Immigration Timeline

  • Jan 1, 1492

    Vikings visit Canada

    Vikings visit Canada
    The Viking come to Canada and have various meeting with the First Nations people, resulting in violent outbursts from both sides. The Vikings soon realize that fighting with the First Nations people will only slow them down on their way to build a proper ship post on The Contenant.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1492 to

    Immigration to Canada

  • Dec 15, 1497

    Jean Cabot discovers Canada

    Jean Cabot arrived along the coast of Newfoundland and although didn't make contact witht the First Nations people, he found various signs of life. This discovery helped further the English's expeditions across the ocean to provide sailors with plentiful fishing opportunities.
  • Champlain founds Quebec City

    Champlain founds Quebec City
    Samuel Champlain was not the first to try and develop a settlement in Quebec, however he was the first one to suceed in making a permanant settlement in the area. This provided a colony for potential French settlers
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    France claims Canada with Quebec City

    With the foundation of Quebec City, France claims Canada as its own and renames it 'New France'. However with little being done to encourage colonization of the settlement, Quebec resides at a mere population of 8000 after 150 years. At the end of the 7 Years War, Quebec and New France was handed over to the British.
  • Henry Hudson arrives at Hudson's Bay

    Henry Hudson arrives at Hudson's Bay
    Henry Hudson was under an expedition for the Crown, looking for the fabled Northwest passage to Asia when he arrived in Hudson's Bay. Although his fate was unfortunate his discovery helped further trade post further into the center of the country.
  • Arrival of Filles du Roi

    Arrival of Filles du Roi
    The first group of Filles du Roi or 'The King's Daughters' arrives in Canda with the hopes of the young girls strengthning the colony. They were sent to Canada to find spouses and produce many offspring in order to further populate the colony.
  • Last group of Filles du Roi

    This marks the last group of Filles du Roi sent over from France to maximize the colony. At this time, they were no longer need in order to help the growth of the colony as now there was a large number of what qualified as a 'marriable' woman.
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    The Fur Trade Boom

    During this time there was little immigration in the form of colonies in Canada but rather male fur traders crossing the ocean hoping to make ther fortunes in the Canadian wilderness.
  • Battle of the Plains of Abraham

    Battle of the Plains of Abraham
    This way a key battle in the 7 Years War lastly in total only around 15 minutes. In this battle both generals were mortally wounded. The battle was of the conflict between France and Great Britain over the fate of New France
  • Underground Railroad begins

    This marks the beginning of the Underground Railroad to try and get slaves into Canada where they will be considered free people.
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    The Underground Railroad

    The Underground Railroad was series of paths and safehouses that lead North to Canada. At the time, if a slave crossed the border into Canada they would be considered free people under the 'Act to Limit Slavery'.
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    Great Migration of Canada

    During this time period as many as 800,000 immigrants came to Canada, 60% of them being British.
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    Peak of the Underground Railroad

    During this time period the Underground Railroad was at its peak with many slaves trying to make thier escape into Canada.
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    Great Potato Famine

    The Great Potato Famine was when the potato, the most cultivated crop in Ireland at the time, was affected by disease and decimated the crop. As a result the was a mass migration of people to Canada in search for food.
  • Trans Canada Railroad is complete

    Trans Canada Railroad is complete
    With the completion of the Trans Canada Railroad, immigration is now much easier across Canada. This allows travel to the West of the country to be a lot faster and allows these areas to prosper with people settling on the land.
  • Chinese Head Tax

    Chinese Head Tax
    At this time the governement felt there were to many Chinese people immigrating from Asia to Canada so they imposed a 'Chinese Head Tax' based on their numbers. There were many Chinese immigrants in Canada for the gold rush as well as to work on the railroad.
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    Chinese Immigrants and the Gold Rush

    In 1859 there was a great rush of Chinese gold prospectors with the Fraser Canyon gold rush. They all came to work on what they called 'the gold mountain'. The massive immigration period ended with the Chinese Immigration Act.
  • Canada becomes a country

    Canada becomes a country
    Canada officially becomes a country of its own, forming its own provinces and working on uniting the country as a whole. The act of Canada becoming its own country enticed many people to come to Canada, including many British people, who were seeking a new lifestyle.
  • Manitoba is founded

    Manitoba is founded
    Manitoba is founded and recognized by the Canadian governement, providing Metis people a place to settle onto. Furthermore, everyone can settle on the land around Manitoba now too who has been previosuly been stopped by Louis Riel.
  • The War Act

    The War Act
    With the beginning of WW1, Canada passes an act that allowed the governement to deport 'enemy aliens' that Canada was fighting with. This prevented many from immigrating to Canada and deported many who had previosuly immigrated to Canada.