west”?
c. What effect did the “opening of the west” have on aboriginal groups living on the
prairies?
24. Why was the construction of the CPR such an important event in the history and
development of Canada? Identify and explain five reasons.
25. Who was Clifford Sifton?
a. What types of immigrants did he encourage to come to Canada?
b. What were immigrants given to help them settle the west?
c. What was the experience like for many of the early immigrants that came to settle
the west?
d. Why were the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) created and what purpose did
they serve in the West?
26. Who was Louis Riel and why was he a significant figure in Canadian history? Provide an
overview of his life and explain his legacy in Canada? Why is he still a controversial figure
in Canadian History?
Unit V: Canada in the 20th Century (1900s):
27. World War I:
a. Between what years did this war take place?
b. Explain the causes that lead to the Great War.
c. What is the “Domino Effect”? Explain how it led to the outbreak of World War I,
making specific references to country alliances in your answer.
d. Identify the significance of the Second Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Somme,
and the Battle of Vimy Ridge?
e. Explain the effect World War I had on women and the first wave of women’s
rights?
f. Who was Nellie McClung and why was she important?
g. Explain the impact World War I had on Canada. How did it benefit Canada? Why
was it problematic for Canada?
h. What is Valour Road?
28. What is Conscription? What was the Conscription Crisis of World War I? Fully explain its
effect on Canada during and after the war.
29. What was the Treaty of Versailles? Identify the terms of this treaty? How did it contribute to
the outbreak of World War II?
30. The period between the First and Second World Wars brought about many changes in
Canadian society. Identify four important events or changes that occurred in the interwar
years and explain their importance to Canadian society.
31. What was the Winnipeg General Strike?
a. What year did it take place?
b. What did the strikers want?
c. What is scab labor?
d. What are sympathy strikes?
e. What is the historical significance of this event?
32. What were the “roaring 20s” and what kinds of things are associated with this era?
33. What was the Great Depression?
a. What were some causes?
b. What was the triggering event that began the Great Depression?
c. What was this era’s nickname?
d. What is the historical significance of this event for Canadian History?
e. What political party formed out of this time period?
34. World War II:
a. Between what years did World War II take place?
b. Identify some of the causes of the Second World War.
c. Explain which countries made up the Allied side in this conflict? Who were the “big
three’ Axis Powers?
d. Identify and briefly explain the major events that occurred during World War II and
explain their historical significance.
i. Pearl Harbor
ii. The Holocaust
iii. D-Day
iv. Dropping of the atomic bombs
v. Japanese Internment -Discuss the injustices faced by Japanese
Canadians after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. How did the
Canadian Government justify such racist actions / legislation? Explain
what happened to Japanese Canadians during the Internment years?
What has happened as a result of this event?
Unit VI: Modern Canadian Issues:
35. What is the Cold War? Be able to identify the importance of:
a. Arms Race
b. Iron Curtain
c. NATO
d. Lester B. Pearson
e. Charter of Rights and Freedoms
36. Identify and explain at least four examples of where conflict or misunderstanding between
English and French Canadians is seen in Canadian history.
37. Identify and Explain the Quiet Revolution.
38. What was the FLQ Crisis – Identify the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and be able to
explain the historical significance of this event.
39. Who is Rene Levesque? How did sovereignty-association differ from separation?
40. What was the Quebec Referendums – When did they occur? What were they? What were
the results of the referendums? Why were they significant in Canadian History?
41. Who was Pierre Elliot Trudeau? Why was he both an important and controversial figure in
Canadian History? Explain the following things associated with the Trudeau years in
Canada:
a. The October Crisis “Just watch me” and the War Measures Act
b. Official Languages Act
c. Official Multiculturalism
d. Just Society
Theme I: Aboriginal Issues:
42. Define Assimilation. Identify and explain four specific examples of aboriginal assimilation
seen in Canadian history.
43. What were residential schools? What was their purpose? What is their legacy?
44. What was the Indian Act and what kinds of things did it control for First Nations peoples?
45. What was the Oka Crisis? Explain in detail what happened at the Oka confrontation. How
does this event express the relations between Canada and Aboriginal communities
throughout history?
Mini-Unit: Canadian Government:
46. Define Federalism.
47. Describe the division of power and responsibility in the various levels of the Canadian
government, providing examples where possible.
48. Be able to explain the structure of the Canadian Government.
49. What is Coalition Government? What is the difference between a majority and a minority
government? Why do these occur?
50. Describe the platforms of the three major political parties in Canada? What area of the political
spectrum do your personal beliefs align with?