c. 1000★★★★★
Leif Erikson reaches North America
Norse explorer Leif Erikson reaches Vinland, likely in present-day Newfoundland, nearly 500 years before Columbus.
Exploration· Canada
Countries / North America
History of Canada
12 notable historical events in Canada, in chronological order.
10th century
17th century
- July 3, 1608★★★★★
Champlain founds Quebec City
Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec on the St. Lawrence River, which becomes the centre of the colony of New France.
ExplorationPolitics· Canada, France
18th century
- 1754 – 1763★★★★★
French and Indian War
Britain and France, with their Indigenous allies, fight for control of North America; France is defeated and loses most of its territory on the continent.
War· United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France - 1756 – 1763★★★★★
Seven Years' War
A global conflict among the European powers fought in Europe, North America and India; Britain gains colonial supremacy and Prussia confirms its great-power status.
War· United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Spain, United States, Canada, India
19th century
- June 18, 1812 – 1815★★★★★
War of 1812
The United States declares war on Britain; fighting in North America and at sea ends with the Treaty of Ghent and no change in borders.
War· United States, United Kingdom, Canada - July 1, 1867★★★★★
Canadian Confederation
The colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick unite as the Dominion of Canada, the beginning of the modern Canadian state.
Politics· Canada, United Kingdom
20th century
- December 12, 1901★★★★★
Marconi's transatlantic radio signal
Guglielmo Marconi reports receiving a radio signal in Newfoundland transmitted from Cornwall across the Atlantic.
Technology· United Kingdom, Canada - January 1922★★★★★
Insulin first used to treat diabetes
In Toronto, insulin isolated by Frederick Banting's team is first injected into a diabetic patient, turning a fatal disease into a manageable one.
ScienceDisease· Canada - June 6, 1944★★★★★
D-Day: the Normandy landings
Allied forces carry out the largest seaborne invasion in history on the Normandy coast, opening a Western Front to liberate Western Europe.
War· France, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany - April 4, 1949★★★★★
NATO founded
Twelve North American and Western European countries sign the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, creating the NATO collective defence alliance.
TreatyPolitics· United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Iceland - c. 1975 – c. 1995★★★★★
Vietnamese boat people
Hundreds of thousands of people flee Vietnam by sea after 1975; many die at sea and others are resettled, mostly in Western countries.
Politics· Vietnam, United States, Australia, Canada, France, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand - January 1, 1994★★★★★
NAFTA enters into force
The North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico takes effect, creating one of the world's largest trade blocs.
TreatyEconomy· United States, Canada, Mexico