UNIT 2B – Government, History, and Culture in Canada and Australia

Canada – History I

• Canada was originally settled by Native American tribes that lived by hunting and gathering. Some tribes later turned to farming for their survival. The Vikings became the first Europeans to arrive when they landed in Newfoundland around 1000AD.

Canada – History I

History II

• People from England and France arrived beginning in the 16th century and claimed large portions of Canada for their respective countries. French trappers, traders, and farmers arrived and settled in the areas along the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes.

History II

History III

• In the 1760’s the British fought and defeated the French, gaining control over much of Canada. In 1982 Canada gained independence from Great Britain. Today Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories that stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Although much of Canada is English-speaking and of British descent, Quebec remains largely French-speaking and of French descent. Quebec has recently discussed seceding from Canada and becoming its own separate country.

Canada – Political Map

History IV• 10,000 BC Prehistoric hunters cross over into

Canada from Asia • 1000 AD Leif Ericsson leads a Viking expedition to

the New World• 1497 John Cabot reaches Newfoundland (or

perhaps Cape Breton)• 1608 Samuel de Champlain establishes a French

colony at Québec City• 1763 New France is formally ceded to Britain

History V• 1812–14 War of 1812: U.S. invades Canada• 1867 Confederation (first four provinces: Québec,

Ontario, N.S., and N.B.)• 1885 the Canadian Pacific Railway is completed• 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway (major transportation

route) officially opens• 1982 Constitution comes home — with a Charter of

Rights and Freedoms• 1995 Québec referendum on sovereignty is narrowly

defeated• 1999 The new Arctic territory of Nunavut is created

Government I

• The capital of Canada is Ottawa. Canada, like the U.S., is a representative democracy. But, unlike the United States, it is also a parliamentary democracy. Voters elect representatives to Parliament. These representatives then choose a Prime Minister.

Government I

Government II

• In the Canadian form of government Parliament is like our congress and the Prime Minister has powers similar to our president.

Government III

• Power in Canada is divided between the federal government and the individual provinces and territories. This division of power is called federalism. Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees certain rights such as voting, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. It is similar to our Bill of Rights.

Government IVUnited States Canada

Culture I

• More than 35 million people live in Canada. The largest city is Toronto. Other large cities include Vancouver and Montreal. Canadians do not live in all parts of the country, however. Much of the land is so cold that people cannot make a living. Most of Canada’s people live in only a few areas, such as along the east coast and around the Great Lakes.

Culture I

Culture I

Culture II

• Canada is a bilingual country. Both French and English are official languages. About 25% of Canadians are of French ancestry. Most of them live in the province of Quebec, are Catholic, and follow French traditions and customs. People of British ancestry make up another 1/4th of the population. They speak English, are mostly Protestant, follow British or American customs, and live in the Maritime Provinces, Alberta, and British Columbia

Culture II

Culture III

• Canada is also home to people from other European backgrounds, as well as, those from Asian (especially in British Columbia), African, and Latin American backgrounds. In addition, there are more than 1 million indigenous Canadians. Indigenous Canadians are often called “First Nations”. One group of native Canadians, the Inuit, ask for and received self-rule in 1999.

Culture III

Australia – History I

• The descendants of the first Australians are called Aborigines. Early Aborigines traveled in small family groups as they hunted, gathered plants, and searched for water. Aborigines believed that a powerful spirit created the land and that their role was to care for the land. Warfare and disease reduced the Aborigine population to about 80,000 by the late 1800s.

History II

• Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer, became the first European to visit Australia in 1642 when he landed on the island of Tasmania. Additional European explorers visited in the South Pacific region from the 1500s through the 1800s. In the late 1700s, Captain James Cook claimed eastern Australia for Britain.

History II

Abel Tasman Captain Cook

History III

• At that time, the prisons in Britain were overcrowded; thus, Australia was established as a penal colony where convicts could serve their sentences. By the mid-1800s, Britain stopped sending convicts to Australia, but many free British people continued to migrate there. Many settlers were wheat farmers and sheep ranchers. Gold was discovered in 1851, which led to a new rush of settlers.

History IV

• Britain ruled Australia as six separate colonies in the 1800s. Each had its own government, making laws for the people within the colony. All Australian men enjoyed the right to vote (known as suffrage), not just those who owned property. By the late 1800s, the land was prospering. Sheep and cattle ranching were both growing industries. Railroads were built to reach into the outback, where many ranches were located.

History V

• Australians began to want to be independent of Britain. Finally, in 1901, Britain granted that freedom. All the colonies in Australia joined together to form one nation. Australians fought alongside British troops during World War I and World War II. In World War II, they worked closely with the United States. Since then, the two countries have had a close relationship.

History V

History VI

• Manufacturing grew in Australia in the mid-1900s. The country prospered as a result. By the late 1900s, Australia’s people were among the wealthiest in the world. In recent years, Australia has become closer to nations in Asia. The government has also taken steps to help Australia’s Aborigines. In 1962, members of this group were allowed to vote.

Political Map - Australia

Government I

• Australia’s national capital is Canberra. Australia has a democratic government. That means the people have the power. They elect government officials. Like Canada, the British monarch is the official head of Australia’s government.

Government I

Government II

• Also, like Canada, Australia is a parliamentary democracy. Voters choose members of Parliament, the body that makes laws for Australia. Those members pick a prime minister, who heads the government. The prime minister comes from the political party that has the most members of Parliament.

Government III

• Like the United States and Canada, Australia has a federal government. The national government makes decisions that affect all Australians. The people also vote for leaders to head the governments of their states. States are the smaller units into which the whole nation is divided.

Government IVUnited States Australia

Culture I

• More than 20 million people live in Australia. The largest city is Sydney. Other large cities are Melbourne and Perth. Australians do not live in all parts of the country, however. Much of the land is so dry that people cannot make a living. Most of Australia’s people live in only a few areas, such as along the eastern and southern coasts. The mild climate, good farmland, and the nearby ocean make these areas attractive. Fewer than 20 percent of Australians live in rural areas, called the bush.

Culture I

Culture I

Culture I

Culture II

• People of European descent make up more than 90 percent of Australians. Most of these people trace their heritage to settlers from the British Isles. The official language of Australia is English. Several different Aborigine languages are also spoken, though. Most Australians are Christians. More Buddhists and Muslims live in the country now because of the rising number of Asian immigrants.

Culture II

Culture III

• Traditional Aborigine beliefs are still followed today. For instance, some Aborigines believe that wandering spirits created the world long ago, in a time called Dreamtime. They believe that these spirits still live inside rocks, trees, plants, and animals.

Culture III

Culture IV

• For years, Aborigines suffered at the hands of European Australians. While the government has tried to make their lives better in recent years, problems still exist. Aborigines tend to have less schooling and earn less money. Many live in poverty and lack medicine and care when they are ill. Aborigines have begun to push for their rights. In the 1990’s aborigines won the right to control their own land areas in the outback.