Modern Canada

On July 1, 1867, the three British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the United Province of Canada (early Québec and Ontario) joined to create the Dominion of Canada. From the time of Confederation to the end of the Great War, Canada remained in the shadow of Great Britain. In the period following the war, the dominion moved toward closer relations with the United States. It is between these two empires, one across the Atlantic Ocean, the other on the North American continent, that Canada’s evolution as a nation might be understood in the broadest sense. Yet, such an approach masks the internal forces that moved Canada from dominion status to one of the world’s most prolific international actors of the twentieth century. In this course, we will examine the “making” of modern Canada from Confederation to the end of the twentieth century by focusing upon the imperial and continental contexts, as well as domestic political, economic, social, and cultural factors. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Canadian Studies.