Symbols and National Identity Flashcards

The maple leaf on Canada's national flag has 11 points. What was the primary reason this specific number of points was chosen over the original 13-point design?

Answer: Wind tunnel testing showed the 11-point leaf remained visually distinct without blurring at various wind speeds

The original designs used a 13-point maple leaf, but wind tunnel tests revealed it blurred into an unrecognizable shape when the flag flew in strong wind. The 11-point leaf was selected specifically because it remained sharp and identifiable across wind conditions — a practical engineering decision, not a symbolic one.

Canada's national motto 'A Mari Usque Ad Mare' (From Sea to Sea) is drawn from a specific verse of the Bible. Which is the correct source?

Answer: Psalm 72:8, describing a king's dominion from sea to sea

The motto comes from Psalm 72:8 — 'He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.' It was proposed by Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Father of Confederation, and reflects both the geographic ambition and the biblical grounding of the Dominion's founders.

The lower-right quadrant of the Canadian Coat of Arms features which emblem, and which part of the United Kingdom does it represent?

Answer: A golden harp on blue, representing Ireland

The shield is divided into five sections: top-left shows three golden lions on red (England), top-right shows a red lion rampant on gold (Scotland), bottom-left shows three golden fleurs-de-lis on blue (France), bottom-right shows a golden harp on blue (Ireland), and the base shows three red maple leaves on silver (Canada). The harp in the lower-right is the traditional heraldic symbol of Ireland.

The English lyrics of 'O Canada' have a complex history. Which statement most accurately describes how the current official English version came to exist?

Answer: Robert Stanley Weir wrote an English version in 1908; Parliament adopted it with modifications — notably changing 'thou dost in us command' to 'in all of us command' — when the National Anthem Act was proclaimed on July 1, 1980

Robert Stanley Weir penned an English version in 1908 (28 years after Lavallée composed the music and Routhier wrote the French lyrics in 1880). When Parliament finally passed the National Anthem Act on June 27, 1980 — proclaimed July 1 — it adopted Weir's text with one key amendment: 'thou dost in us command' became the gender-neutral 'in all of us command.' A 2018 amendment further changed 'thy sons' to 'of us' to make it fully inclusive.

Under which Act was the beaver officially recognized as an emblem of Canada's sovereignty, and in what year did it receive this designation?

Answer: The National Symbol of Canada Act, 1975

The beaver had appeared on Canadian coinage and official seals for over 300 years before receiving formal statutory recognition. The National Symbol of Canada Act, passed in 1975, enshrined it as an official emblem of Canadian sovereignty — making a long-standing cultural symbol a matter of law. Senator Nicole Germain championed the legislation.

The National Sports of Canada Act (1994) designated two official national sports. Which pairing correctly identifies both sports AND their designated seasons?

Answer: Lacrosse as the national summer sport and ice hockey as the national winter sport

The National Sports of Canada Act designated lacrosse as Canada's national summer sport and ice hockey as the national winter sport. Lacrosse — with deep Indigenous roots as 'the Creator's game' — received the summer designation, while ice hockey, which developed in 19th-century Canada, received the winter designation. Curling, despite its Canadian popularity, was not included in the Act.