Events before 1815

Socials 10 starts in 1815, and there is some prior context that students should know in order to understand what was going in Canada by 1815. 


My review unit starts with
-European history
-Early contact in North America
-Significant Events before 1815


I then review the following events, because again they give context for the rest of the course. I don't ask the students to memorize dates (other than 1763), but they should be able to match the event to a description. 


1534 - Jacques Cartier - the explorer that named this region "Canada"and claimed it for France and the Catholic Church.
1670 - Rupert's Land - Britain gave the Hudson’s Bay Company “ownership” over all of the land draining into Hudson’s Bay.
1713-1763 - Acadian Expulsion - Britain gained control of Acadia (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I.) and deported the French to other areas.
1759 - Plains of Abraham - Britain gained control of Quebec City and France was not able to re-enforce troops in North America.
1763 - Treaty of Paris - France surrendered Canada to Britain in exchange for Guadeloupe, St. Pierre and Miquelon.
1763 - Royal Proclamation - Britain banned all further settlement, or private negotiations of First Nations land, until formal treaties were signed.
1774 - Quebec Act - Britain guaranteed the rights of the French to practice their own religion and enforce their own laws in Quebec.
1783 - American Revolution Ends - Many French and First Nations people fought for Britain, but lost. After the war, many loyalists, slaves, and Natives moved North.
1791 - Constitution Act - This divided Upper Canada (mostly English) from Lower Canada (mostly French).
1803 - Louisiana Purchase - The United States purchased most of the midwest from France (Napoleon had just recently conquered it from Spain).
1812-1815 War of 1812 - Americans tried to invade Canada, but they were unsuccessful. 


Here is a copy of my powerpoint lesson. Feel free to modify and use:
Significant Events in North America before 1815

With Wolfe in Canada

With Wolfe in Canada by G.A. Henty

I enjoy reading historical fiction, and in particular books by GA Henty. They are written awhile ago so the language and opinions are outdated, but that just makes it more interesting. This story follows a young man from Europe to America in the war against France for Canada. He ends up playing a pivotal role in the Battle on the Plains of Abraham. This obviously takes place before 1815 (the starting point for Socials 10) but provides good context. 

Of particular interest in this story is the use of the word "Canadian". Written from a British perspective, "Canadian" refers to the French/Metis fur traders and their First Nations allies. It talks from a pejorative British perspective about how the "Canadians" have taken on First Nations customs, and for example do not always follow European rules of war. So how to respond in kind? Ask the Iroquios to do it... Interesting.

Here is the amazon link:

WITH WOLFE IN CANADA: The Winning of a Continent