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Mar 3, 1497
European exploration
European exploration occurred until 1497, when Italian seafarer John Cabot explored Canada's Atlantic coast for England. -
Mar 3, 1534
Whailing outposts
Basque and Portuguese mariners established seasonal whaling and fishing outposts along the Atlantic coast in the early 16th century.In 1534, French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River, where he planted a 10-metre (33 ft) cross bearing the words "Long Live the King of France", and took possession of the territory in the name of King Francis I. -
Independence from France
Treaty of Paris recognized American independence and ceded the newly added territories south (but not north) of the Great Lakes to the new United States. -
World War I
Because Britain still maintained control of Canada's foreign affairs under the Confederation Act, its declaration of war in 1914 automatically brought Canada into World War I. Volunteers sent to the Western Front later became part of the Canadian Corps. -
World War II
Canada declared war on Germany independently during World War II under Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, seven days after Britain. The first Canadian Army units arrived in Britain in 1939 -
Canada joined as province of GB
The financial crisis of the great depression had led the Dominion of Newfoundland to relinquish responsible government in 1934 and become a crown colony ruled by a British governor. After two bitter referendums, inhabitants voted to join Canada in 1949 as a province. -
Independence from GB
Another series of constitutional conferences resulted in the 1982 patriation of Canada's constitution from the United Kingdom, concurrent with the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. -
Canada joined NATO
In 2011, Canadian forces participated in the NATO-led intervention into the Libyan civil war,[87] and also became involved in battling the Islamic State insurgency in Iraq in the mid-2010s
