Canadian history for the citizenship test: key dates and people
Canadian history on the citizenship test comes from two chapters of Discover Canada: Canada's History and Modern Canada. The dates worth knowing best are 1759 (the Plains of Abraham), 1867 (Confederation), 1885 (the last spike of the railway), 1917 (Vimy Ridge), 1944 (D-Day) and 1982 (the Charter). Learn those, the people behind them, and the order in which the provinces joined.
This guide puts the main events in order, with the people the guide highlights and a few traps. igotcitizenship is an independent study app and is not affiliated with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Every fact here is from the guide's chapters on Canada's History and Modern Canada, free on canada.ca.
Key dates at a glance
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1497 | John Cabot maps Canada's Atlantic shore |
| 1534 to 1542 | Jacques Cartier's three voyages; the name Canada comes from kanata, "village" |
| 1608 | Samuel de Champlain builds a fortress at what is now Québec City |
| 1670 | The Hudson's Bay Company is granted trading rights |
| 1759 | The British defeat the French on the Plains of Abraham |
| 1774 | The Quebec Act |
| 1791 | The Constitutional Act creates Upper and Lower Canada |
| 1812 to 1814 | The War of 1812 |
| 1840 | Upper and Lower Canada are united as the Province of Canada |
| 1867 | Confederation: the Dominion of Canada is born on July 1 |
| 1885 | The last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway is driven |
| 1917 | Canadians capture Vimy Ridge |
| 1918 | Most women citizens 21 and over can vote federally |
| 1944 | Canadians capture Juno Beach on D-Day, June 6 |
| 1982 | The Constitution is amended to include the Charter of Rights and Freedoms |
Before Confederation
Aboriginal peoples and the first Europeans
When Europeans arrived, every region was already home to Aboriginal peoples, who lived by hunting, gathering or farming. The Vikings reached Newfoundland about 1,000 years ago, at L'Anse aux Meadows. John Cabot mapped the Atlantic shore in 1497, and Jacques Cartier claimed land for the King of France on three voyages between 1534 and 1542.
New France and the fight for a continent
In 1604 Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain set up the first European settlement north of Florida, and in 1608 Champlain built a fortress at what is now Québec City. The fur trade, driven by demand for beaver pelts, bound French and Aboriginal people together. In 1759 the British defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham at Québec City. Both commanders, Wolfe and Montcalm, were killed.
Accommodation and the Loyalists
The Quebec Act of 1774 allowed religious freedom for Catholics and restored French civil law while keeping British criminal law. After the American Revolution, more than 40,000 Loyalists settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec. In 1793 Upper Canada, under John Graves Simcoe, became the first province in the Empire to move toward abolishing slavery.
The War of 1812 and responsible government
The United States invaded in 1812 and failed. Sir Isaac Brock, Chief Tecumseh, Charles de Salaberry and Laura Secord are the names to know. After the rebellions of 1837 to 1838, the colonies moved toward responsible government, where ministers need the support of the elected assembly. Nova Scotia was the first colony to achieve it, in 1847 to 1848.
Confederation and a growing country
From 1864 to 1867 the Fathers of Confederation created a new country with two levels of government, federal and provincial. The British North America Act passed in 1867, and the Dominion of Canada was born on July 1, 1867. Sir John A. Macdonald became the first Prime Minister.
The country then grew:
| Year | Joined |
|---|---|
| 1867 | Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick |
| 1870 | Manitoba, Northwest Territories |
| 1871 | British Columbia |
| 1873 | Prince Edward Island |
| 1898 | Yukon Territory |
| 1905 | Alberta, Saskatchewan |
| 1949 | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| 1999 | Nunavut |
Louis Riel led the Métis of Red River in an uprising in 1869 to 1870, and Manitoba became a province. A second rebellion in 1885 led to his trial and execution. British Columbia joined after Ottawa promised a railway to the coast, and the last spike was driven on November 7, 1885. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the first French-Canadian Prime Minister since Confederation, encouraged settlement of the West.
The world wars
More than 600,000 Canadians served in the First World War. The Canadian Corps captured Vimy Ridge in April 1917, and April 9 is Vimy Day. The war ended on November 11, 1918, the date Canadians mark as Remembrance Day. In 1917 and 1918, most women won the federal vote, and Agnes Macphail became the first woman MP in 1921.
More than one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the Second World War. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, 15,000 Canadian troops captured Juno Beach, and the Canadian Army liberated the Netherlands in 1944 to 1945.
Modern Canada
After 1945 Canada joined the United Nations and NATO, and with the United States formed NORAD. Quebec's Quiet Revolution of the 1960s led to the Official Languages Act in 1969. In 1982 the Constitution was amended to include the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Our guide to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms covers what it protects.
Traps to watch for
- 1867 is Confederation, 1982 is the Charter. Both concern the Constitution, so they are easy to swap.
- The last province is Newfoundland and Labrador (1949). Nunavut (1999) is a territory.
- Remembrance Day is November 11; Vimy Day is April 9.
- Some figures in the guide have been updated. The Canadian War Museum's Vimy casualty figures, for example, are more precise. See what has changed since Discover Canada.
Frequently asked questions
How many history questions are on the citizenship test?
IRCC does not publish how many questions come from each topic. History is one of the subjects IRCC lists, along with rights, geography, the economy, government, laws and symbols (IRCC).
What year did Canada become a country?
The Dominion of Canada was born on July 1, 1867.
Who was Canada's first Prime Minister?
Sir John A. Macdonald, in 1867.
What is the best way to learn the dates?
Learn them in order, as a story, then test yourself. Our cheat sheet has the essentials.
Check your history in a free practice test.