GED Canadian History Comprehension Questions

Practice your Social Studies Comprehension with these GED format practice questions.

Canadian history questions are on the Canadian GED and the Canadian Citizenship tests.

The Canadian History questions on the Canadian GED are about 25% of the Social Studies content.   Questions are based on different sources, including, written passages from both academic and everyday sources, as well as charts, graphs, maps, photographs, or cartoons.

The questions require students to apply, understand, analyze and evaluate information in different formats.

War of 1812 – Passage 1

Loyalist Laura Secord warning the British (Lieutenant – James FitzGibbon) and First Nations of an impending American attack at Beaver Dams June 1813. – by Lorne Kidd Smith, c. 1920

The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and the British, with the British North American colonies being heavily involved. Greatly outgunned by the British Royal Navy, the American war plans focused on an invasion of Canada (especially what is today eastern and western Ontario). The American frontier states voted for war to suppress the First Nations raids that frustrated settlement of the frontier. The war on the border with the United States was characterized by a series of multiple failed invasions and fiascos on both sides. American forces took control of Lake Erie in 1813, driving the British out of western Ontario, killing the Native American leader Tecumseh, and breaking the military power of his confederacy. The war was overseen by British army officers like Isaac Brock and Charles de Salaberry with the assistance of First Nations and loyalist informants, most notably Laura Secord.

1. Why did America focus on the invasion of Canada during the War of 1812?

a. Canada was a much closer target than Britain
b. The British Royal Navy made moving an army by sea impossible
c. The Americans wanted to expand their territory
d. All of the above are true

2. What caused Native Americans to involve themselves in the War of 1812

a. The British promised to help the Native Americans fight the Americans in the future
b. The British promised weapons in exchange for Native American warriors and guides
c. The Native Americans feared American expansion would take more Native territory
d. The Native Americans hoped that they could gain recognition and become British citizens

War of 1812 – Passage 2

The War ended with no boundary changes thanks to the Treaty of Ghent of 1814, and the Rush–Bagot Treaty of 1817. A demographic result was the shifting of the destination of American migration from Upper Canada to Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, without fear of Indian attacks. After the war, supporters of Britain tried to repress the republicanism that was common among American immigrants to Canada. The troubling memory of the war and the American invasions etched itself into the consciousness of Canadians as a distrust of the intentions of the United States towards the British presence in North America.

3. What caused Americans to no longer fear Indian attacks as they settled in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan after the War of 1812?

a. The Native Americans were leaderless after the death of Tecumseh
b. The Native Americans were held accountable to the terms of the Treaty of Ghent
d. The Native Americans integrated into American society
e. The native Americans moved north into modern day Canada

4. Based on the passage above, what is the best definition of Republicanism?

a. Anti-British sentiment
b. Anti-war sentiment
c. Anti-Native American sentiment
d. Anti-Monarchy sentiment

Confederation – Passage 1

The Seventy-Two Resolutions from the 1864 Quebec Conference and Charlottetown Conference laid out the framework for uniting British colonies in North America into a federation. They had been adopted by the majority of the provinces of Canada and became the basis for the London Conference of 1866, which led to the formation of the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. The term dominion was chosen to indicate Canada’s status as a self-governing colony of the British Empire, the first time it was used about a country. With the coming into force of the British North America Act (enacted by the British Parliament), the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia became a federated kingdom in its own right. (According to J. McCullough, use of the phrase “Dominion of Canada … was gradually phased out” during the “late 1940’s, 50’s, and early 60’s” with the growth of “post-colonial Canadian nationalism”.

5. Which of the following is the best example of a federation?

a. The European Union
b. The United States
c. The Peoples Republic of China
d. All of the above are Federations

6. Is Canada still a dominion of Great Britain?

a. Yes, Canada still recognizes the monarch’s control of the government as an absolute monarchy
b. Yes, Canada still recognizes the monarch as Head of State as part of their Constitutional Monarchy
c. No, Canada has a Constitution making the monarchy obsolete.
d. No, Canada is a fully independent nation.

7. The purpose of the above photograph is to show:

a. The impact that trains had on travel
b. The cultural diversity of Canada
c. The plight of new immigrants to Canada
d. The technological advancement of Canadian transportation

1. D
All of the answer choices are true.

2. C
The Native Americans sought British assistance in guaranteeing an end to American expansionist tendencies.
Choice A is incorrect because the British did not make promises to the Native Americans to cause them to enter the war.
Choice B is incorrect because the British did not make promises to the Native Americans to cause them to enter the war.
Choice D is incorrect because the Native Americans allied with the British, but did not desire citizenship.

3. A
After the death of Tecumseh the Native Americans were not an effective threat to the expansion of America.
Choice B is incorrect because the Treaty of Ghent did not impact the Native American tribes as evidenced by several smaller tribal wars wages against the USA.
Choice C is incorrect because Native Americans were not welcomed into American society and did not integrate until the forced anglicanization of native children in American boarding schools during the 1800s.
Choice D is incorrect because the territory in Modern Day Canada was already controlled by the Iroquois nations

4. D
Republicanism is a belief in democratic forms of government.

5. D
All of the examples are different forms of federations

6. B
Canada is still a dominion because they still recognize the monarchy of Great Britain as the Head of State, even though it’s mostly ceremonial.
Choice A is incorrect because Canada is not an absolute monarchy.
Choice C and D are incorrect because Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy.

7. C
The image shows new immigrants possessing only what they can carry with them.  The image is meant to help the audience understand the plight that new immigrants might face due to poverty and cultural barriers.
Choice D is incorrect because while trains were a technological advancement, they are not the focus of the image.
Choice A is incorrect because while trains did certainly open up more of Canada to immigration, there is a better answer.
Choice B is incorrect because while Canada is a very culturally diverse nation, there is a better answer.