Press the following tabs to explore the learning goals and success criteria for this learning activity.
You are learning to:
I can:
The past is to be respected and acknowledged, but not to be worshipped. It is our future in which we will find our greatness.”
Welcome to CHC2P: Canadian History since World War I!
In this course, you’ll learn about the different events that shaped Canadian society from 1914 to modern day.
In just 100 years, Canada has faced many difficult tests: two world wars; the Great Depression, the Cold War, and other political, social, and economic crises.
Some moments in history are recognized as groundbreaking. There were many significant developments in technology, social trends, human rights, and the law in Canada during this lengthy period of history, and you will have the chance to explore these in detail using historical sources throughout Grade 10 History.
You will learn throughout this course that no single event, issue, or action in history is experienced the same way by all people. For example, in this period, some Canadian citizens felt a deep connection to their country’s British colonial roots and wanted to help build a national identity from it. Some Canadians experienced many moments of progress or privilege during this period – usually depending on whether they were part of a certain social class, ethnicity, educational background, and/or language group.
Other peoples living throughout Canada who fell into different categories often did not experience the same benefits from the key moments of progress that are often highlighted. Different points of view on historical events provide deeper insight into the historical context.
Historical context is the point in time, place, setting, and situation in which something happened during the past.
Explore the following quotation about Canadian identity from former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. He is speaking in 1960, after Canada has participated in two world wars as an independent country, but still before all Indigenous Peoples in Canada would gain and have the chance to exercise their voting rights.
I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all."
Consider what former Prime Minister Diefenbaker expressed in the statement.
Respond in a method of your choice.
This course will focus on four time periods:
We'll explore each period’s key events and see how they changed the lives of different groups in Canada. We'll also look at the role of conflict and cooperation in Canadian society, and at Canada’s changing role within the world.
This course does more than provide you with the facts surrounding events of the past. It invites you to think historically about them.
What does it mean to think historically? It is a way to engage with the past by trying to understand what makes them significant and relevant.
Explore the following animation entitled “Historical Thinking Concepts” from the Historical Thinking Project to learn more about historical thinking concepts.
Historical Thinking Concepts
Press the following tabs to explore the four historical thinking concepts.
This way of thinking focuses on impact. You’ll look at historical events, trends, persons, or issues to explain their legacy and effect on other events.
This way of thinking focuses on cause and effect. You'll ask questions and find evidence to explain how certain conditions and actions led to other events in history.
This way of thinking focuses on what has changed and what has remained the same over a period of time. It can be applied to an issue, theme, or group.
This way of thinking focuses on seeing the past from its own perspective. You gather evidence in order to develop a sense of what it was like to live in a particular place and time.
Press the following Document button to access the accessible version of the Historical Thinking Concepts.
The First World War was a conflict that involved many countries around the world. It caused tremendous damage and had a significant impact on Canadian society. Canada’s military involvement in this conflict between European powers helped to shape the country’s image as its own nation with greater independence from Britain.
Over 30 million soldiers and seven million civilians were killed or wounded during the war.
After completing this learning activity, you will be able to:
Press the following Credits and Contributions button to access the acknowledgements page.
World War I (WWI) began on the continent of Europe. A continent is a large mass of land, and the world has seven continents. On a continent, there can be a wide variety of unique individual countries and nation-states.
All over the world, there are currently between 193 and 195 countries or nation-states. At the time of the First World War – often referred to as The Great War – the continent of Europe contained 30 countries and nation-states.
A nation-state is a geographic area with its own cultural and political identity.
Europe has a history of conflict; its map has changed greatly over the centuries as countries and empires have risen and fallen.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many European nation-states were in constant conflict and war over power. Many forms of leadership or government across Europe promoted the idea of taking over or oppressing other countries and nation-states as a way to maintain control, gain power and expand their territories. Others were more internally-focused and private – promoting the idea of protecting one “pure” society rather than expanding.
To oppress is to use authority to control a person/group and keep them down.
These different ideas about leadership and political strategies, which will be explored further in this learning activity, set the stage for World War I.
Map of modern-day Europe.
World War I started with an assassination that set off a chain reaction. It’s easy to identify the event that sparked the war, but the long-term causes are deeper and more complex.
The acronym MAIN will help you to remember the four long-term causes of WWl.
Press the following tabs to explore each of these four causes.
Militarism is the belief that war is a valid way to handle foreign policy and that a nation-state needs a strong military force to defend itself or promote its interests.
Militaristic countries focus their activities on “war readiness.” They spend significant tax money to maintain a large military force at all times. Their education and economic systems are geared toward the possibility, even the probability, of war.
Even in times of peace, militaristic states build up their stock of weapons to try to ensure they can win any war that may erupt.
At the end of the 19th century, most European nations were militaristic.
On a continent of militaristic neighbours, having strong allies was seen as a crucial defence strategy that could reduce the chance of being attacked. This was especially true for smaller, weaker nations.
By the end of the 19th century, Europe was a spider’s web of counterbalancing military alliances. These were often formalized through mutual-defence treaties which stipulated that if one ally was attacked, other allies would come to its aid.
Alliances were usually temporary and changeable, and one day’s ally often became the next day’s enemy.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, most European countries developed political and/or economic empires either inside or outside of Europe. Great Britain, for instance, had an imperial empire that spanned the globe, with distant colonies (like Canada) trading raw resources for manufactured goods from England.
Competition for colonies was intense, especially after the unifications of both Germany and Italy. Those two new nation-states wanted to build their own colonial empires. These empires depended on powerful militaries to acquire and maintain their territories.
Nationalism is more than a sense of pride in one’s nation. Particularly in 19th-century Europe, a common belief was that a nation should be determined by a specific ethnic and/or religious group, and on these grounds that nation would be entitled to their own territory and government.
This powerful political theory was taking shape in real forms of government and policy and was continuing to shape Europe at the time of WWI.
It was believed that this helped to unify specific nation-states in the way that Germany and Italy became allies, but it also resulted in fragmenting multi-ethnic empires like the powerful empire of allied Austria and Hungary.
Nationalist tensions were especially high in the Balkan regions, where Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians had been fighting for independence from Austria-Hungary for many decades. It was a powder keg waiting to explode.
Militarism is the belief that war is a valid way to handle foreign policy and that a nation-state needs a strong military force to defend itself or promote its interests.
Militaristic countries focus their activities on “war readiness.” They spend significant tax money to maintain a large military force at all times. Their education and economic systems are geared toward the possibility, even the probability, of war.
Even in times of peace, militaristic states build up their stock of weapons to try to ensure they can win any war that may erupt.
At the end of the 19th century, most European nations were militaristic.
On a continent of militaristic neighbours, having strong allies was seen as a crucial defence strategy that could reduce the chance of being attacked. This was especially true for smaller, weaker nations.
By the end of the 19th century, Europe was a spider’s web of counterbalancing military alliances. These were often formalized through mutual-defence treaties which stipulated that if one ally was attacked, other allies would come to its aid.
Alliances were usually temporary and changeable, and one day’s ally often became the next day’s enemy.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, most European countries developed political and/or economic empires either inside or outside of Europe. Great Britain, for instance, had an imperial empire that spanned the globe, with distant colonies (like Canada) trading raw resources for manufactured goods from England.
Competition for colonies was intense, especially after the unifications of both Germany and Italy. Those two new nation-states wanted to build their own colonial empires. These empires depended on powerful militaries to acquire and maintain their territories.
Nationalism is more than a sense of pride in one’s nation. Particularly in 19th-century Europe, a common belief was that a nation should be determined by a specific ethnic and/or religious group, and on these grounds that nation would be entitled to their own territory and government.
This powerful political theory was taking shape in real forms of government and policy and was continuing to shape Europe at the time of WWI.
It was believed that this helped to unify specific nation-states in the way that Germany and Italy became allies, but it also resulted in fragmenting multi-ethnic empires like the powerful empire of allied Austria and Hungary.
Nationalist tensions were especially high in the Balkan regions, where Serbs, Croats, and Bosnians had been fighting for independence from Austria-Hungary for many decades. It was a powder keg waiting to explode.
In summary, early in the 1900s, most countries in Europe were using a combination of defensive and offensive strategies to try to avoid conflict with their neighbours. However, these strategies were not effective in preventing war. Instead, they actually contributed to the outbreak and expansion of World War I.
That was a significant amount of information, which should indicate just how complex these circumstances were for World War I to take place.
Before exploring one of the causes in greater depth, check your understanding of these MAIN long-term causes of WWI by completing the following task. Sort each example into their correct cause by clicking the example and the corresponding category.
Let’s take a closer look at one of the long-term causes of the war. You know that the “A” in MAIN stands for “alliances.” You know that military alliances were important in Europe, and that they were also changeable: one day’s ally could become the next day’s enemy. But what exactly was the situation in 1914, when war broke out?
In 1914, there was a delicate balance of power in Europe. Europe was basically divided into two sides.
Cartoon from 1914 depicts the three nations in the Triple Alliance: Austria, Italy, and Germany.
On one side were the empires of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. They were known as the Triple Alliance or Central Powers.
These nations agreed to work together if one of them was threatened.
Russian poster from 1914 depicts the three countries in the Triple Entente with female personifications.
On the other side were Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. They were known as the Triple Entente.
These nations agreed to work together if one of them was threatened.
Cartoon from 1914 depicts the three nations in the Triple Alliance: Austria, Italy, and Germany.
On one side were the empires of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. They were known as the Triple Alliance or Central Powers.
These nations agreed to work together if one of them was threatened.
Russian poster from 1914 depicts the three countries in the Triple Entente with female personifications.
On the other side were Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. They were known as the Triple Entente.
These nations agreed to work together if one of them was threatened.
So, there were two big alliances in the years before the war broke out. This meant that if any one of the nations involved was attacked or threatened, its allies would get pulled in.
It was a tense situation. Let’s look at the event that lit the flame.
World War I was caused by a combination of long-term and short-term causes. You’ve seen that the long-term causes can be summed up by the acronym MAIN. Having taken a close look at the “A” of MAIN, you know the system of alliances meant that a domino effect would take place if one nation were threatened.
The immediate or short-term cause of World War I was the assassination (murder) of a man named Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. This was the spark that started a global conflict. It lasted four years and changed the Western world forever.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. On June 28, 1914, Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The two of them were shot dead by a young Serbian radical named Gavrilo Princip.
The reigning emperor of Austria-Hungary was quite old. When he died, Franz Ferdinand would become emperor. Franz Ferdinand wanted to “fold” Serbia into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This idea was strongly opposed by young Serbian radicals, who wanted to create their own united Serbian state.
Serbian radicals had formed a secret society called the Black Hand. They thought that eliminating the archduke would help their cause. They encountered some problems but managed to carry out the assassination.
Photo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie arriving in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 1914.
If you’re interested in seeing exactly what happened that day, go online and search for “Map as history,” and “assassination in Sarajevo.”
A Serbian shot an Austrian. So why did Germany, Russia, France, and Great Britain get involved in a war?
After Franz Ferdinand’s assassination, countries involved in alliances honoured the promises they’d made, and quickly got involved. The following cartoon, called “The Chain of Friendship,” illustrates how alliances led to a chain reaction.
The Chain of Friendship: If Austria attacks Serbia, Russia will fall upon Austria, Germany upon Russia, and France and England upon Germany. Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 1914.
The Chain of Friendship, a political cartoon depicting the pre-war web of alliances. Various countries are represented by a chain of men. Each man is threatening to pound the one in front of him.
What is this cartoon trying to show?
This cartoon shows the military alliances that existed before WWI. The web of alliances caused a chain reaction once one country was threatened.
Sometimes a minor-seeming action can change the course of history. The following quote describes a widely held belief about “historical thinking”:
Alter a single action or condition, and an event might have turned out differently."
Seixas, Peter, and Tom Morton. (2013). The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts. Page 102. Nelson Education.
What were the two sides in World War I? To simplify, we’ll say that on one side there was Germany and Austria-Hungary. These formed the “Central Powers.” In discussions of WWI, you’ll often see this side referred to as “the Germans” as a kind of shorthand.
The other side was Britain, France, and Russia (Canada was involved as part of the British Empire.) These formed the “Triple Entente” or the “Allied Powers.” In discussions of WWI, you’ll often see this side referred to as “the Allies” or “the Allied forces” or “the Western Allies.”
No one anticipated that the war would be so long and widespread. Leaders, soldiers, and people on the street thought it would all be over by the end of 1914. However, things did not go as planned, and the war was like nothing anyone had seen before.
One major development of the war was trench warfare. This new form of combat was devastating for the participants, local citizens, and the surrounding countryside. Before beginning to study trench warfare, it is important to consider what combat was like before WWI.
In past conflicts, when two big armies met on a battlefield, they attacked each other directly, head-on. Usually both sides used cavalry (soldiers on horses), infantry (soldiers on foot), and rolling artillery like cannons. The “rules of engagement” were quite clear.
The Battle of Chippawa in Ontario, 1814. Armies moved across territory and engaged in battle face to face. Both sides used similar tactics, formations, and weapons. Battles lasted for about a day.
As weapons technology changed, so did the nature of war itself. Over the course of World War I, new explosive devices – such as grenades, mines, and mortar shells – came into play.
Soldiers had more options for shooting from a distance. They had artillery, repeating rifles, rifles with telescopic sights, machine guns, and other 20th-century weapons.
To stay out of the direct line of fire, soldiers dug trenches that were about as deep as the height of a man. Trench warfare became the main method of fighting: a continuous line of trenches was built that went right through the French-Belgium border.
This fighting zone between the Germans and the Allies was called the “Western Front.”
The locations of the four key battles on the Western Front. Map showing Canadian operations and key battles on the Western Front: The Battle of Passchendaele, The Second Battle of Ypres, The Battle of Vimy Ridge, and The Battle of the Somme.
The weapons, equipment, and “rules” of war kept changing. Systems of attack, defense, communication, and transportation had to be improvised on the fly. Longstanding 19th-century methods and conventions were replaced through trial and error. Not much about warfare remained the same.
Browse the following photographs from the First World War to get a sense of the conditions, equipment, and weaponry over the course of the war.
Soldiers struggle to pull a big gun through mud. At the front (the fighting zone), men and animals often got trapped in the mud.
Early in the war, soldiers were not yet in trenches. They used bolt action rifles (not rapid-fire guns), didn't have helmets, and carried little with them.
This is a photo of an Australian trench mortar battery preparing a trench mortar in a chalk pit. These guns could be fired from an undercover location and, later in the war, were used from the trenches.
This is a photo of 75mm French field gun that has been mounted for use as an anti-aircraft weapon. It was used against troops advancing in the open and in trench warfare.
By 1916, some soldiers in trenches used stationary machine guns and wore gas masks.
Soldiers using a Hotchkiss machine gun in France (1918).
From about 1915 on, soldiers on the Western Front lived and fought in the trenches.
So far, you have been exploring some important events and developments that took place during the First World War, such as the reasons why trench warfare marked a major turning point in the history of war.
Recall the four historical thinking concepts introduced in the Minds On section.
Which of the four concepts do you believe is being used here, and how? Record and submit your response in two to three sentences in your notebook.
Canada took part in World War I from the beginning. When Great Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914, Canada was automatically pulled into the war as part of the British Empire.
Canadian troops fought mainly on the Western Front, participating in many battles.
Were these battles historically significant for Canada? Were they also important to the British and French, and their colonial allies who fought on the Western Front?
Part of the answer can be found in the idea that there is a difference between “history” and “the past.” As historian Ruth Sandwell states, the past is “everything” – think of it as a big, chaotic jumble. Historians Peter Seixas and Tom Morton see history as “someone’s attempt to make sense and order out of the chaos of everything-ness.”
As one way to make order out of the chaos of the past, historians try to determine historical significance. In other words, they try to identify events that had a lasting impact on many people.
What was Canada’s role on the Western Front in World War I? Four battles are considered to be historically significant:
Due to the number of Canadian soldiers involved and the intensity of the combat, individual battles from WW1 are considered to have great historical significance. These battles not only shaped Canada’s military reputation but also came with extreme human costs for this relatively “young” nation.
Press the following tabs to find out more about these four notable battles.
The Second Battle of Ypres (1915) was Canada’s first major engagement in the war. It took place in the country of Belgium and had the first large-scale use of chlorine gas by German soldiers, which led to the loss of 6,000 Canadian soldiers. Despite the tragedy, the Canadian army was building a reputation as a formidable fighting force.
The Battle of the Somme (1916) was one of WWI’s bloodiest and longest confrontations. Canadian troops faced off against well-situated and confident German forces. By the end of the first day, there were 60,000 Allied casualties (death of soldiers from Allied countries Canada, the USA, France, and Great Britain). 600,000 soldiers from each side had been killed by the end of the battle and the Somme stands as an example of ineffective strategies.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 1917) is often deemed as a significant moment in Canadian history. The ridge where the battle took place is located in Northern France, and the goal for Canadian forces was to draw the Germans’ attention. Canada’s military had developed complex tactics and were extensively prepared, which led to a military triumph.
The Battle of Passchendaele (October 1917) is notable for having some of the worst battlefield conditions of the war. The land was a muddy swamp, littered with decomposing bodies and discarded equipment. The battle resulted in over 15,000 Canadian deaths as Canada’s military was ordered to proceed. Overall casualties were almost half a million.
Each of these battles demonstrated Canada’s growing military capability and sacrifice. They contributed to the evolution of Canadian identity and autonomy but also underscored the staggering human cost of war.
Members of Canada’s first all-Black No. 2 Construction battalion completing war-related forestry work in France’s mountainous Jura region, 1917.
Not all significant contributions to Canada's war effort unfolded in the form of specific battles, like the ones you just explored. Some of the country’s groundbreaking contributions to World War I had more to do with the individuals involved.
During the First World War, many Black Canadians volunteered to serve in the military but faced discrimination and were often turned away by recruiting officers. After years of pressure from Black communities and their allies, the Canadian government authorized the formation of the No. 2 Construction Battalion on July 5, 1916. It became the largest Black military unit in Canadian history during the war.
In the following video clip from the documentary Honour Before Glory, historians and relatives discuss the discriminatory barriers to enlistment that Black Canadians faced at the beginning of World War I, as well at the actions that led to the eventual formation of Canada’s first all-Black battalion. As you engage with the clip, consider the role of advocacy and community organizing (such as letter-writing campaigns) in prompting social change and progress.
Note: Some individuals featured in the documentary sources use outdated language that are presented for historical context only.
Advocacy is when an organized group of people speak up, take action, or work together to support a cause, address a problem, or improve conditions for themselves or others. It often involves raising awareness, organizing campaigns, influencing decision-makers, or defending people's rights.
Although the battalion was not assigned a combat role, its members performed essential work that supported the Allied war effort. Serving with the Canadian Forestry Corps in France, they helped cut timber, build roads, maintain infrastructure, and produce materials needed for trenches, bridges, and military operations. This work directly contributed to Canada's military participation in the various battles of WWI, because it ensured that Allied soldiers had the materials needed to build trenches, bridges, roads, camps, and other military infrastructure.
The history of the No. 2 Construction Battalion reveals how racism shaped opportunities for Black Canadians, even during a time of national crisis. Today, historians recognize the battalion's service as an important part of both Canada's military history and the history of Black Canadians. This battalion’s labour helped support Canada's participation in the battles you learned about in the previous learning activity, such as Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele.
Using the criteria for historical significance, explain why the No. 2 Construction Battalion might be considered a significant part of Canada's World War I history. Which criteria (impact, quantity, duration, or relevance) best support your answer?
Now that you have had a chance to learn about the four battles, how do you decide which is most significant? Significant events generally result in great change over long periods of time for large numbers of people.
Evaluating historical significance also depends on your point of view and purpose. In addition, an event or person may be considered significant if linked to larger trends and stories that reveal something important.
So, to evaluate the historical significance of events, think about these questions:
Of the four major battles that you’ve just explored, which do you think is the most historically significant for Canada? Explain.
All of these battles are significant, but I would probably choose the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was an important victory, an “all-Canadian” battle, and a turning point in the war.
The topic of battles in historical wars can feel distant from the modern-day experience. In order to better understand the significance of warfare, what kind of question(s) might you ask to guide your research?
Canada joined World War I on August 4, 1914, when Great Britain declared war on Germany. Canada was automatically pulled into the war as part of the British Empire. However, during the war, Canadian forces fought as a distinct unit and made noteworthy contributions in critical battles on the Western Front.
Many Canadians believe that our forces’ role on the Western Front was significant, and that Canada’s contributions made a difference in the overall outcome of the war. Canada’s role in World War I is also linked to Canada’s progress toward independence and equal status with other nations. Canada’s efforts and accomplishments throughout the war helped develop the country’s pride and sense of identity. Other world powers began to see Canada as a nation in its own right.
Complete the following self-check quiz to determine where you are in your learning and what areas you need to focus on.
This quiz is for feedback only, not part of your grade. You have unlimited attempts on this quiz. Take your time, do your best work, and reflect on any feedback provided.
For each question, select the correct answer, then press the Check Answer button to see how you did.
Ontario worked with other provinces in Canada to outline a set of competencies that are important to have to be successful in today’s world. Ontario then developed its Transferable Skills Framework as a set of skills for students to develop over time.
Explore the following video to learn about each of the seven transferable skills.
To learn more about each of the transferable skills, read the following document entitled Transferable Skills Overview to explore the framework and the descriptors for each skill. Download, print, or copy the information in the document into your notes - you'll refer to it in each unit.
Press the following Document button to access the overview.
Throughout this course, you will be given the opportunity to reflect on the transferable skills you are developing. Keep your notebook up-to-date and be mindful of opportunities to apply and develop transferable skills.