Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Canada: A People's History

 


If you went to school in Canada in the 80's and 90's, like me you probably remember watching this series on TV in class.  (You might also, like me, have looked them up as an adult to watch with your own kids, and been surprised by how graphic they actually were!)

CBC has a website about this series, but they no longer provide the videos themselves.  If you are a school teacher, the CBC site says that you can order them from Curio.

There are a total of 17 videos in this collection, spanning from pre-history to the 1990s.

View the full time-stamped Episode Index here.

At one time the Teacher Resource Packages were available for download, but they are now restricted to members of Curio and only excerpts from them are available directly on the CBC site.  At the time of this post, the entire grade 5-9 resource can be downloaded here for free.

Series 1: These episodes range from ancient history and the stories passed down through native oral tradition to the first electric encounters between natives and Europeans, and from the wrenching battles that engulf the continent to the mass migration of Loyalists and the War of 1812. The dramatic stories of Canada's beginnings unfold on a spectacular, forbidding landscape.

Episode 1: "When the World Began" (15,000 B.C. - 1800 A.D.)


Episode 2: "Adventurers and Mystics" (1540 - 1670)


Episode 3: "Claiming the Wilderness" (1670 - 1754)


Episode 4: "Battle for a Continent" (1755 - 1775)


Episode 5: "A Question of Loyalties" (1775 - 1815)


Series 2: From the push to open the Canadian West to the 1837 Rebellions, and from the precarious beginnings of Confederation and the Red River Rebellion, these episodes continue the epic adventure that is Canada's history.

Episode 6: "The Pathfinders" (1670 - 1850)


Series 3: Series 3 takes us through the hardships and achievements of the early days of the Dominion: the North-West Rebellion and the trial of Louis Riel, the building of the railway, massive immigration and the settling of the West. Canadians take their place on the world stage during the Great War, but the nation is soon crippled by a depression that will ends only when another terrible war engulfs Britain and its allies.

Episode 10: "Taking the West" (1873 - 1896)

Episode 12: "Ordeal by Fire" (1915 - 1929)

Episode 13: "Hard Times" (1929 - 1940)


Series 4: Our country's story continues in this final installment of videos. Canada comes of age amidst the anguish of World War II and the post-war baby boom that leads to unprecedented growth and prosperity. By the 1960s, Canada has its own flag and is host to Expo '67, but the times are changing with widespread political, social and cultural ferment. Some of Canada's most exciting - and difficult - challenges are explored, including Newfoundland's decision to join Confederation, the birth of Medicare, the 1970 FLQ crisis, and the clash of ideology and strong personalities in the ongoing constitutional debate. The final episode explores the emerging issues of recent times, such as aboriginal treaty negotiations, the environmental movement, and the wide-ranging impact of the computer revolution. The series concludes with a poignant reflection on the country's historical experience and the currents that Canada will have to navigate in the 21st century.

Episode 14: "The Crucible" (1940-1946)

Episode 15: "Comfort and Fear" (1946-1964)

Episode 16: "Years of Hope and Anger" (1964-1976)

Episode 17: "In an Uncertain World 1976-1990" (Series Finale)


Documentary Questions - Jeannie Blanchard has produced another resource for this series, which she has published on Teachers Pay Teachers. You can buy the entire package for $50.00, or browse her TPT store to find questions for individual episodes.


Two hardcover books have been published which accompany this video series.  They can be viewed online at the Internet Archive, here:  Volume 1 and Volume 2.  (Volume 1 and Volume 2 can also be ordered from Amazon.)  I think the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada (available from Amazon) would be a nice addition to round out this set.






There is also a series of children's books.  They are not reliably available on Amazon at a reasonable cost, but I have included links to each of them here so that you can get the cover photos and ISBN numbers to find them elsewhere if you're interested in owning them.  Some of them can also be read online at The Internet Archive.

CBC's Bibliography page for this series is a good launching point for finding additional reading and reference books, as is their recommended reading list.  Note: the books on the list are not children's books, but could be good resources for parents or for teens.  
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