Social Studies · Grade 6 · Immigration and the Changing Face of Canada · Term 4

Historical Waves of Immigration

Students explore the waves of immigration that have shaped Canada, learning about why people come to Canada and the contributions immigrants make.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, Past and Present - Grade 6

About This Topic

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Canadian government launched a massive campaign to settle the Prairies with European farmers. This 'Last Best West' campaign used posters and advertisements to promise free land to homesteaders. While this led to a rapid increase in the settler population and the growth of the Canadian economy, it had a devastating impact on the Indigenous peoples of the Plains, who were moved onto reserves to make way for farms and the railway.

Students will investigate the experiences of homesteaders, including the isolation, the harsh climate, and the hard work of 'breaking the land', as well as the systemic displacement of the Cree, Blackfoot, and other nations. This topic is essential for understanding the roots of modern land issues in Western Canada. This topic comes alive when students can analyze the persuasive techniques of historical advertisements and compare them with the reality of life on a sod house farm.

Key Questions

1. Analyze the primary motivations for historical immigration to Canada.
2. Evaluate the diverse contributions of immigrants to Canadian culture and society.
3. Predict the challenges newcomers to Canada might face today.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze primary motivations for at least three distinct historical immigration waves to Canada.
• Evaluate the diverse contributions of specific immigrant groups to Canadian culture, economy, and society.
• Compare the challenges faced by historical immigrant groups with potential challenges faced by newcomers today.
• Explain the role of government policies in shaping immigration patterns to Canada.
• Synthesize information to create a short presentation on the impact of a specific immigrant group on a Canadian community.

Before You Start

Early Canadian Communities

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of early settlements and the development of Canada before exploring the impact of large-scale immigration.

Indigenous Peoples and Early European Contact

Why: Understanding the initial presence and displacement of Indigenous peoples is crucial context for analyzing the motivations and impacts of subsequent immigrant waves.

Key Vocabulary

Immigration Wave	A period of significant increase in the number of people moving to a new country, often driven by specific historical events or conditions.
Homesteader	A person who settled on public land, intending to farm it and eventually gain ownership, as encouraged by government programs in Canada's past.
Push Factors	Reasons that compel people to leave their home country, such as war, famine, or lack of economic opportunity.
Pull Factors	Reasons that attract people to a new country, such as economic prospects, political freedom, or family reunification.
Assimilation	The process by which immigrants or minority groups adopt the cultural norms, values, and behaviors of the dominant culture.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The land in the West was 'free' and 'empty.'

What to Teach Instead

The land was the traditional territory of many Indigenous nations and was only made available to settlers after Indigenous people were moved onto reserves. Comparing maps of traditional territories with settler land grants can help students visualize this displacement.

Common Misconception

All homesteaders became wealthy farmers.

What to Teach Instead

Many homesteaders struggled with debt, crop failure, and extreme weather, and many eventually gave up and moved away. Reading diary entries from unsuccessful homesteaders can provide a more balanced view of the experience.

Active Learning Ideas

Gallery Walk: The 'Last Best West' Posters

The teacher displays government posters used to recruit settlers. Students analyze the images and text, noting what is promised (e.g., 'free land') and what is missing from the pictures (e.g., winter, Indigenous people).

35 min·Individual

Simulation Game: The Homesteader's First Year

Students are given a 'plot of land' and a list of tasks (build a house, plant crops, survive winter). They must make choices about how to spend their limited time and resources, experiencing the difficulty of prairie life.

50 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Impact on the Buffalo

Groups research how the arrival of settlers and the railway led to the near-extinction of the buffalo. They create a 'cause and effect' chart showing how this affected the traditional economy and diet of Plains Indigenous peoples.

45 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Many Canadian cities, like Toronto and Vancouver, have distinct neighbourhoods that reflect the heritage of early immigrant groups, such as Chinatown or Little Italy, which continue to influence local businesses and festivals.
• The agricultural sector in Western Canada still benefits from the farming techniques and resilience developed by early European immigrant farmers who 'broke the land' under challenging conditions.
• Canada's multiculturalism policy, a direct response to the experiences of various immigrant groups, shapes national identity and is reflected in public institutions, educational curricula, and media representation.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with a list of historical events (e.g., Irish Potato Famine, World Wars, Chinese Head Tax). Ask them to match each event to a push or pull factor for Canadian immigration and briefly explain the connection.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How might the contributions of immigrants to Canada's economy and culture be measured or demonstrated?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to provide specific examples from different historical periods.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one challenge faced by an immigrant group discussed in class and one way that group contributed to Canada. They should also predict one challenge a newcomer might face today and one potential contribution they could make.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the 'Last Best West'?

It was a famous advertising campaign by the Canadian government in the early 1900s. It used posters and pamphlets to convince people from Europe and the U.S. that the Canadian Prairies were the best place to find free, fertile farmland.

What was a 'sod house'?

Because there were few trees on the Prairies, many early settlers built their first homes out of 'sods', blocks of earth and grass cut from the ground. These houses were cheap to build and warm in the winter, but they were often dirty and leaky.

How did Western settlement affect Indigenous peoples?

Settlement led to the loss of traditional hunting grounds and the near-extinction of the buffalo, which were central to Indigenous life. The government used treaties and the Indian Act to move Indigenous communities onto small reserves to make room for settlers.

How can active learning help students understand the settlement of the West?

Active learning allows students to critique the 'marketing' of the West and compare it with the lived reality of both settlers and Indigenous peoples. By engaging in simulations and document analysis, students develop a more nuanced understanding of the costs and benefits of Canada's westward expansion.