A Brief History of Canada

Happy Canada Day!

Canada has a long, beautiful, complicated history. Here are some of the key events that took place in the creation of what we now call home:

(Please note we will refer to the land we now call Canada as Canada, recognizing that it did not formally become Canada for thousands of years. Every people group who migrated to this land over the years referred to it as something different, from Turtle Island to Vinland. All respect due is given).

~ 20,000 Years Ago: The Americas were the last continents humans migrated to. The last ice age created a bridge between modern day Alaska and Siberia, known as the Bering Strait, which Archaeological evidence points to as the original entry point for humans.

~ 16,000 Years Ago: As the ice sheet began to melt, humans began moving southward. Communities of people began to form, with archeological discoveries of firepits, pottery, hunting tools, burial sites, petroglyphs, and more.

~ 11,000 Years Ago: As glaciers continued to melt, the Bering Strait that connected Canada to Siberia was submerged. While this fluctuated for years, it stopped nearly all migration into the Americas. Landlocked, indigenous people developed diverse languages and cultures that varied by region.

~ 1000 Years Ago: The Vikings become the first modern day visitors to Canada, landing in Newfoundland. They established a settlement and had contact with the indigenous peoples, but eventually abandoned it due to the great distance from their homeland and other challenges.

~ 500 Years Ago: On June 24, 1497 Italian explorer John Cabot lands on the shores of Canada in an attempt to reach the West Indies, beginning an era of European contact. The French, British, and Spanish warred over who would get to claim Canada as their colony.

~400 Years Ago: Jacques Cartier, an infamous explorer, overhead two Iroquois guides his group captured use the word ‘Kanata,’ which means ‘village.’ The name Canada began to appear on mappings of the land.

~300 Years Ago: European settlers began inhabiting Canada, moving from the east coast to the west. As they fought for land and resources, indigenous groups were pushed to the fringes. Little respect was given to these native inhabitants.

159 Years Ago: The country of Canada was formally established on July 1, 1867. What followed was the creation of the provinces and territories, and formal recognition of Canada as a member of the British Commonwealth, but an independent, legitimate country.

Canada has a rich history that deserves more than a brief overview, so we recommend taking advantage of Canada Day events to learn more. We are proud to be part of this great nation, and look forward to seeing what history is made in the future!

(Image via Canva)

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