Canadian History Time Line, Prehistory to 1710

Earliest North American occupation dates commonly accepted by archeologists. Artifacts in the Bluefish Caves in the Yukon from this time period

11,000-9000 B.C.

Paleo Indian Period Nfld, Nova Scotia area Quebec, Ontario (also here) Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British.Columbia. Formation of Niagara Falls

Circa 8000 B.C.

Oldest evidence of Amerindian people living in the St.Lawrence River valley. These were hunters and did not live in settlements. Maritime Prehistoric period. Prairie prehistory overview with chronology. Niagara region inhabited by Clovis people.

Circa 7000 B.C.

Paleo Indian Period (prehistoric Ontario)

Circa 6000 B.C.

Neolithic farming begins in the Near and Far East as well as in North America.

Circa 5000 B.C.

Early Archaic Period (here for all Archaic periods; follow the links for an excellent study of this time in human history). Earliest petroglyphs date from this period. Okanagan pictographs possibly date from 4000 B.C (6000 B.P—"before present")

Circa 3000 B.C.

Middle Archaic Period. Here for a description of a body possibly dating from that time.

Circa 2000 B.C.- 800 A.D.

Arctic small tools tradition

Circa 1000 B.C.

Late Archaic Period (2500-1000 B.C.)

Circa 300 B.C.

Early Woodland Period (here for Woodland Period with emphasis on Manitoba region). Dorset Culture 600 B.C.-1000 A.D. Some petroglyphs in Ontario date from this period

Circa 0 A.D

Palaeo Eskimo art dates from this period
Native peoples construct burial (here for overview) mounds near what is now Peterborough, Ont.

Circa 500 A.D.

Beginning of farming in Great Lakes region, possibly ancestors of Iroquois nations such as the Mohawk people.

Circa 900 A.D.

Middle/Late Woodland Period (also here) 0-1000 A.D. Late Mississippian Period 900-1700 A.D.

Circa 1100

Vikings set up small village at Anse aux Meadows, Nfld.

Circa 1300 -1500 A.D.

Archeological evidence of St. Lawrence Iroquoians living in villages in what is now Southwestern Quebec and Ontario.

1497

John Cabot claims Newfoundland (or Cape Breton) for Henry VII of England

1534

Jacques Cartier explores Newfoundland & charts the Gulf of St. Lawrence, landing in Gaspé

1535

Cartier sails to what is now Quebec & Montreal. St. Lawrence Iroquioians and also try here) living on what is now the island of Montreal discover Cartier sailing up the river.These people had disappeared by the time Champlain visits 70 years later.

1541

First French settlement in NA is founded by Cartier & Sieur de Roberval (a poetic account written by his niece, Marguerite de Roberval)

1577

Martin Frobisher (English) makes the first of 3 attempts to find a northwest passage

1600

King Henry IV of France grants fur trading rights in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to a group of French merchants. Late 1500's saw the decimation of the Iroquoian (not to be confused with Iroquois) people—likely the result of disease and wars; survivors possibly join Mohawk nation.

1605

Samuel de Champlain & Sieur de Monts found Port Royal (Annapolis, NS)

1608

Champlain founds Quebec. For an essay on the origins of the Québècois French language, see here

1609

Champlain supports the Algonquin against the Iroquois (links to reviews of books on Iroquois people past and present here: Iroquois Museum NY here)at Lake Champlain

1610

Étienne Brûlé goes to live among the Huron (more on Huron people to 1638 here; from 1639-49 here). Henry Hudson explores the bay that now bears his name

1617

Louis Hébert, (or here) (and for his work as an apothecary try here) the first habitant, arrives in Quebec

1625

Jesuits arrive in Quebec to begin missionary work among the Native peoples

1627

The Company of One Hundred Associates is founded with the objective of establishing a French empire in NA

1629 David Kirke captures Quebec for Britain

1632

Captain James finishes his winter ordeal on Charlton Island in the bay that now bears his name; he managed to survive and return to England by sinking his ship before winter. It is doubtful that he reached Moosonee, although Moose Factory is still the area with the oldest white settlement in Ontario (fur traders).The Treaty of Saint Germain-en-Laye gives Quebec back to France

1634-40

Europeans introduce diseases to Native peoples to which they have no resistance; half of the Huron die.(also, here for a detailed account; the Huron nation is now often called Wyandot) Read about the colourful and exciting life of Guillaume de Cousture who arrives about 1640 or 1641.

1637

Kirke becomes first governor of Newfoundland

1642

Montreal is founded by Sieur de Maisonneuve (or here for more details)

1649

Father Jean de Brébeuf is killed by Iroquois at St-Ignace. The Iroquois break up the Huron Nation

1660

Adam Dollard des Ormeaux makes a last stand against the Iroquois at Long Sault; the Iroquois decide not to proceed with an attack on Montreal

1663

Quebec becomes a royal province

1665

France sends the Carignan-Salières regiment to Quebec against the Iroquois. Jean-Talon becomes Intendent of Quebec

1667

Population records from the first census count 3,215 non-Native persons in Canada

1670

Formation of the HBC, with rights to all territory draining into Hudson’s Bay

1672

Count Frontenac becomes Governor of Quebec

1673-1682

The Mississippi River is explored by Marquette & Joliette, then Duluth, followed by La Salle The history of the St. Lawrence Seaway begins 1680 with the building of a canal between Lac St-Louis and Montreal (this site has an excellent timeline; for maps and pictures try here)

1686

De Troyes & D’Iberville capture three major English trading posts

1689

Iroquois kill French settlers at Lachine. Madeleine de Verchères defends her family's fort at the age of 14 (1692)

1690

Sir William Phips captures Port Royal, but is repelled at Quebec by Frontenac

1697

All captured English & French territories are restored to original claimants by the Treaty of Ryswick

1701-2

The War of Spanish Succession sparks some conflict in NA. Kondiaronk, also called The Rat, a Huron Nation man of peace, dies in Montreal, 1701

1710

Francis Nicholson captures Port Royal for England

Notes

Abbreviations:

CA–Canada

CDN–Canadian

HBC—Hudsons’s Bay Company;

NA–North America

NAFTA–North American Free Trade Agreement.

Standard provincal & other abbreviations used wherever possible.

Primary sources: The 1999 Canadian Global Almanac by John Robert Colombo; A Short History of Canada by Desmond Morton.

Icons are used primarily to illustrate the main tenor of the entry for a given date and to help follow events at a glance.

= Prehistoric, archeological

= Exploration & charting

= Historic voyage (exploration)

= Settlement

= Events concerning Native people

= War for a regal claim

= Treaty, act or decree

= Battle or war

= Religious matters

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