Overview
History of the Canadian West introduces major themes in the political, social, and economic history of Canada's four Western provinces, beginning with the period of First Nations occupation of the entire region and tracing developments to the present day.
The course begins with a discussion of the “pre-contact” First Nations societies, and then looks at the ways these societies interacted with the early European arrivals in the region who were mainly interested in profiting from the fur trade. We explore the very different impact on the First Nations of the fur traders and the settlers who succeeded them in the region.
We then examine the types of societies created throughout Western Canada by the dominantly European-origin settlers: their economic base, their social structures, their political structures, and their interactions with the federal government. As we trace developments in the region leading to the present day, we examine changes over time in various provinces' economic base, social structures, social values and political structures.
Evaluation
To receive credit for HIST 338, you must complete all of the assignments, achieve a minimum grade of 50 percent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent).
| Activity | Weight |
| Essay 1 | 20% |
| Essay 2 | 20% |
| Essay 3 | 20% |
| Final Exam | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Students must complete 3 essay assignments and a final exam to complete the required course work. Each essay assignment is weighted at 20 percent of the final grade. The exam is weighted at 40 percent of the final grade.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Carter, Sarah. The Importance of Being Monogamous: Marriage and Nation-Building in Western Canada to 1815.Athabasca: AU Press, and Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 2008, Chapters 1 to 6, pp. 2-229.
Hewitt, Steve. Riding to the Rescue: The Transformation of the RCMP in Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914-1939. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Barman, Jean. The West Beyond the West: A History of British Columbia, rev. ed.Toronto: University of Toronto Press, Barman, Third Edition. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007.
Friesen, Gerald. The Canadian Prairies: A History. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1987.
Other Materials
All other course materials are available on the course website.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the HIST 338 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent)on the examination.
Challenge for credit course registration form