c 19,000 BC |
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First humans arrive in Canada from across the Bering Straits land bridge. |
c 13,000 BC |
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More settlers arrive in Canada from Europe via the northern ice sheet. |
c 1000 AD |
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Vikings from Greenland explore Newfoundland and establish a short-lived colony. |
1481 |
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British fishermen known to be fishing off Newfoundland. |
1497 |
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British-based navigator John Cabot explores and names Newfoundland. |
1534 |
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French explorers discover the Gulf of St Lawrence and claim it for France. |
1583 |
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Newfoundland becomes England’s first overseas colony. |
1600 |
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Native Indian and Inuit population numbers about 200,000. |
1605 |
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First permament settlement founded by the French at Port Royal. Colonised territories in eastern Canada soon named Arcadia. |
1608 |
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Quebec City founded. |
1610 |
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Hudson Bay discovered. |
1627 |
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Company of New France founded to exploit French colonies in North America. |
1663 |
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French government takes direct control of French colonies in Canada. |
1670 |
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Hudson Bay Company founded in England to promote colonisation and trade in Canada. |
11 April 1713 |
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Peace of Utrecht sees Britain acquire most of Arcadia, Newfoundland and the territory around Hudson Bay. |
1755 |
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French Arcadians in Nova Scotia deported for refusing a oath of loyalty to the king. |
1756 |
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Start of global Seven Years War between Britain and France. Each side recruited Native Indian troops as local allies in the French and Indian War. |
1759 |
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Quebec seized by British forces. Montreal captured the following year. |
10 Feb 1763 |
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Treaty of Paris ends Seven Years War and sees all French territory in Canada passed to Britain. New France becomes Quebec. |
22 June 1774 |
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Quebec Act establishes permament government in Canada and grants legal and religous concessions to French speakers. |
1775 |
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Canada remains loyal during American War of Independence. |
1776-1783 |
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40,000 United Empire Loyalists emigrate from USA to Canada. |
1812 |
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War of 1812 between Britain and USA. Several invasions of Canada repulsed. |
20 Oct 1818 |
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Convention of 1818 establishes the 49th parallel as USA-Canada border west of the Great Lakes. |
1841 |
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Upper and Lower Canada united as United Province of Canada. |
1846-1850 |
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Economic depression hits Canada. |
1854 |
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First US-Canada trade treaty agreed. |
1 July 1867 |
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Canadian provinces united as self-governing Dominion of Canada. |
1885 |
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Canadian Pacific Railway completed – linking east and west coasts. |
1890 |
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European immigrants begin arriving in large numbers. |
1897 |
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Klondike gold rush begins in Yukon Territory. |
August 1914 |
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Canada joins First World War on the side of Britain and France. |
11 December 1931 |
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Canada becomes a sovereign state within the British Commonwealth. |
September 1939 |
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Canada joins World War Two on the side of the Allies. |
4 April 1949 |
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Canada becomes a founder member of NATO. |
1950 |
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Canadian forces support the United Nations in the Korean War. |
1965 |
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Maple Leaf flag adopted as the national flag. |
June 1980 |
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Quebec votes against separatism. |
17 April 1982 |
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UK transfers final legal powers relating to Canada. New constitution adopted. |
1 January 1989 |
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Free Trade Agreement with USA comes into effect. |
1991 |
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Canada participates on First Gulf War. |
1994 |
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North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect. |
1995 |
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Further referendum in Quebec rejects independence by only 1%. |
January 2002 |
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Canada becomes third-largest contributor to forces for invasion of Afghanistan. |
March 2003 |
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Canada chooses not to join USA in Second Gulf War. |