Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Human Geography of Canada, eh Content Objective: WG.7B Explain how political, economic, social, and environmental push and pull factors and physical geography affect the routes and flows of human migration Language Objective: Analyze the historical events that shaped the country of Canada. View country profile on Geography Now! Do Now: What is the most important river in Canada? What is hydroelectricity? What are the Scar or Tar Sands of Canada? Quebecois- a native or inhabitant of Quebec, typically one who is French Canadian. First Nation- an indigenous American Indian community officially recognized as an administrative unit by the federal government or functioning as such without official status.
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Human Geography of Canada History and Government About 200,000 native peoples were living in what is now Canada when Europeans arrived off the coast of Newfoundland in 1497. In the next 200 years the native populations declined, as Europeans claimed their lands and diseases from Europe spread. The main indigenous groups that exist in Canada today are the Inuit, the Métis, and First Nations peoples. The Inuit are the indigenous people of the Canadian Arctic. Métis are persons who have both indigenous and French Canadian ancestry. First Nations is a term that refers to indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis.
Human Geography of Canada History and Government Pt.2 French explorers helped establish claims to land in the region in the early 1600s. Britain and France were first drawn to the North American continent to gain riches from precious metals and beaver pelts that came mainly from the Atlantic coast. The British eventually drove the French from the Hudson Bay area, capturing Quebec in 1759 and winning control of New France in 1763. The Quebec Act, passed by the British in 1774, gave French settlers the right to keep their language, religion, and laws.
Human Geography of Canada History and Government Pt.3 Canada was created as a dominion, a partially self-governing country with close ties to Great Britain. It gained full independence in 1931, but the British government kept the right to approve changes to Canada s constitution. Widespread immigration from other parts of the world began in Canada in the late 1800s. Some came for the Klondike Gold Rush, but many more were attracted by the fertile soil of the prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In the 1900s Canada became an industrialized, urban country. Mineral resources were utilized, and hydroelectric projects and transportation systems were developed.
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Human Geography of Canada Population Patterns Ethnicity of Canadians varies from province to province, with 25 percent of the population identifying themselves as from mixed origins. About 90 percent of the population lives within 100 miles of the U.S. border, where there is a more temperate climate and easy access to commerce. Approximately 81 percent of Canada s 34 million people live in urban areas such as in Montreal and Vancouver, or in the capital, Toronto.
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Human Geography of Canada Society and Culture Immigration has helped to create a multicultural society in Canada. English and French are Canada s two official languages. Languages spoken also include German, Italian, and Chinese. Native languages include Cree and Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit. The arts, especially theater and music, are highly regarded in Canada, with Toronto ranking as the third-largest production center in the English-speaking world. Popular modern Canadian fiction writers include Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid s Tale, and Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi.
Human Geography of Canada Economic Activities Natural resources are essential to the Canadian economy, accounting for more than 58 percent of its exports. The advancement of technology and reliable transportation systems has helped spur economic growth across the country. Canada is faring better than the United States since the 2008 recession due to more conservative lending in the real estate market. Canada has greater stability in housing prices and lower unemployment rates than the United States or Europe.
History of Canada Quebec Shenanigans With pride in their French heritage, Quebec began a movement in the 1960's to separate itself from Canada, and establish a French-speaking nation. The first vote on same failed, but in 1995, the government of Quebec tried a sovereignty vote again. It was rejected by a slim margin of less than 1%. In 1997, the Canadian Supreme Court ruled unilateral secession by a province to be unconstitutional, but that separatism fever still burns.