# Canada's History: practice questions

> 10 free practice questions on Canada's History, based on Discover Canada, each with its answer and an explanation. No signup.

- Canonical URL: https://canadatest.ca/practice-questions/canadas-history
- Last verified: 2026-10-22
- Based on: Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship (IRCC), https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/discover-canada/read-online.html
- Independent; not affiliated with the Government of Canada.

Test what you know about Canada's history, from Aboriginal peoples and European exploration through New France, Confederation and the expansion of Canada to the two world wars. These practice questions are based on Discover Canada, the official study guide for the Canadian citizenship test.

## The 10 questions

### 1. Which four provinces formed Confederation in 1867?

A. Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia
B. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
C. Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland
D. Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan

Answer: B. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia

The four original provinces were Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

### 2. Who composed "In Flanders Fields"?

A. Sir Arthur Currie
B. John McCrae
C. Sir Isaac Brock
D. Wilfrid Laurier

Answer: B. John McCrae

John McCrae, a Canadian medical officer, wrote "In Flanders Fields" in 1915.

### 3. Approximately how many Canadians served in the First World War?

A. About 60,000
B. About 250,000
C. Over 600,000
D. Over 1 million

Answer: C. Over 600,000

Over 600,000 Canadians served in WWI out of a population of 8 million. 60,000 were killed; 170,000 were wounded.

### 4. Who became the first French-Canadian Prime Minister since Confederation?

A. Sir George-Étienne Cartier
B. Sir Wilfrid Laurier
C. Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine
D. Sir Leonard Tilley

Answer: B. Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Sir Wilfrid Laurier became the first French-Canadian Prime Minister since Confederation in 1896. His portrait appears on the $5 bill.

### 5. Who led the Métis during the Red River uprising of 1869–70?

A. Gabriel Dumont
B. Louis Riel
C. Joseph Brant
D. Charles de Salaberry

Answer: B. Louis Riel

Louis Riel led the Métis of the Red River. Manitoba was established as a province in 1870 following the uprising.

### 6. Jacques Cartier made three voyages across the Atlantic between which years?

A. 1497–1510
B. 1534–1542
C. 1604–1620
D. 1670–1690

Answer: B. 1534–1542

Jacques Cartier made three voyages between 1534 and 1542, claiming the land for King Francis I of France.

### 7. At the Battle of Châteauguay in 1813, how many soldiers under de Salaberry defeated 4,000 Americans?

A. About 100
B. About 460
C. About 2,000
D. About 5,000

Answer: B. About 460

Lieutenant-Colonel Charles de Salaberry and about 460 soldiers, mostly French Canadiens, defeated 4,000 Americans at the Battle of Châteauguay in 1813.

### 8. Which event happened first: Confederation or the Battle of the Plains of Abraham?

A. Confederation (1867)
B. The Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759)
C. They happened in the same year
D. Neither event actually occurred

Answer: B. The Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759)

The Battle of the Plains of Abraham was in 1759, more than a century before Confederation in 1867.

### 9. When did Manitoba and the Northwest Territories join Canada?

A. 1867
B. 1870
C. 1885
D. 1905

Answer: B. 1870

Manitoba and the Northwest Territories joined Canada in 1870, three years after Confederation.

### 10. Which event came first: most Canadian women gaining the federal vote or D-Day?

A. D-Day (1944)
B. Most Canadian women gaining the federal vote (1918)
C. They happened in the same year
D. Neither event occurred before 1950

Answer: B. Most Canadian women gaining the federal vote (1918)

Most Canadian women aged 21 and over gained the federal vote in 1918. D-Day took place on June 6, 1944.

## More practice

- [A free summary of this chapter](https://canadatest.ca/blog/discover-canada-chapter-by-chapter-summary#chapter-4-canada-s-history) in the Discover Canada chapter-by-chapter summary
- [All 40 questions on this chapter](https://canadatest.ca/pricing) come with a 7-Day or 90-Day Pass
- Previous: [Who We Are practice questions](https://canadatest.ca/practice-questions/who-we-are)
- Next: [Modern Canada practice questions](https://canadatest.ca/practice-questions/modern-canada)
- [Practice questions for every chapter](https://canadatest.ca/practice-questions)

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Next step: [take the free 10-question practice test](https://canadatest.ca/free-practice-test), based on the official Discover Canada guide. No sign-up.

Informational only; not legal or immigration advice. Official source for citizenship rules and fees: IRCC https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship.html