Historica Canada Education Portal

To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the election of Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin, Historica Canada, the country’s largest organization dedicated to enhancing awareness of Canada’s history, culture and citizenship, has created this education guide.

Using the concepts created by Dr. Peter Seixas and the Historical Thinking Project, this guide complements Canadian middle- and high-school curricula. It invites students to explore the history of democracy and equal language...

In 2017, Canada turns 150! In marking Canada’s sesquicentennial, Historica Canada is highlighting 50 events that have helped shape our country since Confederation. At the same time, it is important to note that that the human history of what is now known as Canada began well before 1867. Indigenous peoples lived on this land long before European contact, and have histories that significantly predate modern Canada. We can look back upon many proud moments in our history, but must also examine...

Historica Canada has created this Education Guide to mark the sesquicentennial of the Fenian Raids, and to help students explore this early chapter in Canada’s history. The Fenian Raids have not figured prominently in Canadian history, but they are often cited as an important factor in Confederation. Using the concepts created by Dr. Peter Seixas and the Historical Thinking Project, this Guide complements Canadian middle-school and high-school curricula. It invites students to deepen their...

3D Pyramid: 5 Steps to Analyze Primary Sources

THE 5WS: Question the source. Who created it? When and where was it created? What is the source about? Why was the source created?
CONTEXT: Situate the source in space and time, placing it in the wider picture of history. What else was happening at the time?
EXPLORING: Examine the details of the source. What is it about? What words, images or symbols are used? What was its purpose?
REACHING CONCLUSIONS: Use context, evidence and observations to...

The Canadian Encyclopedia is a free, bilingual resource of over 20,000 fact-checked articles and learning tools about Canada's history and culture. The Canadian Encyclopedia has hundreds of resources for teachers including timelines, quizzes and education guides covering provincial and territorial curriculum topics for social sciences & history, Indigenous studies, geography & sciences, civics and more. Visit thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.

To mark the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and help educators and students think critically about primary sources, Historica Canada has created the Think Like a Historian series of videos and worksheets.

These worksheets accompany the video Think Like a Historian: Vimy in Newspapers, which explores two newspaper accounts from Le Canada and The Globe in the days following the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

To complete these worksheets, students may...

To mark the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and help educators and students think critically about primary sources, Historica Canada has created the Think Like a Historian series of videos and worksheets.

These worksheets accompany the video Think Like a Historian: Vimy in Letters (Francis Bathe), which explores a letter written by Francis Bathe to his sister May following his experiences at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

To complete these...

To mark the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and help educators and students think critically about primary sources, Historica Canada has created the Think Like a Historian series of videos and worksheets.

These worksheets accompany the video Think Like a Historian: Vimy in Pictures. This video explores the image commonly known as The Taking of Vimy Ridge.

To complete these worksheets, students may want to watch the videos more than once....

To mark the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and help educators and students think critically about primary sources, Historica Canada has created the Think Like a Historian series of videos and worksheets. The following activities provide an introduction to the Battle of Vimy Ridge and working with primary sources.

To complete these worksheets, students may want to watch the videos more than once. Turning on the subtitles can help second...

What? Who? When? Where? Why?

The Vimy 100 History Lens Tool Kit is designed to help educators and
students deepen their knowledge and think critically about the Battle of
Vimy Ridge on the anniversary of its centennial. Students and teachers are
asked to reflect on the importance of Vimy Ridge to Canada’s historical
narrative, and what it means to Canada today. This learning tool includes
activities to prepare students for their trip to Vimy, to engage students
while in France, and to reflect on their visit to Vimy after...

We want to hear from you! The Here’s My Canada contest is multilingual, nation-wide and invites Canadians to express what their country means to them in a 30-second video. For more details, visit heresmycanada.ca.

This learning tool is designed for senior students from grades 9–12, and secondary III–V in Québec.
It provides discussion topics and educational activities to help you create your submission to the Here’s My Canada contest.

Here’s My Canada is a Canada 150 Signature Initiative, and a...

To mark the 175th birthday of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Historica Canada has created this Education Guide on Canadian history during Laurier’s life and the importance of his legacy.

It invites students to deepen their understanding of Laurier’s role in Canada’s evolution, and how his politics shaped Canada’s future, through primary- and secondary-source research and analysis, engaging discussion questions and group activities. The Guide asks students to look at Canada’s...

In May 1812, Major General Isaac Brock, the commander of British forces in Upper Canada, visited the Six Nations chiefs at “Brant’s Ford” (near presentday Brantford, Ontario) to enlist their help. Brock knew that their support would be crucial to protect the vast Upper Canadian frontier if the United States declared war, which they did in June 1812.

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