CanadaFirst Nations•Asia 12,000 years ago

•Bering Land Bridge, joined present-day Siberia to Alaska•12 major languages

•Inuit tribe

First Explorers

Norse invaders from Scandinavia

Short trading period with Inuit

Deserted

European Explorers

Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot), sailed east coast 1497

French explorer Jacques Cartier, St. Lawrence River 1534; claimed for France, “New France”

1600s Samuel de Champlain built first permanent settlement along St. Lawrence River in Quebec; furs

TradeEuropean fur traders

Joined by farmers, merchants and Catholic Church

Live along St. LawrenceFrench laws, traditions and religion

Conquered Indian tribes

British InfluenceColonized region south of New France- New

York StateWanted to take over New France and control

fur tradeNon-Catholic Christian

Hudson’s Bay Company-find Western passage to Pacific, acquire land around Hudson Bay,

regulate and control fur tradeHostility

French and Indian War1756-1763 Great Britain and FranceControl North America and Fur trade

British numbers; France exploration, trade and Indian alliances

Battle of Quebec-BritainTreaty of Paris 1763-ceded North American territories to Britain; east of Mississippi River

War Continued

Far north as Nova ScotiaBritish forced French-speaking people to

leave; LouisianaAllowed French stay in Quebec (New

France); culture remained American Revolution brought English

speakers to Quebec;

Language and ReligionMostly non-Catholic Christians

Quebec mostly Roman Catholic

English and French official language

Quebec-French official language for business and government