Social Studies 7: Canada's Origins

An overview of the life, accomplishments, and possible motivations of Samuel de Champlain.

Lost in translation? The explorer's first meeting with Iroquoian peoples provides one story of how Canada got its name (1534).

This article discusses contacts between Europeans and Indigenous peoples in the territory that became Newfoundland.

A site that documents 16th century contact between the Inuit and white explorers.

This brief video discusses Samuel de Champlain's role as an early colonizer of Canada.

A more detailed article about the Two Row Wampum Treaty between Dutch settlers and the Haudenosaunee.

Examine the empty land theory, which was created by European colonizers in South Africa to support their claims to the region. Related Lesson

Thanadelthur, a young Dene woman, played a crucial role in the expansion of the English fur trade during the early 1700s.

Learn about the Two Row Wampum treaty -- the original treaty agreement in Canada and it is still in effect today.

A 4 minute video that provides an overview of the beaver fur trade in Canada and why it started.

Learn all about beaver hats and how this men's fashion impacted the colonization of Canada.

Learn how the Hudson Bay Company used fur as a form of currency in the early days of the colonization of Canada.

Learn all about the fur trade, the voyageurs and Les Coureurs des Bois through text and drawings.

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

This site has information about everyday life in New France. The site includes New France ABC (with historical artifacts that show how they lived), as well as information about the filles du roi, First Nations peoples in New France, and pictures of Quebec.

This article examines the relationships between Indigenous peoples and French colonists during France's expansionist period.

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

This set of primary and secondary sources describes the attempts of the Catholic missionaries to convert First Nations communities to Catholicism in New France from 1615 to 1710. Free sign-in required for access

The Mi'kmaq dice-and-bowl game Waltes, played since at least before settler contact, is experiencing a resurgence. This article briefly explains the game and focuses on the importance of games as part of cultural heritage.