Canadian History Trivia

1. In which decade did the Klondike Gold Rush happen?

From Quiz There's Gold Up North, eh?

Answer: 1890s

The Klondike Gold Rush began on 16 August 1896, when a group of local prospectors discovered gold on Rabbit Creek, one of the tributaries of the Klondike River. After that became known as Bonanza Creek. News of the discovery, however, did not spread out of the region until June of the following year, leading to a veritable stampede in which over 100,000 people tried to reach Klondike - only less than half of them succeeding. The Klondike Gold Rush reached its zenith between the summer of 1897 and the summer of 1898, then gradually petered out - effectively ending in the winter of 1898-1899, when large amounts of gold were found at Nome, Alaska. Gold rushes occurred in all the decades listed as wrong answers, both in North America and in other parts of the world, such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This valuable question was dug out of the ground by LadyNym.

From Quiz History of St. John's, Newfoundland

Answer: John Cabot

According to tradition, John Cabot named the area where he landed in Newfoundland St. John's because he arrived on the feast day of St. John the Baptist. However, this claim is disputed by both the Portuguese and the Spanish who claim that Basque fisherman named the area St. John's on their annual voyage to the area for fish. Moreover, it is not entirely certain Cabot even landed in what is now St. John's despite his claim to do so. It is also debated whether or not St. John's should count because it did not become a permanent settlement for decades after it was founded.

From Quiz Going On A Date With A Canadian Historian

Answer: Beringia

Beringia was a giant land mass that spanned from modern day Lena River, Russia to the Mackenzie River, Canada. At one point, there was a land bridge that crossed over what is now known as the Pacific Ocean. It is believed that roughly 20,000 years ago, Paleo-Indians migrated across this land bridge both to and from Russia and North America. In 2007, an analysis of mtDNA also suggests that humans had lived both on the land bridge as well as in isolated regions of Beringia for a period of approximately 5,000 years. Groups that are believed to have delineated from this period include the Inuit, Dene and Alaskan Indigenous peoples.

From Quiz PEI History

Answer: Mi'kmaq

The Mi'kmaq people lived in various areas in Eastern Canada for thousands of years before Europeans arrived, including the island that is nestled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Maritimes that would eventually become Prince Edward Island. The Mi'kmaq name for the island was "Epekwitk", which means "cradle on the waves" due to its crescent, or cradle shape.

From Quiz The Yukon Gold Rush

Answer: Dawson City

Dawson City was a thriving place during the gold rush. At its height, over 40,000 people lived there.

From Quiz Nineteenth Century Canada

Answer: Newspaper

Founded, as you might well have guessed, in Quebec, then in Lower Canada, the newspaper's principles and motto was 'Nos institutions, notre langue et nos droits'. Translated, this means 'our institutions, our language and our rights', and the paper supported the Parti Canadien who opposed English rule. The newspaper's offices were raided in 1810 and the founders arrested on suspicion of plotting against the authorities.

From Quiz Canada In the 1960s

Answer: Status Indians

Now collectively known as First Nations, Inuit, and Metis (FNMI), status Indians were given the right to vote in Canada for the first time on July 1, 1960. From Canada's independence in 1867 until 1960, they had always been denied the right to vote. They would no longer have to give up their status or treaty rights in order to vote. Up to this point, the Aboriginal peoples of Canada had suffered through years of cultural loss in a network of boarding schools set up across Canada. This system forced thousands of Aboriginal children from their families, communities, and homes and educated them in various school systems set up across Canada, mainly by religious groups. The intent was to assimilate them into the mainstream Canadian culture resulting in a loss of traditional values and language. Many children were subject to sexual and physical abuse as a result of entering into the system. Sadly, it wasn't until 1996 that the final residential school in Canada had been shut down.

From Quiz 1867 and All That

Answer: July 1, 1867

Canada officially became a country on this day. Not all the current provinces joined at first.

From Quiz Fortress Canada

Answer: Fortress Louisbourg

Fortress Louisbourg is the largest 18th century fortified town in North America. Restored by the Canadian government in the 1960s and 70s, it is a wonderful place to visit to take a trip back through time.

From Quiz Canada in the Interwar Period

Answer: Winnipeg

The unrest throughout Canada was caused by the economic downfall right after the end of the war. During the war, all industries had been mobilised for the war effort, but afterwards production was not needed on such a large scale, and unemployment rates rose. Among those who were especially affected were soldiers returning from Europe to find no job opportunities for them in Canada. In May 1919, negotiations between labour unions and managers in the building and metal trades fell apart, and by 15 May nearly all trade unions (grouped together in One Big Union) were on strike. They were hoping to gain better wages and working conditions. Because of fear of Bolshevism, the federal government intervened and arrested strike leaders and propagandists. On 21 June, 29 people were injured (and one killed) when RCMP forces tried to control a crowd of strikers. After the events of that day (dubbed "Bloody Saturday"), the strike lost momentum and the workers were back on the job on 25 June.

From Quiz Canada in World War II

Answer: 10 September 1939

From the time of Confederation (1867) Canada had control over her own domestic politics and policies, but not over foreign affairs. This changed with the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and Canada became fully independent. Thus, in the fall of 1939 Canada was not automatically at war because Britain had declared war (unlike when war broke out in 1914). There was, however, very little doubt that Canada would follow. Waiting a week was merely symbolic of Canada's new power to declare war for herself.

From Quiz Names of the Provinces and Territories of Canada

Answer: Princess Louise Caroline Alberta

The province of Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, who was Queen Victoria's fourth daughter. The Princess's husband the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878-1883 'suggested' they should name it after her.

From Quiz Canada's History - Lesser Known Dates

Answer: 1989

It was last printed in Ottawa, in April 1989. The $1 coin, known as the 'loonie', had already been in circulation for two years, starting in 1987. The $2 bill was last printed in 1996, the same year that the $2 coin, the 'toonie', was introduced.

From Quiz Canada, My Home and Native Land [2]

Answer: Battle of the Plains of Abraham

In 1759 a British force commanded by General James Wolfe defeated a French force commanded by Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham just outside the walls of Quebec City. Both Wolfe and Montcalm were mortally wounded in the battle. Wolfe died on the battlefield and Montcalm died the next day.

From Quiz Canada, My Home and Native Land [1]

Answer: The Vikings

Around AD 1000 a group of Vikings, supposedly led by the indomitable explorer Leif Ericsson, landed on the shores of Newfoundland and set up housekeeping. Remnants of a Viking settlement where discovered at L'Anse aux Meadows in the 1960's. There is speculation this is the legendary Vinland of Viking folklore, so named due to the proliferation of wild grapes.

From Quiz Korea and Beyond, Canada at War

Answer: June 25, 1950

On 25 June a North Korean army crossed into the southern zone and advanced towards the capital, Seoul. The city fell in less than a week.

From Quiz Confederation

Answer: 1867

Confederation took place on July 1st, 1867. July 1st has now become Canada Day.

From Quiz Newfoundland to British Columbia

Answer: Quebec

Women in Quebec were not able to vote or run for provincial office until April 25, 1940.

From Quiz Canadian Aboriginal War Veterans

Answer: 12,000

In these three wars, over 500 Aboriginal soldiers were killed in the line of duty.

From Quiz Fur Trade Words and Phrases

Answer: An ice chisel

Every well-equipped fur trader carried a tranche in his kit. A tranche came in handy when they had to chip the ice off the canoe or the paddles during spring thaw or early winter freeze-up. Life wasn't easy for these folks!

From Quiz Take It From Me

Answer: King George Vl

King George Vl, father of Queen Elizabeth ll, ascended the throne after the abdication of his brother, Edward Vlll. This mild mannered, and in many ways shy man, found his life abruptly altered. Despite his initial misgivings, he became an effective war-time King and his wife, the future Queen Mother, became the mother of a nation. George Vl ruled during the early years of the Empire's ultimate disbanding, beginning, after the war, with independence for India.

From Quiz New France

Answer: seigneuries

Seigneurs ran the seigneuries. A roture was one of the many strips of land that made up a seigneury. Each roture was farmed by a different family.

From Quiz The On-To-Ottawa Trek

Answer: Vancouver, British Columbia

Young single men worked in B.C. work camps for 20 cents a day. Even in those days that wasn't much. In April of 1935 they went on strike, left the camps and went to Vancouver. On June 3rd, 1935, they left for Ottawa to take their case to parliament.

From Quiz Canada, 1952 to 1958

Answer: Louis St-Laurent

The Seaway was officially opened in 1959. During construction they had to move 192.5 million cubic meters of earth and also relocated 6,500 people who otherwise would have been flooded out!

From Quiz Canadian History

Answer: France

French rule started in 1534 when Jacques Cartier, an explorer who worked for the French King, François I. At the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, Canada became an entirely British territory.

From Quiz Nice and Simple Canadian History

Answer: John A. Macdonald

John Alexander Macdonald was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Hugh Macdonald and Helen Shaw. When he was five years old, the family moved to Kingston, Upper Canada. At the age of 15, he began legal studies in Kingston, and by the age of 19 opened his own law office there. He became known as a quick-witted and ingenious trial lawyer. Later, he was named solicitor for both of Kingston's banks. He was married twice, to Isabella Clark on September 1, 1843 (d. 1857), and to Susan Agnes Bernard on February 16, 1867.

From Quiz New France - The Early Years

Answer: Henry VII

Henry VII was a thrifty king. Although he authorized the voyage, the cost was to be borne by Cabot. The king, however, was to receive 20% of any profits which may result from the voyage. Since Bristol was to be the only port of entry for trade, the financial responsibility devolved upon the merchants of that city. Although up to five ships were authorized, the merchants could only afford to send one ship, the Matthew. It would appeaer that all 19 of the sailors (Cabot had a crew of 18) returned to England safely. King Henry rewarded Cabot with a grant of 10 pounds which was later supplemented by an annual pension of 20 pounds.

From Quiz Canadian History

Answer: Halifax

Halifax was founded in 1749. It became Halifax after its founding, in part due to the Earl of Halifax who was the British Lord of Trade and Plantations.

From Quiz From Canada's Past

Answer: John Cabot

Known as John Cabot in England, Giovanni Caboto sailed for England in search of the Northwest passage, but ended up discovering fish in Newfoundland.

From Quiz Heroes of New France

Answer: Havana

Probably one of the reasons Champlain spent so much time outside France was that he was a Huguenot.

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