- Definition
Confederation is when different parts of Canada decided to join together to form one country, like when Ontario and Quebec first teamed up in 1867.
In 1867, the colonies of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia joined together to form the Dominion of Canada through Confederation.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Confederation is like different teams deciding to join together to form a single league with shared rules and a common goal.
Ask your child: If our province joined a new country today, what might change for us?
Common mix-up: Many think Confederation was a single event where all of Canada was formed in 1867. It was a process that started then, with other provinces and territories joining over the next century.
Examples
- Manitoba joined Confederation in 1870, three years after the original agreement.
- Newfoundland was the last province to join Confederation, becoming part of Canada in 1949.
Confederation is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
