This guide is intended to assist teachers and students as they study Canada’s involvement in the Second World War. It highlights some of the significant historical themes and events of that period but is not meant to be a comprehensive history of Canada and the war; in fact, some teachers may choose to highlight different aspects of this period in their classes, such as the naval war on Canada’s doorstep or Canada’s participation in the bombing offensive against Germany. Nonetheless, the content presented here constitutes a meaningful entry point into examining the country’s involvement in one of the 20th century’s pivotal armed conflicts. Additionally, the skills students will develop in the activities will apply to any existing units being used in class by teachers. Developed in line with the historical thinking concepts created by the Historical Thinking Project, this guide complements Canadian middle-school and high-school curricula. It invites students to deepen their understanding of the Second World War through primary- and secondary-source research and examination, engaging discussion questions and group activities. This guide was produced by Historica Canada with the generous support of the Government of Canada. Further educational activities and resources are available on The Canadian Encyclopedia and The Memory Project websites. We hope that the guide will assist you in teaching this important period of Canadian history in your social studies or history classroom.

Electronic reproduction. A project of Historica Canada with the support from Canada.