Historica Canada Education Portal

The purpose of this Guide is to enhance your students' knowledge and appreciation of the Black Canadian experience, drawing from Lawrence Hill's award-winning historical fiction, The Book of Negroes, the remarkable journey of Aminata Diallo and the historic British document known as the "Book of Negroes." Structured around themes of journey, slavery, human rights, passage to Canada and contemporary culture, this Guide asks students to examine issues of identity, equality, community, and...

This learning tool complements Historica Canada’s Richard Pierpoint Heritage Minute by exploring his life and the experiences and contributions of Black soldiers in the War of 1812.

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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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This learning tool complements Historica Canada’s Sir George-Étienne Cartier Heritage Minute by exploring the role of Cartier in the negotiations surrounding Canada’s Confederation. The role that Sir George-Étienne Cartier played in uniting the provinces of Canada is so extensive that it was impossible to choose only one achievement to commemorate. Therefore, the Heritage Minute features a series of Cartier’s notable accomplishments.

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This learning tool complements Historica Canada’s Sir John A. Macdonald Heritage Minute by exploring the role of Sir John A. Macdonald in the negotiations leading up to Canada’s Confederation. The Charlottetown Conference in 1864 was attended by delegates from the Province of Canada, including Sir John A. Macdonald, who met with the leaders of the Maritime colonies. While at the Charlottetown Conference, leaders heard Macdonald speak about his vision of a future union. The...

The guide's purpose is to enhance your students’ learning and appreciation of the pivotal role that this 1917 battle played within Canadian history. The questions and activities of the guide also aim to have students examine issues and situations from an individual, humanistic point of view as well as from a macro perspective.

Structured around five primary sources from the First World War, this guide asks students to think and to empathize as they analyze and deconstruct those pieces of...

This Guide is designed to enhance your students’ knowledge and appreciation of this seminal historic conflict through engaging discussion and interactive activities.

Understanding the War of 1812 and its place in Canada’s history is an important part of a history student’s education. Being able to recognize the different perspectives, experiences, and outcomes that resulted from the War of 1812 is also important. The skills taught in this learning tool are meant to be useful to students throughout their study of history.

In this guide, borders are defined in geographic, political, national, linguistic and cultural terms. Sometimes they are clearly defined and other times they are abstract, though still significant to the populations affected by them. During the War of 1812, borders were often unclear as no proper survey had been done to define the boundaries. Border decisions were made by government leaders and frequently led to decades of disagreements. When borders changed, they often affected the people...

The 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 presents an opportunity for Canadians to turn their attention to this significant time in the country’s history. The War of 1812 had a major impact on the future of British North America and, in particular, on the continent’s Aboriginal peoples, many of whom played an important role in protecting the Canadas (Upper and Lower Canada; now Ontario, Québec and Labrador) from American invasion.

One thing to remember is that an essay is a process. There are steps to follow that will help. Trying to get things done all at once will make it difficult, so try to think of your essay in small parts. This will make things easier and make the essay writing process seem less overwhelming.

It's important to understand what it is because it is essential to use critical thinking in any work you do in school.

A bibliography is a list of sources that you consulted in order to complete your project. If possible, it should include a variety of sources, such as websites or books and even newspapers or magazines.

The bibliography always comes at the end of the project and on a separate sheet of paper.

This learning tool uses The Memory Project website, thememoryproject.com, to challenge students to rethink what it means to study history by using primary source analysis. The Veteran Stories and Image Gallery sections of the website contain a wide range of primary documents. The exercises in this guide invite students to develop their ability to analyze primary documents and other historical resources.

The First World War, often called “the Great War,” was a global conflict that divided many of the world’s nations into two opposing camps, called the Allies (originally the Triple Entente) and the Central Powers. From 1914 through the end of hostilities in 1918, more countries joined the conflict out of necessity or opportunism, including Japan, the United States and the Ottoman Empire.

The war had disastrous consequences for many Canadian individuals, families and communities: approximately...