Canada is a vast country with diverse terrain ranging from plains to mountains to islands. It has a long history with indigenous settlements and exploration by Europeans like the Vikings, French, and British. Canada developed economically through industries like fishing, mining, forestry and manufacturing and has a highly educated population with a mix of cultural influences and official languages.

2.  Like the United States, Canada is a vast land
and contains nearly all types of landforms.

3.  Canada is the 2nd
largest country
(land area) in the
entire world.
 Together with the
United States,
they cover 1/8 of
the Earth’s
surface.

4.  Canada contains
all major
landforms from
interior plains to
mountain ranges.
 Canada is also
surrounded by 3
major oceans, the
Pacific, Atlantic
and Arctic.

5.  The Canadian
Shield is the flat,
rocky region
surrounding the
Hudson Bay.
 It covers nearly 2
million square
miles.

7.  The Rocky
Mountains are
Canada’s major
mountain range.
 The Rocky
Mountains run all
the way from
Alaska, through
Canada and the
U.S., all the way
down to Mexico.

8.  Unlike the U.S.,
Canada has thousands
of islands.
 Major islands include
the Ellesmere, Baffin
and Victoria Islands in
the north near the
Arctic circle to Nova
Scotia and
Newfoundland in the
east and Vancouver
Island in the west.

10.  The U.S. and Canada
are home to 8 of the
top 15 largest lakes in
the world.
 Canada shares several
of the Great Lakes with
the U.S. but also has
many other large lakes
such as Great Bear
Lake, Great Slave Lake
and Lake Winnipeg.

13.  Along with the oceans
and lakes, there are many
other major waterways in
Canada.
 St. Lawrence Seaway—
deepwater ship route
built by U.S. and Canada
 Connects Great Lakes to
Atlantic by way of St.
Lawrence River
 Large ocean vessels can
get to industrial and
agricultural heartland.

14.  Canada’s longest
river
 flows across
Northwest Territories
to Arctic Ocean

15.  ½ of Canada covered by woodlands
 Canada is a major producer of lumber

17.  Canada is very rich in
natural resources.
 Timber
 Coal
 Copper
 Oil
 Gold
 Canada exports most
all of its fuel
resources to the US.

19.  Canada’s cold climate
is related to its
location in the far
northern latitudes.
 Most of Canada’s
climate is subarctic
so many people live
in the more habitable
regions of the south.
It’s really freakin’ cold!

21.  Climate in Canada
has a huge effect on
where cities are
built.
 In fact, 80% of
Canadians only live
on 10% of the land.
 Other factors
include; water,
natural resources
See a pattern?
and landscape.

24.  Evidence shows that the
Vikings first landed in the
“New World” around 1000
AD.
 They landed in what is
Modern day Newfoundland.
 They called it Vinland,
meaning “meadowland” in
Norse.
 They did not stay long at in
the settlement.

25.  Giovanni Cabato (John
Cabot) was an Italian born
explorer that moved to
England.
 He looked for a
northwestern passage
across the Atlantic to Asia.
 Records show that he first
landed in Newfoundland,
Canada thus making him the
first European to discover
North America since the
Vikings.

26. Cabot explored most of the eastern coastline of
Canada and northeastern parts of the United
States.

27.  In the early 1500 and
1600’s French settlers
start to arrive and settle
along the Atlantic Coast
along St. Lawrence River
 French explorers claim
much of Canada as “New
France”
 They are interested in
fishing and fur trade
 The British also settle in
nearby lands along the
east coast.

28.  Jacque Cartiers was a famous
French explorer in the 1500’s.
 While exploring what is now
modern day Quebec, he ran into
the native Huron tribe.
 They directed him to their
village or kanata.
 Kanata is the Huron-Iroquois
word for "village" or
"settlement”.
 The first use of "Canada" as an
official name came in 1791
when the Province of Quebec
was divided into the colonies of
Upper and Lower Canada.

29.  France founded many
colonies in much of
eastern North
America and were
developed to export
products such as fish,
sugar, and furs.
 Major colonies include
Montreal and Quebec.

30.  Canada’s second-largest
city; major port located on
island in Quebec
 - meeting of St. Lawrence and
Ottawa rivers make it important
trade site
 French settlement,
established in 1642
 Much of the city is
underground to avoid the
elements of weather.
 Montreal is the 2nd largest
French speaking city in the
world next to Paris!

31.  The French and
British fight over
territory and trade
in North America.
 The British defeat
the French in the
war and the
French lose control
of much of their
land.

32.  In 1791 Britain
creates two
political units
called provinces
- Upper Canada
(later, Ontario):
English-speaking,
Protestant
 - Lower Canada
(Quebec): French-
speaking, Roman
Catholic

33.  Rupert’s Land a
northern area owned
by fur-trading
company
 Immigrants arrive,
cities develop:
Quebec City,
Montreal, Toronto
-railways, canals are
built as explorers seek
better fur-trading areas

34.  Political, ethnic
disputes lead to
Britain’s 1867 North
America Act
 - creates Dominion
of Canada as a
loose confederation
(political union)
 - Ontario, Quebec,
Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick
 - self-governed part
of British Empire

35.  Expansion includes:
 - Rupert’s Land,
Manitoba, British
Columbia, Prince
Edward Island
 - later: Yukon
Territory, Alberta,
Saskatchewan
 - Newfoundland is
last province,
founded in 1949

36.  In 1885 the Canadian
transcontinental
railroad goes from
Montreal to
Vancouver
 European immigrants
arrive and Yukon gold
brings fortune
hunters
- copper, zinc, silver
also found; grow towns,
railroads

37.  Farming gives way
to urban
industrialization,
manufacturing
- within 100 miles of
U.S. border due to
climate, land,
transportation
 Canada becomes
major economic
power in 20th
century

39.  In 1931 Canada becomes independent and
establishes a Parliamentary Government
with the British monarch its sovereign
(head of state)
 - parliament— legislature combining legislative
and executive functions
 - consists of an appointed Senate, elected House
of Commons
 - prime minister - head of government, is
majority party leader
 All ten provinces have own legislature
and prime minister
 - federal government administers the territories
 Capital of Canada is Ottawa, Ontario

41.  Canada is highly
industrialized and
urbanized, with one of
the world’s most
developed economies.
 Farming, logging,
mining, fishing: 10% of
gross domestic
product
- Canada is the world’s
leading exporter of
forest products

42.  Mining: uranium, zinc, gold, and silver are exported
 Fishing: domestic consumption is low, so most of
catch is exported

43.  Most Canadians work
in service industries,
which create 60% of
GDP
- finance, utilities,
trade, transportation,
communication,
insurance
 - land’s natural beauty
makes tourism the
fastest growing
service

44.  Heavy trade with U.S.:
same language, similar
culture, open and
unguarded border
(world’s longest)
 - 85% of Canadian
exports go to U.S.
 - 75% of Canada’s
imports come from
U.S.

46.  Canada is a land of many
cultures.
 The two most influential
countries on Canada’s
culture are France and
England.
 Most people are bilingual
and speak both
languages.
 Most English descent are
Protestant and French
are Catholic, often clash

48.  Mixing of French
and native peoples
created métis
culture
 - increasing
numbers of
Muslims, Jews,
other groups
immigrating to
Canada

49.  Various ethnic groups
cluster in certain areas
 - 75% of French Canadians
live in Quebec
 - many native peoples live
on reserves—public land
set aside for them
- most Inuits live in the
remote Arctic north
 - many Canadians of Asian
ancestry live on West Coast

50.  There are about 34
million people living
in Canada today.
 Population is densest
in port cities
(Montreal, Toronto,
Vancouver) and
farmlands.
 80% of Canadians live
in cities.

51.  Canada is one of
the wealthiest
nations with a high
per capita income
 Canadians enjoy a
high standard of
living and are
well-educated
 Today, Canada has
a 97% literacy rate

52.  Canadians are very
active people
 The two most
popular sports are
hockey and
lacrosse
 -Lacrosse was
developed by the
native peoples
 -Hockey developed
by French settlers

54.  Other Popular
sports include:
skating, fishing,
skiing, golf,
hunting and rodeo
 Annual festivals
include Quebec
Winter Carnival,
Calgary Stampede