New Social Studies 4: Teacher Knowledge

The boundaries of Canada — and the provinces and territories within it — have shifted and changed throughout the country’s history. Learn about those changes here

An article that examines the life of Mistahimaskwa, a Plains Cree chief who refused to since Treaty 6, tried to unite the Cree people, and led his band through many conflicts.

Wampum are used primarily by Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands for ornamental, ceremonial, diplomatic and commercial purposes. Belts made of wampum were used to mark agreements between peoples.

Learn about the history of Indigenous peoples in the prairies and their relationship with the government

This interactive infographic from the government of Canada provides information about the historic treaties that cover more than 50% of the land that makes up Canada.

This resource was developed to introduce teachers about the nation-to-nation relationship and agreements that were made between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples.

Two close NATO allies convened a joint task force, which led to the 2022 Agreement that ended the dispute over the legal status of the island

This ATA guide provides teachers with information about about Treaty 6 which applies to peoples living in the central part of Alberta.

This ATA guide provides teachers with information about about Treaty 7 which applies to many peoples living in the central part of Alberta.

This ATA guide provides teachers with information about about Treaty 8 which applies to many peoples living in Alberta.

A document produced by the Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan.

A teaching resource by Public Legal Education Association of Saskatchewan.

A 50 minute teaching tool to better understand our collective responsibility to treaty. The purpose of this video is to build understanding, allyship and bridges for better relationship and work together.

The 1613 Teioháte Kaswenta (Two Row Wampum Belt) records the first non-paper agreement between Europeans and Indigenous peoples, specifically the Dutch and the Haudenosaunee, on Turtle Island, which includes Canada.

Maurice Switzer explains how European treaty tradition differs from the Indigenous treaty tradition in Canada

There were often misunderstandings, violence, and death, but compromises and accommodations were made and life went on. The colonial venture had begun.

The Treaties of Utrecht rebalanced power in Europe and ended the Spanish War of Succession.

Soldiers rounding up terrified civilians, expelling them from their land, burning their homes and crops -- this is the beginning of the Great Upheaval.

In 1497, explorer John Cabot sailed to the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador and famously noted that the waters teemed with cod. He thought he might have reached Asia, Brasil, or the fabled isle of 7 cities.

This biographical article describes the life of Samuel de Champlain, a cartographer and explorer, who helped establish the colony of Lower Canada.

A detailed article about the life of Pierre Dugua De Monts; Calvinist, explorer, and colonizer.

The Doctrine of Discovery proclaimed in Papal Bulls of the 1400s was used to justify for colonization

This resource explores the history of the relationships between Indigenous peoples and French settlers in North America prior to 1763.

First Nations see their relationship with the Crown as separate to that with the government and have used this special relationship to voice their grievances.

This video from the McCord Museum explores the century following the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians as they relocated through Eastern Canada.

Articles and activities for students to learn about women's lives in New France in the early days of the colony.

Step into the adventurous world of the Coureurs des Bois—Canada’s legendary fur traders!

Learn about the history of Black people working in the Canadian fur trade in this interesting article!

Who were the Coureurs des bois? What did they do? And why do they have a French name? Learn all about them in this encyclopedia article.

From 1670 until 1987, the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) operated hundreds of trading posts in various parts of Canada and the northwestern US.

The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), chartered 2 May 1670, was the oldest continually operating company in the world. Learn about their history in Canada

Founded in 1779, the North West Company was a major force in the fur trade from the 1780s to 1821.

The trading post can be viewed as a large household whose size and social organization reflected the cultural heritage of its members and the post's role in the fur trade.

An Algonquin man declared to Jesuit missionary Paul Le Jeune in 1639: “To live among us without a wife is to live without help, without home and to be always wandering.”

This telling of the HBC starts in London, the epicentre of the British Empire.

A report for the federal government compiled in 190 by Ernest Voorhis.

Look back on the crucial stages of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham: context, preparation, siege of Quebec City and encounter. Scroll down to enter the English version of the site.

In this lesson students explore the Treaty of Niagara as a foundational relationship in the creation of Canada

Most maps created in the 1500s that relate to Canada are manuscript compilations, often undated and anonymous. They were prepared by European cartographers rather than by explorers.

Mapping in Canada in the 1600s began with the work of Samuel de Champlain. He produced the first modern-looking map of Eastern Canada in 1613, and the most comprehensive of his maps in 1632.

After the fall of New France to the British in 1760, cartographers continued to create important maps of Canada. Settlement in the late 1700s and early 1800s meant maps of townships and the layout of farmland were important.

This article discusses the history of Lower Canada from the Quebec Act of 1763 to the creation of the Province of Canada in 1840

Responsible government refers to a government that is responsible to the people. In Canada, responsible government is an executive or Cabinet that depends on the support of an elected assembly, rather than a monarch or their representatives.

This article talks about what happened before the Upper Canada colony was formed by a law called the Canada Act in 1791.

Although he could not vote himself, the people of Haldimand County overwhelmingly voted to elect Mohawk Chief John Brant, as their first representative to the Parliament of Upper Canada in 1830.

An extremely useful map that informs viewers of whose traditional lands they are in, which treaty was signed in the area, existing Indigenous communities in the area, which indigenous businesses are nearby, and tells the stories of local Indigenous leaders.

Loyalists were American colonists, of different ethnic backgrounds, who supported the British cause during the American Revolutionary War (1775–83)

An article the details the content of the Act and the unexpected consequences it had.

This agreement gave the United States lands reserved for Indigenous peoples. This transfer betrayed earlier treaties and alliances between the British and Indigenous peoples.

This video summarizes the Seven Years' War and provides some context for the issuing of the Royal Proclamation of 1763

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III on 7 October 1763. It established the basis for governing the North American territories surrendered by France to Britain in the Treaty of Paris, 1763

A clip from Canada: A People's History that provides context for the Royal Proclamation of 1763

​In 1791, Great Britain introduced a new constitution called the Constitutional Act. This article provides information about the act and the period of national demands and struggles in the wake of the Constitutional Act

The Constitutional Act, 1791 was an act of the British Parliament. Also known as the Canada Act, it divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada. The Act was a first step on the long path to Confederation

A article from the Canadian Parliamentary Review that provides details about the legislators involved in creating the Act of 1791

Take a closer look at the life of escaped slave and American icon Harriet Tubman, who liberated over 700 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad.

Explore some resources about Asian Heritage, including a timeline, images and videos.

This feature article from the Canadian Encyclopedia describes the Black Loyalists, promised freedom and a farm and the difficulties that they faced as they settled in Canada. There is also a 7-minute video embedded in the article; the video is a timeline of black history in Canada.

This article from The Canadian Encyclopedia describes the journey of thousands of children that became orphans during the 1847 Irish famine. The article explains their journey to Canadian families and includes a short video.

This timeline tells the story of how Canada became home to the second-largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world, behind Russia.

Learn about the origins and organization of the underground railroad. This article also describes some of the stations, symbols and codes used in the network.

This timeline, created at Simon Fraser University, covers 222 years of Chinese history in Canada. The timeline reviews the history of Chinese migration, segregation, integration and contributions in Canada.

A great site that documents the history of the Asian community in the Yukon starting in 1898.

An article from Wikipedia that describes the Holodomor, a politically-made famine in the Ukraine.

Here you'll find activities for secondary students about the Holodomor

This set of primary and secondary sources describes daily life for newly arrived Ukrainian immigrants to Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Free sign-in required for access.

A collection of primary and secondary sources that provide context to why the Canadian government passed the Chinese Immigration Act in 1885 that mandated a head tax. Free sign-in required for access.

Perspectives of the British, Americans, Canadians, and Indigenous peoples of the War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a dramatic event in Canadian history but not for the British. Why not?

At 68, Richard Pierpoint, who was originally a slave, became a soldier in the War of 1812

This set of primary sourcess describes the quality of life for Black people in New Brunswick during the Napoleonic Wars - War of 1812 period (1803-1884). Free sign-in required for access

The War of 1812 from the perspective of Canada.

The American perspective of the War of 1812 is presented by PBS.

This video is a monologue of Richard Pierpoint. Pierpoint petitioned to form an all-black militia to fight alongside the British during the war of 1812.

The Act was a significant piece of legislation that officially ended slavery across all British colonies. This article places it in its historical context.

Although Canada prides itself on being a refuge for runaway slaves from the United States, there was a time in Canada when slavery was legal and accepted.

This exhibit from the Ontario Archives documents the lives of several people who were slaves in Canada. Note: you have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find the navigation links that let you explore the rest of the exhibit.

A page from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights that discusses slavery and the fact that, just like the US, white people had slaves in Canada and did not treat them like human beings.

An excellent collection of articles, websites, and lesson plans created by Natasha Henry.

Slavery has occurred in many forms throughout the world, but the Atlantic slave trade -- which forcibly brought more than 10 million Africans to the Americas -- stands out for both its global scale and its lasting legacy. Anthony Hazard discusses the historical, economic and personal impact of this massive historical injustice. Related Lesson

A good summary of the events that took place during the Upper Canada rebellion

A good summary of the events that took place during the Lower Canada rebellion

This article addresses the men traditionally regarded as the Fathers of Confederation as well as other individuals that deserve consideration for their contributions.

Volumes have been dedicated to the Fathers of Confederation, but what about their wives and daughters, valuable record-keepers and political players in their own right? Learn about them in this article

This 90 minute film explores the formation of Canada from a settler point of view.

A summary article about the events of Confederation. This is the process of federal union which joined Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada into the Dominion of Canada.

In the east, opposition to confederation was based in fear of a loss of political power while in the west, opposition was based in fear of further colonization

An article that discusses the difficulty in forging a country from people who come from two countries with different legal, religious, and educational traditions

A collection of useful artifacts, articles, and activities focused on confederation.

Confederation? Constitution? How does it all work together? Trace the story of how Canada and its Parliament began.

An article that discusses French-English relations in Canada from 1830 to the 1995 referendum and its aftermath.

A useful written summary of the viewpoints of Confederation by French and English settlers in the colonies

The Canadian Encyclopedia provides a timeline of the life of Métis leader Louis Riel. Scroll to the right or use your mouse's trackball to find events and related resources.

An academic journal article about young children's ability to learn historical thinking skills

Children can learn to evaluate history as they gain skills in thinking critically about historical events and records

A matrix that explores aspects of each HTC, how students can demonstrate of each HTC, and suggested student tasks

This two-page guide explains how your students can frame inquiry project questions around core concepts that will help them explore deeper historical meaning. Free sign-in required for access