HIST 260/6.0: Canada from the Conquest to the Present

This course is available to both Queen’s and non-Queen’s students. Non-Queen’s students (including interest students, visiting students, and new online degree students) must first apply for admission. The following is presented for informational purposes only and is subject to change.

Instructor

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Course Description

This online history course is an introduction to some of the major themes in the social, cultural, economic and political history of Canada.

Course Objectives

This course is intended to introduce you to the field of Canadian history. As one might imagine Canadian history is vast and diverse. Over the course of the Spring/Summer we will cover a good deal of information.

Beginning first with Natives and European contact, we will then look at French and British colonization and all the trials and tribulations that accompanied settler societies. A consideration of the formation of government and state building within a period of maturation helps to identify regional differences and the development of colonies into the provinces we know today. In addition to these key topics select lectures will include a keen focus on immigration and the people whose cultures, religions and ideologies came to shape what is now call Canada.

The second half of the course takes Confederation as its starting point. Several elements of nation building punctuated by war and political rivalry serve as a historical backdrop for a more in-depth discussion of regional differences, economic fluctuations and the shaping of a multi cultural identity that is uniquely Canadian. 

Select lessons bring the issues of race and gender to the fore as a method of demonstrating how both complicated the creation of a Canadian identity. In addition the readings that compliment each lecture are designed to provide a range of perspectives and when possible they represent diverse interpretations. This is intended to help you think critically about the subtly and nuances of difference and how political decisions over the decades have both helped and hindered different groups. Try not to get weighted down by the details. Though inevitably you will need to know some key names and dates it is impossible for you to memorize everything, especially over the course of the term.  This is not the objective of this course. You should finish the course with a solid understanding of the events that unfolded over the course of two centuries.

Course Topics

More information:

• Computer Requirements and Internet Access
• Moodle, Our Online Learning Environment 
• Academic Integrity
• Evaluation
• Suggested Time Commitment
• Required Material