•History
•Canada is a
land of many cultures and many peoples. Aboriginal peoples have occupied the territory now called Canada
for several thousands
of years. Everybody else, either by birth or by descent, has been an immigrant -- we have all come from somewhere
else. It has been said
that Canada is a "nation of immigrants."
•There are
three main groups of Aboriginal peoples in Canada: the First Nations, the Inuit and the Métis. There are more
than 50 different languages
spoken by Canada's Aboriginal peoples, most of which are spoken only in Canada. In fact, the name
"Canada" may have
come from the word "Kanata," which means a settlement in the language of the Huron-Iroquois First Nations
peoples.
•As a country,
Canada came into being on July 1, 1867. This event is known as "Confederation." Before 1867, the
French arrived first, then the
British. Each brought their own language, system of government, laws and culture. In 1763, after a long war between the
British and the French, all
of Canada came under British rule and was known as "British North America."