Canada.

Vocabulary:

edible plants [ ] – съедобные растения

prominent trait [ ] – выдающаяся особенность

tribe [ ] – племя

capable [ ] – способный

warrior [ ] – воин

The Renaissance [ ] – возрождение

install [ ] – устанавливать

merchant [ ] – торговец

scarcely [ ] – едва, только

Ex. 1. Read the text and point out the most important facts. Ask questions about the text.

History of Canada

Canada is a very young nation. It celebrated its 148^th anniversary in 2005. The nation was formed only 138 years before this date when four British colonies (Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia united to create the Dominion of Canada).

The native people of Canada lived on this land for at least 10.000 years. They lived by hunting, trading and gathering edible plants and herbs.

Canada's original inhabitants are Indians. Some historians believe that the word "Indian" originated from the Spanish word "In Dios" which means "children of God". Others believe that the name was given to the native people by Christopher Columbus who mistakenly believed that he had come to the coast of Asia West Indies gave the people he found there the name "Indians". There are several tribes of Canadian Indians.

There is a lot that the Indians could teach the white men. One of the most prominent traits of their society was the love for land. They believed that land belong to everybody. No individual was allowed to live at the expense of others. Indian chiefs lived like other members of the tribe and during the war the most capable man was appointed the chief worrier. Canadian Indians were very sensitive to animals. Animals gave them food; they were their friends, spirits of their ancestors and the inspiration for their art.

The first Europeans arrived on American shores were Vikings. They founded a colony in Vineland. Nobody in Europe, including Vikings themselves realized that they discovered a new continent. At that time there was no need to own new lands. There was still enough land in Europe.

The situation changed by the beginning of the 16^th century. The Renaissance brought new scientific knowledge. A magnetic compass was developed and the astrolabes were installed on the ships to find their position by looking at the stars. The designs of the sails on the ships were improved and the ships could go much further from the shores.

Wealth in Europe at that time was calculated by the amount of land the person possessed. This wealth was concentrated in the hands of limited number of landowners.

British King Henry VII supported commerce. So he granted Bristol merchants a trade monopoly in a new land, which could be discovered. Bristol merchants hired John Cabot an Italian, to lead the expedition. Cabot’s goal was to find a new rout to Japan. John Cabot reached Canada in 1497 and sailed back to Bristol. Historians believe that he was the first to discover Canadian coast. Henry VII was very pleased with the result of the expedition and discovering of a “new found land”.

Then the French King, Francis I, hired an experienced pilot Jacques Cartier, to search a new rout to the Pacific in 1534. Cartier erected a cross at the tip of the present province of Quebec and claimed the land for France. He was there in summer and the land seemed to be perfect for settlement. Later the French King ordered a larger expedition which spent two miserable winters in Canada and returned home to France in 1543. Canada’s climate was too severe for the French. So the results of the last expedition discouraged others from going to Canada for half a century.

Later between 1604 and 1607 an experienced geographer named Samuel Champlain established a permanent colony on the Bay of Fundy and named it Port Royal. It was the first European settlement in North America and just 2 years older than the first English settlement in Virginia. Champlain, who was considered to be the founder of New France, and thus, Canada, spent a lot of time making maps from the descriptions given by Indians.

People living in this new land had many problems: Indian wars, the lack of funds, severe winters and diseases. So after many years of hard labour in 1628 only 65 colonists lived on the trading post of Quebec.

England in the 17^th century did not possess the entire island. While the English were fishing mainly in the eastern coast of Newfoundland, the French were fishing along the northern and southern shores. The first French settlers came to Newfoundland in 1663 and their fishing post in Placenta was a strong naval base.

During the 17^th century and the first part of the 18^th century France and England were constantly fighting in Canada. The great European powers realized that the future wealth of their empires lay in the vast scarcely populated lands of the American continent. As a result of the French and Indian wars (1754 – 1763) most of the French forts including Quebec and Montreal fell to the British. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended French control of Canada. According to the Royal Proclamation New France was renamed the Province of Quebec. The French were allowed to keep their language and institutions. France lost its battle with England over North Canada.

Ex. 2. Develop your critical thinking.

Explain…

1. why nobody in Europe was interested in exploring other lands before the 16^th century;

2. what made European kings encourage and support dangerous and expensive sea voyage;

3. what difficulties the newcomers to the New World might have experienced.