CN - Canada Module Overview

Canada

Introduction

Canada Module Overview Image From Latin America, we will pack our bags and travel north to Canada. Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world, and one of our closest neighbors, located directly to the north of the United States. Canada is made up of many areas called provinces and territories. Because of Canada's Arctic tundra in the north, most of the population of Canada live in the south close to the US border.

Canada is made up of many different cultures. The main cultures come from British and French descent. About 25 percent of the population is French and reside in Quebec. Another 25 percent of the population is from Great Britain and speak English. The rest of the population is made up of immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America that have immigrated to the country over the years.

After many battles throughout history, Canada received its independence from Great Britain in 1867. Canada's government is set-up as a parliamentary democracy in which voters elect individuals to represent them in Parliament. Although Canada's head of state is called a Prime Minister, Canada still honors the queen of England as the official monarch.

Furthermore, Canada is a large country made-up of many beautiful landforms, natural resources, and diverse climate regions. Landforms such as mountains, glaciers, plateaus, and fjords dominate the landscape. Since Canada's western seaboard sits on the area known as the "Ring of Fire", there are many volcanoes and mountains located in this region. In addition to Canada's beautiful landscape, Canada has a vast array of natural resources including iron ore, oil, natural gas, and coal. Because natural resources are plentiful, Canadians enjoy a high standard of living. Canada's climate varies from region to region. In the extreme northern region around the Arctic Circle, the climate is known as the tundra. Very few people reside in this region because of extreme cold temperatures. The southern region just north of the Great Lakes is called the humid continental region. This is where most Canadians live and work.

Canada's economy is similar to our economy here in the United States. Like the United States, Canada has a free market economy. Although Canada's government is limited in the involvement in the economy, the government does provide its citizens with many services such as healthcare. Canada's government also controls major organizations such as electrical companies, transportation services, and public broadcasting from becoming too powerful.

 

Questions to consider as you study this module:

  • How has the French and English culture influenced the development of language and religion in Canada?
  • Why does Quebec want independence from Canada?
  • What is the structure of the Canadian government?
  • What types of government systems exist in Canada?
  • What changes could occur in Canada if Quebec became independent?
  • Where are Canada's physical featured located?
  • How has the location, distribution of natural resources, and population affected the location and lifestyle of Canadians?
  • How has Canada's climate, natural resources, and location affected trade with other countries?
  • What are the major environmental concerns of Canada?
  • How does Canada's government and market compare and contrast to other systems throughout the world?
  • What is Canada's involvement in the NAFTA (North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement)?
  • What factors influence economic growth in a country?

 

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

Canada's Government: Discover how Canada's Government is structured and explore the differences between the Canadian government and the United States government.

Canada's Provinces and Territories: Canada is made up of ten provinces and three territories. Discover more about each of these in this lesson.

Canada's Economic Concerns: Learn about Canada’s industry and the effects that NAFTA has had on its economy.

Canada's Climate, Natural Resources and Population Distribution: What is Canada's climate like? What natural resources are available? How do those things affect where people choose to live? Find out in this lesson.

Canada's Issues and Challenges: There are many environmental issues and challenges that Canada faces as it prepares for the future. Learn more about 4 major concerns and explore ways Canada might address them.

 

Key Terms

Download a copy of this module's key terms by clicking here. Links to an external site. 

 

IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS