Nova Scotia Flashcards

The Peace and Friendship Treaties signed with the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia between 1725 and 1779 are legally distinct from most other Canadian treaties because they:

Answer: Contained no land cession clauses, meaning the Mi'kmaq never surrendered title to their territory

Unlike later western Canadian treaties, Nova Scotia's Peace and Friendship Treaties included no provisions for land surrender. The Supreme Court of Canada's 1999 Marshall decision confirmed these treaties remain valid and guarantee Mi'kmaq rights to earn a 'moderate livelihood' through fishing, hunting, and gathering — rights that persist today.

The SS Mont-Blanc, which caused the 1917 Halifax Explosion, was loaded with an exceptionally dangerous cargo combination. Which of the following correctly describes what it was carrying?

Answer: Approximately 2,300 tonnes of picric acid and TNT, plus benzol stored on deck

The Mont-Blanc carried roughly 2,300 tonnes of wet and dry picric acid, 200 tonnes of TNT, 10 tonnes of gun cotton, and 35 tonnes of benzol stored in open deck barrels. When it collided with the SS Imo, the resulting fire and explosion was the largest man-made explosion in history until the atomic bomb, killing nearly 2,000 people and levelling the Richmond district of Halifax.

Joseph Howe is celebrated as one of Nova Scotia's most important political figures. Which pairing correctly captures his two defining historical achievements?

Answer: Winning responsible government for Nova Scotia in 1848, then leading the anti-Confederation movement

Howe successfully fought for responsible government, which Nova Scotia achieved in 1848 — the first British colony anywhere to do so. He then became the loudest opponent of Confederation, fearing Nova Scotia would lose economic autonomy to central Canada. He eventually negotiated better terms and joined the federal cabinet, but his earlier crusade for responsible government remains his greatest democratic legacy.

Nova Scotia's House of Assembly, established in 1758, holds a specific distinction in Canadian history. What is it?

Answer: It is the oldest elected legislative assembly in Canada

The Nova Scotia House of Assembly, founded in 1758, is the oldest elected legislative assembly in Canada. It predates the assemblies of other provinces by decades. Nova Scotia also achieved responsible government in 1848 — the first colony in the British Empire to do so — but this came 90 years after the assembly itself was established.

Governor Charles Lawrence ordered the Expulsion of the Acadians (Le Grand Dérangement) in 1755. What was the official justification he used to authorize the deportation?

Answer: Acadians refused to swear an unconditional oath of allegiance to the British Crown

The Acadians had long offered only a conditional oath — one that exempted them from bearing arms against the French or their Indigenous allies. Lawrence used their refusal to swear an unconditional oath as the legal pretext for the deportation of roughly 10,000 Acadians across the Atlantic world. The event is now recognized as a tragedy, and in 2003 the Canadian government issued a royal proclamation of acknowledgement.

The Bluenose schooner, depicted on the Canadian dime since 1937, was built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and became an enduring national symbol. Beyond its celebrated racing victories, what was the Bluenose's primary working purpose?

Answer: Fishing for cod on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland

The Bluenose was first and foremost a working fishing schooner that fished the Grand Banks of Newfoundland for cod — the backbone of the Atlantic economy for centuries. It became famous when it also dominated the International Fishermen's Trophy races from 1921 to 1938, never losing to an American challenger. Its place on the dime honours both Nova Scotia's fishing heritage and its unbeaten racing record.