Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A fun quiz of Canadiana for Americans and Canadians alike.
Answers below.
1. Where does the name Canada originate?
2. Where was the first European settlement in North America?
3. What is the Canadian $1 coin called?
4. What is Canada’s official national sport?
5. Where can North America’s largest diamond deposits be found?
6. What province established the first universal healthcare system?
7. What national symbol appears on the Canadian flag?
8. Name the longest river in Canada?
9. What is Canada’s national animal?
10. What is the traditional drink of Newfoundland?
11. Name the only officially bilingual province.
12. How many provinces and territories are there in Canada?
13. Name the battle which caused Canada to switch from French to British control.
14. Who scored the winning goal for Canada at the 1972 Canada-USSR Hockey summit Series?
Extra Credit: Who was that winning goal scored on?
Answers:
1. The name Canada comes from the Huron word Kanata which means village or settlement. When a group of Hurons invited Jacques Cartier to their village, the French explorer misunderstood the word to mean the whole countryside and so a country was named.
2. The first European settlement in North America was located at L’Anse aux Meadows in northern Newfoundland. The UNESCO World Heritage site has Viking shelters and implements dating from the 11th century.
3. The gold-coloured $1 coin was dubbed the Loonie because of the image of a Common Loon on its side. Canada also has a $2 coin in common usage which is known as the “twonie”.
4. The ancient North American Indian game of lacrosse is Canada’s official national sport.
5. The largest deposits of diamonds in North America are found beneath the frozen tundra of the Northwest Territories about 200 miles from Yellowknife. The Diavik mine is estimated to produce over 8 million carats of diamonds per year. Mining from the area has vaulted Canada to be the world’s 3rd largest producer of diamonds by value.
6. Universal healthcare was first established in Canada in the province of Saskatchewan in 1959 under the direction of premier Tommy Douglas.
7. A red maple leaf.
8. The MacKenzie River runs 4241 km (2630 miles) north through the Northwest Territories from the Finlay River to the Beaufort Sea. By comparison, the Mississippi River has a length of 1015 miles.
9. The beaver is Canada’s national animal in honour of the role it played in the fur trade which led to the exploration and early settlement of the country. It appears on the Canadian nickel.
10. The province of Newfoundland was founded on cod fishing. Salted fish were traded to British islands in the Caribbean and extra dark rum was exchanged in return. The rather unique potable was named “Screech” for the reaction it provoked from unwary, first-time imbibers.
11. The Maritime province of New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province. It adopted the policy in 1969 to accommodate its mix of French and English speakers.
12. Canada has 10 provinces and 3 territories for a total of 13. Try naming them.
13. The Battle of the Plains of Abraham on September 13, 1759 led to the surrender of New France to the British. Under the command of General James Wolfe, British forces climbed a goat path to reach the cliff-top battlefield just outside Quebec City. Taken by surprise, French commander Louis Montcalm committed his superior number of troops to battle, but was soundly defeated. French governor the Marquis de Vaudreuil surrendered to the British. Ironically, both Wolfe and Montcalm and were killed on the battlefield.
14. Paul Henderson scored arguably the most famous goal in Canadian hockey history on September 28, 1972 in Moscow. Virtually the whole country came to a standstill to watch Henderson score with just 34 seconds left in the game. The 6-5 victory gave the Canadians a majority of wins against the then mysterious and feared Russians in the 8-game series.
Extra Credit: Russian goaltending legend Vadislav Tretiak was in goal for the Russians when the goal was scored.
14 + Extra Credit: Instant Canadian
10-14: The Citizenship exam holds no fear for you
5-10: Maybe more time at Tim Horton’s will help
2-5: Perhaps the Great White North isn’t for you
0-2: Uh-oh! Too much CNN in your news diet?
Last edited by Cornerguy1; 02-08-2007 at 02:06 AM..
Reason: typo
Canada officially became active in WWI on August 4, 1914. The US did not enter WWI until April, 1917. The first Canadian troops to see action were the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in December, 1914. The first major battle involving the 1st Canadian Division was the Ypres in April of 1915. Over the next 4+ years, this country with a population of only 7.5 million would have 628,736 soldiers involved in the war with 66,573 dead and 138,166 wounded.
The poem "In Flander's Fields", a mainstay of Remembrance Day (Armistice Day) ceremonies was written by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae, a Canadian surgeon, during the Battle of Ypres in 1915. It was later published by Punch magazine in December, 1915. McCrae contracted pneumonia while serving in the trenches and died January 28, 1918.
Did Canada participate in WWII (1939-1945)?
Canada declared war on Germany in September, 1939, several days after Britain's declaration. The US entered WWII in December, 1941. At the time of the war, Canada had a population of roughly 11 million. From that, 1,081,865 soldiers saw service with 44,927 sacrificing their lives and and 53,145 sustaining injuries. Canadian military personel saw service in all theatres of WWII including Europe, Africa, the Pacific and the Arctic.
Does Canada participate in space activities?
Canada, through the Canadian Space Agency, has a lengthy history of cooperative efforts with NASA. The CSA has developed and provided the robotic arms for NASA shuttles and the International Space Station. Among other tasks, these arms are used to transfer materials from shuttles to the ISS, and to construct the ISS.
Several Canadian astronauts have flown missions: Marc Garneau (1984, 1996, 2000); Chris Hadfield (1995, 2001); Dave Williams (1998); Robert Thirsk (1996); Julie Payette (1999); Steve MacLean (1992, 2006); Roberta Bondar (1992).
I got a five. Can I come visit now? I promise to stop at Tim Horton's when I get off the Wolfe Island Ferry. --We've got a Montcalm Park here too, across the lake in Oswego. I live as close to the capital of Canada as I do to the capital of my own state.
I also know the words to the National Anthem. Do I get extra points?
But you only get the extra points if you can sing the half English-half French version. LOL
Isn't everyone in Oswego and environs busy shovelling?
We're just south of Trenton on Lake Ontario, so we're fairly close to you. I thought the Cape Vincent ferry was pulled out of the water in the winter?
Regardless, 5 is a respectable score and you're always welcome.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
quiz
