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According to the Aboriginal tradition, the First Peoples inhabited parts of Canada since the dawn of time. Archaeological studies support a human presence in northern Yukon to 26,500 years ago, and in southern Ontario to 9,500 years ago. Europeans first arrived when the Vikings settled in AD 1000.  The next Europeans to explore Canada's Atlantic coast included John Cabot in 1497 for England and Jacques Cartier in 1534 for France. French explorer Samuel de Champlain arrived in 1603 and established the first permanent European settlements at Port Royal in 1605 and Quebec City in 1608. 

In 1535, two Aboriginal youths used the Huron-Iroquois word “Kanata,” which means “village” or “settlement,” to tell Jacques Cartier the way to Standalone (site of present day Québec City). Cartier used” Canada” to refer not only to Standalone but also to the entire area that was ruled by the chief of Standalone. The first world map to show the discoveries made on Cartier’s second voyage applied the word “Canada” to the area north of the St. Lawrence gulf and river. By 1550, maps were also placing the name south of the river.   The first use of “Canada” as an official name came in 1791 when the Constitutional Act (or Canada Act) divided Quebec into the provinces of Upper Canada, as French-speaking, and Lower Canada as English-speaking. In 1841, they were united to become the Province of Canada.

Canada was a major front in the War of 1812 between the United States and British Empire. Its defense contributed to a sense of unity among British North Americans. Large-scale immigration to Canada began in 1815 from Britain and Ireland.

Following several constitutional conferences, the British North America Act brought about Confederation creating "one dominion under the name of Canada" with four provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.   Manitoba joined the confederation in July 1870. British Columbia and Vancouver Island (which had united in 1866) and the colony of Prince Edward Island joined Confederation in 1871 and 1873, respectively.  Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces in 1905.  1n 1949, Newfoundland joined Confederation as Canada's 10th province.  Each year on July 1, Canadians celebrate Canada Day, the anniversary of Confederation.

Canada automatically entered the First World War in 1914 with Britain's declaration of war, sending volunteers to the Western Front to fight as a national contingent.  In 1919, Canada joined the League of Nations independently of Britain and then after in 1931 under the Statute of Westminster affirmed its independence.   On 17 April 1982, Canada formally patriated its Constitution from Britain.