Canada

Canada is a country in North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Its capital is Ottawa.

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Canadian Confederation: The 1867 union that established the Dominion of Canada and began its expansion into a federation. It marks the country’s constitutional beginning and the first provinces in its federal union.
New France: A French colonial territory in North America that existed from the sixteenth century until the British conquest of 1763. French settlement and institutions left lasting marks on Quebec and Canadian identity.
Canadian Shield: A vast region of ancient Precambrian rock covering much of central and eastern Canada. Its geology underlies major mineral deposits and constrains farming and settlement.
United States: A federal republic of fifty states occupying much of North America. Its presidential system and constitutional structure contrast with Canada’s parliamentary monarchy.
Provinces and territories of Canada: Canada’s ten provinces and three territories are its principal subnational divisions. Their distinct powers and histories explain Canada’s regional political structure.
British North America: The British colonies and territories in northern North America before the creation of Canada and its later independence. Several colonies that formed Canada were governed within this larger British imperial region.
St. Lawrence Seaway: A system of locks, canals, and channels enabling ocean-going ships to travel between the Atlantic and the Great Lakes. It links Canada’s industrial heartland to Atlantic trade routes.
Australia: A federal parliamentary country and continent in the Southern Hemisphere. It shares a British-derived political tradition with Canada but developed in a different geography and history.
Constitution of Canada: Canada’s constitution consists of written laws, conventions, and principles governing the country. It allocates powers between federal and provincial governments and defines the state.
Treaty of Paris (1763): A treaty ending the Seven Years’ War that transferred most of France’s North American possessions to Britain. It established British rule over much of the territory that became Canada.