History of Canada 1497- 1776

Canada Short History

  • ca 30000 to 10000 – BC Asian tribes come over the land bridge of todays Bering Strait to North America. Those tribes later become the Indians we know. Later other nomadic groups follow – the ancestors of todays Inuit
  • ca 8000 BC – The immigrated tribes have already reached the south borders of Canada.
  • ca 3000 BC – The Inuit settle in the Polar Regions
  • ca 1000 AD – Greenland -Vikings (Leif Eriksson) land in Newfoundland. They found a short-lived colony near LAnse aux Meadows.
  • 1497/98 – John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto: Genoan sailor in English duty) explores the Newfoundland- and New Scotland-coasts. His report on the rich fishing grounds mark the begin of Grand Bank-fishing
  • 1534-41 – The French sailor Jacques Cartier claims on three voyages Canada for the French crown
  • 1605 – Pierre de Gua and Samuel de Champlain found Port Royal in New Scotland (later: Annapolis – capital of New Scotland). Arcadians settle around the Bay of Fundy.
  • 1608 – Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec. 1609 he wins a battle against Irokeses. This is the begin of the nearly 100 years lasting Irokese-Wars.
  • 1610 – John Guy brings the first British settlers to Newfoundland. Frenchmen found Plaisance at the south coast of Terre-Neuve. Henry Hudson discovers the Hudson Bay.
  • 1625 – Jesuits start their missionary work on the Indians in Quebec.
  • 1642 – Paul de Maisonneuve founds Montreal.
  • 1663 – Luis XIV claims New France as a province for the French crown
  • 1670 – The Hudson Bay Company is founded. This is the beginning of the petite guerre among the French and the British.
  • 1674 – Canada officially becomes a French province
  • 17th Century – Frenchmen found many settlements along the St. Laurent stream and southeastern of his mouth (Arcadia). Fur-trade grants Quebec prosperity
  • 1701 – The Montreal peace treaty brings an end to the Irokese-Wars
  • 18th Century – The Borders between British and French territories are permanently shifting, especially at the Atlantic coast
  • 1713 – In the Utrecht peace treaty France resigns on the possession of Arcadia and Newfoundland, and on the Hudson Bay trade-monopoly.
  • 1730-1740 – French Rangers reach the Rocky Mountains
  • 1749 – 2500 British settlers land in New Scotland. Halifax is founded
  • 1755 – Arcadians are deported. Fights between French and British along the border
  • 09/13/1759 – British conquer the city of Quebec
  • 1760 – Montreal surrenders. New France becomes British. France only keeps St. Pierre-et-Miquelon
  • 1774 – The Quebec-Act ensures the French settlers the right on their own religion, language and laws.
  • 1775/76 – Americans conquer Montreal, but are defeated in Quebec
  • 1776 – Scottish traders challenge the mighty Hudson Bay Company by founding the North-West Company