Canadian-Citizenship Practice Test - History 3 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the name of the poem often recited on Remembrance Day written by Lt-Colonel John McCrae?

Scattered Crosses
In Flanders Fields (Correct answer)
Remembrance
Poppy's Everywhere

Correct answer: In Flanders Fields

'In Flanders Fields' is a famous war poem written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae during the First World War. It is widely recited on Remembrance Day in Canada and other Commonwealth countries to honour fallen soldiers. The poem's imagery of poppies growing among the graves has made the poppy a symbol of remembrance.

Question 2: What was the outcome of the English and French war that battled for control of North America?

The French were able to freely govern themselves apart from British Empire rule
It was a stalemate and neither was a victor and both withdrew
The French were defeated and England renamed the colony Province of Quebec (Correct answer)
The French won and the English were defeated

Correct answer: The French were defeated and England renamed the colony Province of Quebec

The Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War in North America) concluded with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. France ceded nearly all its North American territory to Great Britain, leading to the defeat of the French and the renaming of New France to the Province of Quebec under British rule. This significantly shaped Canada's future.

Question 3: What year was the British North American Act passed, officially marking the Dominion of Canada's birth?

1848
1840
1867 (Correct answer)
1864

Correct answer: 1867

The British North America Act (now known as the Constitution Act, 1867) was passed by the British Parliament on July 1, 1867. This act united the Province of Canada (Upper and Lower Canada), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a new federation, officially creating the Dominion of Canada. This date is celebrated as Canada Day.

Question 4: Which was the first province in the Empire to abolish slavery?

Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Upper Canada (Correct answer)
Lower Canada

Correct answer: Upper Canada

Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) was the first province in the British Empire to pass legislation to abolish slavery. In 1793, Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe championed the Act to Limit Slavery, which prohibited the importation of new slaves and gradually led to the abolition of slavery within the province.

Question 5: Who did King Charles II of England grant exclusive trading rights to for the water draining into Hudson Bay?

The Quebec Fur Trading Company
The First Nations
The Hudson Bay Company (Correct answer)
The Montreal Company

Correct answer: The Hudson Bay Company

In 1670, King Charles II of England granted a royal charter to 'The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading into Hudson's Bay.' This charter gave the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) exclusive trading rights over all the lands whose rivers drained into Hudson Bay, an enormous territory known as Rupert's Land. The HBC became a powerful force in Canadian history.

Question 6: How many Canadians served in World War II?

110,000
500,000
750,000
Over a million (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Over a million

During World War II, Canada made a significant contribution to the Allied effort. Over one million Canadians, out of a population of approximately 11 million at the time, served in the armed forces. This immense mobilization played a crucial role in the war and had a profound impact on Canadian society.

Question 7: Who were the United Empire Loyalists?

Aboriginals
The first loyalist from Spain in Canada
Loyalists that fled the American Revolution in the colonies and settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec (Correct answer)
The Inuit

Correct answer: Loyalists that fled the American Revolution in the colonies and settled in Nova Scotia and Quebec

The United Empire Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution. After the American victory, many Loyalists fled the newly independent United States, seeking refuge in British North America, primarily settling in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec, significantly shaping their demographics and culture.

Question 8: Where does the inspiration for the term Dominion of Canada come from?

The Canadian Constitution
The Monarchy
The Quebec people
The Bible (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The Bible

The term 'Dominion of Canada' was chosen by the Fathers of Confederation. It is believed to have been inspired by Psalm 72:8 in the Bible, which states, 'He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.' This phrase reflected the aspirations for a vast and unified country.

Question 9: Which was the first British North American colony to attain full responsible government?

The Canadas
Nova Scotia (Correct answer)
Upper Canada
Lower Canada

Correct answer: Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia was the first British North American colony to achieve full responsible government in 1848. This meant that the executive council (cabinet) was accountable to the elected legislative assembly, rather than solely to the appointed governor, marking a significant step towards greater self-governance.

Question 10: What group of people were significant in the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway?

Acadians
Chinese (Correct answer)
African slaves
Aboriginals

Correct answer: Chinese

Chinese labourers played a vital and often perilous role in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in the late 19th century. Thousands of Chinese immigrants were recruited to perform the most dangerous tasks, enduring harsh conditions and low wages, and their contribution was essential to connecting Canada from east to west.

Question 11: Which of these did the Constitutional Act of 1791 NOT do?

Provide for Aboriginals rights (Correct answer)
Divide the Province of Quebec into an Upper and Lower Canada
Grant for the first time, legislative assemblies elected by the people
Make the name Canada official at that time

Correct answer: Provide for Aboriginals rights

The Constitutional Act of 1791 divided the Province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada and granted elected legislative assemblies for the first time, making the name 'Canada' official for these two provinces. However, it did not specifically provide for or address Aboriginal rights; these issues would be dealt with much later in Canadian history.

Question 12: Who are the 'Bluebirds'?

Nurses in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (Correct answer)
Woman farmers in Ontario
Women teachers in Toronto
Women aviators

Correct answer: Nurses in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps

'Bluebirds' was a nickname given to Canadian nurses who served overseas during World War I. They were part of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and were distinguished by their blue uniforms, playing a crucial role in caring for wounded soldiers on the front lines and in hospitals.

Question 13: Who was Canada's first Prime Minister?

Sir Leonard Tilley
Sir John Alexander Macdonald (Correct answer)
Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine
Lord Elgin

Correct answer: Sir John Alexander Macdonald

Sir John Alexander Macdonald was a principal Father of Confederation and became Canada's first Prime Minister on July 1, 1867. He played a crucial role in uniting the provinces and shaping the new Dominion of Canada. His leadership was instrumental in the early years of the nation.

Question 14: Who refused to surrender Quebec to the English in 1690?

Count Frontenac (Correct answer)
Bishop Laval
Pierre de Monts
Jacques Cartier

Correct answer: Count Frontenac

Count Frontenac, the Governor General of New France, famously refused to surrender Quebec to the English in 1690. When an English envoy demanded the city's surrender, Frontenac declared he would only respond with 'the mouth of my cannons.' His defiance led to the successful defense of Quebec against the English invasion.

Question 15: What would you bring to a Hudson's Bay Company store if you belonged to a First Nations tribe in Canada?

Food
Totem poles
Beaver pelts (Correct answer)
Guns

Correct answer: Beaver pelts

The Hudson's Bay Company was founded primarily for the fur trade, and beaver pelts were its most valuable commodity. First Nations tribes were vital partners in this trade, exchanging beaver pelts and other furs for European goods like tools, blankets, and firearms. This economic relationship profoundly shaped early Canadian history.

Question 16: The first people that First Nations encountered when they interacted with European immigrants and explorers often consisted of traders and _____.

Soldiers
Sailors
Farmers
Missionaries (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Missionaries

While traders were common, missionaries also played a significant early role in interactions between First Nations and European newcomers. They sought to convert Indigenous peoples to Christianity and often established missions, leading to profound cultural and social exchanges, as well as significant impacts on First Nations communities.

Canadian-Citizenship Practice Test - History 3

What is the name of the poem often recited on Remembrance Day written by Lt-Colonel John McCrae?