Discovery, exploration and colonization

The Icelanders reached the shores of Canada around the 9th century, but John Cabot (John Cabot), a sailor
in the service of England, was the first official explorer. Jacques Cartier began the exploration of the country
by going up the Saint Lawrence River to present-day Montreal (1534-35).

John Cabot, discoverer of Canada

In the 17th century, the organization of the colony began: Quebec was founded in the year
1608 and Montreal was founded in the year 1642. The colony was granted to the New France Company,
created for this purpose in 1627, until its conversion into a royal domain (1663).

The colonial population, established in the San Lorenzo valley, grew in a few years under the protection of
agriculture. But the French domain lacked solid foundations: a small number of settlers to face the expansion
ambitions of the English establishments, poor organization, feudal property regime, excessive power of the
clergy, lack of political and commercial autonomy.

English pressure began with the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company (1670), dedicated to the fur
trade. Then the Anglo-French rivalry in Europe spilled over into America.

Thus, the Treaty of Utrecht forced France to cede Nova Scotia, and the Seven Years' War was used by Great
Britain to defeat the French army (Plain of Abraham, 1759) and gain control of Canada. This occupation was
sanctioned by the Treaty of Paris (1763).
British rule
After the incorporation of Canada, Great Britain followed a policy of attracting the French population,
the majority in the colony. And so, in 1774, the Quebec Act was signed, which gave French
Canadians the free exercise of Catholic worship and the right to govern themselves according to their
own laws.

This explains the little repercussion that the uprising of the American colonies had in Canada. The attempted
revolt failed before the walls of Quebec (1775), when Montgomery's troops were defeated. The independence
of the USA (1783), determined the emigration to Canada of numerous American families loyal to Great Britain,
who settled in the upper basin of the Saint Lawrence and altered the ethnic composition of the country.

This forced the Canadian territory to be divided into two provinces (Constitutional Act 1791), Upper and Lower
Canada, with a British and French majority, respectively, each with its own parliamentary system.

A new war between Canada and the United States (1812-1814) momentarily united all the provinces to
reject the invasion. Later, the tension between the British Government and the colonists grew until it led to the
rebellions of 1837-38, located in Upper Canada (Mackenzie) and Lower Canada (Papineau).

The movement, although it was repressed, showed the British Government the convenience of a reform of a
democratic nature and, following the advice of Lord Durham, promulgated a new Constitution ( Act of Union,
1840-1841 ), reuniting in a single province the Upper and Lower Canada. The importance of the British-
appointed governor was diminished and the ministers increased their power by being given responsibility in
the Legislative Assembly (1848).

A time of prosperity began, reflected in the increase in population and stimulated with successful measures
(secularization of the properties of the Protestant clergy, abolition of stately properties, and construction of
railways).
Cropland spread west, agricultural production increased by 100%, and Canadian wheat doubled in price. But
ministerial instability, the decrease in public works and the interruption of trade with the US, as a result of the
Civil War, slowed down the country's development and made it necessary to establish a confederation.

Canadian confederation
In 1867, the Canadian Confederation was approved, which originally grouped together the provinces
of Ontario (Upper Canada), Quebec (Lower Canada). New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Later the other
territories were incorporated, as the colonization of western Canada progressed.

In 1869, the Hudson's Bay Company lands were purchased, and in 1870 Manitoba entered
Confederation. British Columbia (1871), Prince Edvvard Island (1873), Alberta and Saskatchewan (both in 1905),
completed the westward expansion, favored by the construction of transcontinental railways (Canadian Pacific,
Canadian National).

The government of the Confederation was exercised alternately by conservatives and liberals. The former
held power from 1867 to 1896, when a conflict with the Catholic Church (freedom of education) led to their
downfall.

The liberal party, led by Wilfrid Laurier, attempted an autonomist policy in his first term (1896-
1911). During World War I, Canada participated with 600,000 soldiers alongside the Allies, allowing it to be
present at the Versailles negotiations.

In 1921 the Liberals returned to government, now led by Mackenzie King, and in 1926 the Imperial
Conference granted Canada independence.

Mackenzie King
In these years Canada reached a rapid development: exploitation of gold deposits. Asbestos and
nickel; construction of hydroelectric power plants; wood and paper industries; increase in agricultural crops.

But the crisis of 1929 stopped its expansion and led to the rise to power of the Conservatives (1930-35) and the
creation of new socialist-inspired parties. In 1935, Mackenzie King came back to power and during his
government, Canada took part in World War II together with the allies (Pact of Hyde Park. 1941).

Modern history
During World War II, Canada mobilized 900,000 men, and at the end of the war 350,000 soldiers were on the
various European fronts. The liberal party continued in power until 1957, and during its mandate an agreement
was signed with the US for the defense of the arctic zones (1946).

Canada joined the United Nations (UN) in 1945 and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 as a
founding member. In 1949 Great Britain ceded the island of Tertanova to Canada. On the death of
Mackenzie King (1950) the liberal Saint-Laurent was appointed Prime Minister.

In 1957, after an economic crisis, the Progressive Conservatives won the elections and the head of the
Conservative Party, J. Diefenbaker, held the leadership of the Government until 1963, when he was unseated
for his refusal to equip the Canadian armed forces with atomic weapons.

After the elections of April 1963, the leader of the Liberal Party, Lester Pearson, took a minority
government. Shortly after, the nuclear agreement with the US took place (acceptance of atomic weapons).

In the decade of the 60s of the 20th century, the separatism of the Francophone minority gained
momentum. In June 1968, Pierre Elliott Trudeau's liberal party achieved an absolute majority, but the
political climate worsened when Labor Minister Laporte was assassinated in 1970 by members of the Quebec
Liberation Front.

Pierre Elliott Trudeau

After a year as a conservative executive, in 1980 Trudeau returned to power, and was reinforced after the
Quebec referendum to decide the negotiation of an "associated sovereignty" was adverse to the nationalists.

Likewise, it managed to approve the first Constitution drafted in Canada (December 1981), which, although
it was vetoed by the Government of Quebec, was proclaimed in Ottawa by Elizabeth II (April 1982). The effects
of the economic crisis caused a rapid loss of popularity for Tiudeau, who was replaced by a conservative
progressive party government headed by Brian Mulroney.

In 1990, three provinces refused to ratify the Meech Lake Agreement (June 3, 1987), which gave Quebec a
differentiated status in exchange for its adherence to the Constitution; and a consensus proposal to solve the
crisis was defeated in a referendum (October 26, 1992).

Mulroney resigned in February 1993 and after the October elections the liberal Jean Chrétien formed a
government. A new referendum on the independence of Quebec (October 30, 1995), was resolved with a
meager difference in favor of no.

At the request of the Federal Government, the Supreme Court ruled (1988) that Quebec did not have the right
to unilateral self-determination because it is not a colony nor is it militarily occupied.

However, the Canadian government left open the possibility of negotiation in the event of a majority yes to
independence. The decline in the separatist vote in the 1988 provincial elections, however, made the prospect
of a new referendum less likely.

History of the flag of Canada

The flag of Canada was officially created in 1921, by the British King George V. Between 1870 and
1965, the official date of the Canadian flag, the current flag was the Red Ensign , a red banner adorned on
the left, in the canton, by the Union Jack , and on the right, in the swing, by the coat of arms of Canada.
As of 1946, the possibility of implanting a unitary and representative flag of the provinces began to be
studied. Almost two decades of studies and more than 1,500 projects would be necessary to achieve this
goal. And the result was the current flag of Canada.

As for the meaning of the Canadian flag and its colors, you should know that there are three elements that
make it up:

 The Leaf – In the eastern woods, the maple reddens during the Indian summer. The leaf of this
deciduous tree has been the national emblem of Canada since the mid-19th century. Placed
between the two vertical red bands, it symbolizes the geographical position of the country,
between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
 The two red bands: they are located to the right and left of the flag. They symbolize the two great
oceans that bathe the coasts of Canada, the Atlantic and the Pacific.
 The white stripe: flanked by two red bands to the glory of the fallen soldiers during World War I, the
white stripe symbolizes the snow that, from the Inuit regions, of arctic tundras and savannahs, to the
lands of the Hudson Bay ( the largest in the world), covers the Canadian soil in winter.

LINK: https://curiosfera-historia.com/historia-de-canada/

Esta en español pero la traduci en ingles.