Chapter 7 Guided Notes Answer Key Human Geography of Canada: Developing a Vast Wilderness

Three major groups in Canada—the native peoples, the French, and the English—have melded into a diverse and economically strong nation.

- French and British settlement greatly influenced Canada’s political development.

- Canada’s size and climate affected economic growth and population distribution.

The First Settlers and Colonial Rivalry

Early Peoples

- After Ice Age, migrants cross Arctic land bridge from Asia

- ancestors of Arctic Inuit (Eskimos); North American Indians to south

- Vikings found Vinland (Newfoundland) about A.D. 1000; later abandon

- French explorers claim much of Canada in 1500–1600s as “New France”

- British settlers colonize the Atlantic Coast

- Coastal fisheries and inland fur trade important to both countries

- Britain wins French and Indian War (1754–1763); French settlers stay

Steps Toward Unity

Establishing the Dominion of Canada

- In 1791 Britain creates two political units called provinces

- Upper Canada (later, Ontario): English-speaking, Protestant

- Lower Canada (Quebec): French-speaking, Roman Catholic

- Rupert’s Land a northern area owned by fur-trading company

- Immigrants arrive, cities develop: Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto

- railways, canals are built as explorers seek better fur-trading areas

Establishing the Dominion of Canada

- Political, ethnic disputes lead to Britain’s 1867 North America Act

- creates Dominion of Canada as a loose confederation (political union)

- Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick

- self-governed part of British Empire

- Expansion includes:

- Rupert’s Land, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island

- later: Yukon Territory, Alberta, Saskatchewan

- Newfoundland in 1949

Continental Expansion and Development

From the Atlantic to the Pacific

- In 1885 a transcontinental railroad goes from Montreal to Vancouver

- European immigrants arrive and Yukon gold brings fortune hunters

- copper, zinc, silver also found; grow towns, railroads

- Farming gives way to urban industrialization, manufacturing

- within 100 miles of U.S. border due to climate, land, transportation

- Canada becomes major economic power in 20th century

- In 1931 Canada becomes independent, British monarch is symbolic head

- Parliamentary government:

- parliament—legislature combining legislative and executive functions

- consists of an appointed Senate, elected House of Commons

- prime minister, head of government, is majority party leader

- All ten provinces have own legislature and premier (prime minister)

- federal government administers the territories

- Canada is highly industrialized and urbanized, with one of the world’s most developed economies.

- Canadians are a diverse people.

An Increasingly Diverse Economy

The Early Fur Trade

- Beginning in 1500s Native Americans, now known as the First Nations:

- begin trade with European fishermen along Atlantic coast

- French and English trappers and traders expand westward

- Voyageurs—French-Canadian boatmen transport pelts to trading posts

Canada’s Primary Industries

- Farming, logging, mining, fishing: 10% of gross domestic product

- Canada is the world’s leading exporter of forest products

- Mining: uranium, zinc, gold, and silver are exported

- Fishing: domestic consumption is low, so most of catch is exported

The Manufacturing Sector

- 15% of Canadians work in manufacturing, create 1/5 of GDP

- make cars, steel, appliances, equipment (high-tech, mining)

- centered in heartland, from Quebec City, Quebec, to Windsor, Ontario

- Most Canadians work in service industries, which create 60% of GDP

- finance, utilities, trade, transportation, communication, insurance

- land’s natural beauty makes tourism the fastest growing service

- Heavy trade with U.S.: same language, open border (world’s longest)

- 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with U.S., Mexico

- 85% of Canadian exports go to U.S.

- 75% of Canada’s imports come from U.S.

- Mixing of French and native peoples created métis culture

- Bilingual: English is most common, except in French-speaking Quebec

- English Protestants and French Catholics dominate, but often clash

- increasing numbers of Muslims, Jews, other groups

Canada’s Population

- Densest in port cities (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver) and farmlands

- Environment keeps 80% of people on 10% of land (near U.S. border)

- Urbanization: in 1900 33% of people lived in cities, today it’s 80%

- Various ethnic groups cluster in certain areas

- 75% of French Canadians live in Quebec

- many native peoples live on reserves—public land set aside for them

- most Inuits live in the remote Arctic north

- many Canadians of Asian ancestry live on West Coast

Life in Canada Today

Employment and Education

- Relatively high standard of living, well-educated population

- Labor force is 55% men, 45% women

- 75% in service industries, 15% in manufacturing

- Oldest university, Laval, established in Quebec by French

- English universities founded in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in 1780s

- Today, Canada has a 97% literacy rate

Sports and Recreation

- Popular sports: skating, ice hockey, fishing, skiing, golf, hunting

- Canada has own football league; other pro teams play in U.S. leagues

- native peoples developed lacrosse, European settlers developed hockey

- Annual festivals include Quebec Winter Carnival, Calgary Stampede

The Arts

- Earliest literature from oral traditions of First Nations peoples

- Later writings from settlers, missionaries, explorers

- Early visual arts seen in Inuit carving, West Coast totem poles

- Early 1900s painting: unique style of Toronto’s Group of Seven

- Shakespeare honored at Ontario’s world-famous Stratford Festival

- Canada is divided into four sub regions: the Atlantic, Core, Prairie Provinces, and the Pacific Province and then the Territories.

- Each sub region possesses unique natural resources, landforms, economic activities, and cultural life.

The Atlantic Provinces

Harsh Lands and Small Populations

- Eastern Canada’s Atlantic Provinces:

- Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland

- Only 8% of Canada’s population, due to rugged terrain, harsh weather

- Most people live in coastal cities such as:

- Halifax, Nova Scotia

- St. John, New Brunswick

- 85% of Nova Scotia is rocky hills, poor soil

- 90% of New Brunswick is forested

- Newfoundland has severe storms

- New Brunswick’s largest industry: logging (lumber, wood pulp, paper)

- Gulf of St. Lawrence, coastal waters supply seafood for export

- Nova Scotia: logging, fishing, shipbuilding, trade through Halifax

- Newfoundland: fishing, mining, logging, hydro-electric power

- supplies power to Quebec, parts of northeastern U.S.

- Quebec City: French explorer Samuel de Champlain built fort in 1608

- 60% Canada’s population live in Core Provinces Ontario and Quebec

- Ontario has largest population; Quebec has largest land area

- Ottawa, Ontario is the national capital

- Quebec has great political importance in French-Canadian life

- Core: 35% of Canada’s crops, 45% of minerals, 70% of manufacturing

- Toronto the largest city, finance hub; Montreal second largest city

The Prairie Provinces

Canada’s Breadbasket

- Great Plains Prairie Provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta

- 50% of Canada’s agricultural production, 60% of mineral output

- Alberta has coal, oil deposits; produces 90% of Canada’s natural gas

- Manitoba: Scots-Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Ukrainians, Poles

- Saskatchewan’s population includes Asian immigrants, métis

- Alberta’s diversity includes Indian, Japanese, Lebanese, Vietnamese

- British Columbia—westernmost province, mostly in Rocky Mountains

- 1/2 is forests; 1/3 is frozen tundra, snowfields, glaciers

- Most people live in southwest; major cities are Victoria, Vancouver

- Economy built on logging, mining, hydroelectric power

- Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, has prosperous shipping trade

- The three northern territories account for 41% of Canada’s land

- Sparsely populated due to rugged land and severe climate

- Yukon has population of 30,000; mostly wilderness

- Northwest Territories has population of 41,000; extends into Arctic

- Nunavut was created from Northwest Territories in 1999; home to Inuit