HISTORY

Thousands of years ago: Aboriginal peoples came from Asia by a northern land route.

1000 years ago: Norsemen were first Europeans to visit Canada.

1497: Anglo-Italian navigator John Cabot landed on eastern shore, probably Newfoundland

1534: French explorer Jacques Cartier made first voyage of discovery to what is now Quebec

16th and 17th centuries: Both French and English settled eastern Canada

1608: French explorer Samuel de Champlain established settlement at Quebec.

18th century: War between French and English in North America.

1759: Defeat of French at Quebec in 1759 gave British control of French territories.

Quebec Act of 1774: Gave French linguistic and religious freedom and French civil law.

1776: After independence of United States Americans loyal to Britain settled in Canada.

1858: British Columbia became a Crown colony

1867: Confederation. British North America Act united Nova Scotia, New Brunswick with Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) in the Dominion of Canada. Soon joined by other provinces and territories, except Newfoundland, a British colony until 1949

1913: Immigration peaked at more than 400,000.

First and Second World Wars : Canada played an important role.

1929 - 1939: Economic hardship with Great Depression and 4-year drought in western prairies.

1945: Renewed growth and immigration; changes in immigration, more from southern Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

1970 to present : Rise of French-speaking Quebec nationalism; efforts to reform the Constitution.

1980: First Quebec referendum on sovereignty; majority voted to remain in Canada.

1982: The Constitution Act renewed Constitution, included Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

1995: Second Quebec referendum; sovereignty option narrowly defeated.