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Quiz about Names of the Provinces and Territories of Canada
Quiz about Names of the Provinces and Territories of Canada

Names of the Provinces and Territories of Canada Quiz


Ever wonder how the Provinces and Territories of Canada got their names? Wonder no more!

A multiple-choice quiz by Hermit007. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Hermit007
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
306,564
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
11 / 15
Plays
2778
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: psnz (15/15), 198448 (10/15), daisygirl20 (14/15).
Question 1 of 15
1. Who was the prairie province of Alberta named after? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. What did the early different European explorers *NOT* call Newfoundland? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. It's not exactly one hundred percent certain, but which Portuguese explorer is credited with naming Labrador? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. The name of the province of Nova Scotia translates as 'New Scotland.' But what language is Nova Scotia from? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Originally most of this east coast province was part of Nova Scotia. When it was decided to make a new province out of it, what did they end up calling it? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. It was called Isle de Saint Jean by Samuel de Champlain, and the British called it St. John's Island. In 1798 this was changed to its present princely name. What is that? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. La Belle Province! Quebec. Obviously a name with a French origin. Or is it? What language did the name Quebec come from originally? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. What did the name 'Ontario' originally describe? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. The name of the province of Manitoba probably was first applied to Lake Manitoba.


Question 10 of 15
10. The province of Saskatchewan is named for a river. Which one? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. This Pacific province was once known as New Caledonia. What is it called now? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. In 1999 Canada created a new territory called Nunavut. What does it mean? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. The name of this Canadian Territory was loosely applied to huge areas of land north and west of Lake Superior. What is it called today? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. The name Yukon originally didn't apply to the whole territory but to what? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. What did the name Canada originally mean? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 07 2024 : psnz: 15/15
Feb 18 2024 : 198448: 10/15
Feb 03 2024 : daisygirl20: 14/15
Jan 31 2024 : curdman: 10/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who was the prairie province of Alberta named after?

Answer: Princess Louise Caroline Alberta

The province of Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, who was Queen Victoria's fourth daughter. The Princess's husband the Marquess of Lorne, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878-1883 'suggested' they should name it after her.
2. What did the early different European explorers *NOT* call Newfoundland?

Answer: Rupert's Land

In 1670 a large portion of land was given to the Hudson's Bay Company, called Rupert's Land. It encompassed all of modern day northern Quebec and Ontario, Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. John Cabot called Newfoundland New Found Isle in 1497.

The English started using the term New Found Launde in 1502, and the French used Terra Nova in 1510. The province joined Canada in 1949.
3. It's not exactly one hundred percent certain, but which Portuguese explorer is credited with naming Labrador?

Answer: Joao Fernandes

Most historians agree it was Joao Fernandes, a Portuguese explorer and lavrador (labourer) or labrador (land owner). His name shows up on an inscription on a 1530 map near Greenland as 'One who first gave notice of it, was a labrador of the Azores, [and] they gave it the name.' Later map makers transferred the name Labrador to the north east coast of Canada. (We could have ended up with Joao's Land...)

Ok, so Labrador is NOT a separate province or territory! This is true, the island of Newfoundland and the mainland of Labrador was simply called Newfoundland when that province joined Canada in 1949. In the 1960s the provincial government started referring to itself as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2006, an amendment was made to the constitution to change the name officially to Newfoundland and Labrador, but it's not uncommon for some of us Canucks to still call the province or the whole place Newfoundland (Poor Labrador!) Confused now? Don't forget about the original question, and the answer, Joao Fernandes!
4. The name of the province of Nova Scotia translates as 'New Scotland.' But what language is Nova Scotia from?

Answer: Latin

It is Latin. In 1621 Sir William Alexander received a land grant containing the lands lying between New England and Newfoundland. It was of course to be known as New Scotland or Nova Scotia, but the name was not placed on maps till about 90 years later.
5. Originally most of this east coast province was part of Nova Scotia. When it was decided to make a new province out of it, what did they end up calling it?

Answer: New Brunswick

In 1784 the name New Brunswick was chosen for the new province. The name was to honour King George III who was descended from the House of Brunswick. New Ireland was considered, and then so was Pittsylvania, for then British Prime Minister, William Pitt. The King won out ...
6. It was called Isle de Saint Jean by Samuel de Champlain, and the British called it St. John's Island. In 1798 this was changed to its present princely name. What is that?

Answer: Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island. It's actually the only province listed in the choices. Champlain called it Isle de Saint Jean in his ship's logs in the early 1600s, but that name is believed to be of earlier origin. In 1798 it was changed to its present name for Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, who not only was in charge of British forces at Halifax, but later was also the father of Queen Victoria! (Notice how important or prominent people get their names on a lot things? You might rate a short suburban street or even a very small lake, but not a province!)
7. La Belle Province! Quebec. Obviously a name with a French origin. Or is it? What language did the name Quebec come from originally?

Answer: Algonquin

In 1632 Samuel Champlain wrote of the location, 'It is a strait of the river, so called by the Natives' referring to the Algonquin word 'kepec' for 'narrow passage' or 'strait' Don't feel bad if you got it wrong, I always thought the name Quebec was French in origin.
8. What did the name 'Ontario' originally describe?

Answer: Lake Ontario

The name was first applied to the lake around 1640 and goes back to Native Canadian sources. It is believed to be a corruption of the word Onitariio, meaning "beautiful lake", or Kanadario, 'sparkling' or 'beautiful' water. Later Europeans would gave the name to all the land along the lake and then to an ever extending area of land being settled. If you are Canadian you will understand the 'Centre of the Universe' joke. For years Ontario, or more precisely Toronto was rightly or wrongly perceived to be 'The Centre of the Universe'. People from Alberta for example might call it that in disgust.

Some folks from Toronto might with glee call themselves that.
9. The name of the province of Manitoba probably was first applied to Lake Manitoba.

Answer: True

Created as a province in 1870, the name was probably first applied to Lake Manitoba. One of the possible origins of the name, is 'Mini' and 'tobow' meaning 'Lake of the Prairie', or in French 'Lac des Prairies', The most probable origin is the Cree 'maniotwapow', 'the strait of the spirit or manitobau'.

This refers to the roaring sound produced by waves hitting pebbles on a beach on Manitoba Island in Lake Manitoba. The noise 'gave rise to the superstition among the Natives that a manito or spirit beats a loud drum'.
10. The province of Saskatchewan is named for a river. Which one?

Answer: Saskatchewan River

The name was first applied to the Saskatchewan River. In the Cree language it was known as Kisiskatchewani Sipi, or 'swift-flowing river'. The explorer Anthony Henday's spelling was Keiskatchewan, with the modern Saskatchewan, being officially approved in 1882 when a small portion of the present-day province was part of the Northwest Territories. It achieved provincial status in 1905.
11. This Pacific province was once known as New Caledonia. What is it called now?

Answer: British Columbia

Much of the mainland region was originally known as New Caledonia. However, this name (which is also the name of a place in the South Pacific) was discarded in favour of British Columbia. The name appears to have originated with Queen Victoria and was made official in 1858. Columbia (after the Columbia River ) had previously been applied to the southern part of the colony.
12. In 1999 Canada created a new territory called Nunavut. What does it mean?

Answer: our land

This new territory came into being on 1 April 1999. It was split from the Northwest Territories and is the largest of all the Provinces and Territories of Canada. In Inuktitut Nunavut means 'our land'.
13. The name of this Canadian Territory was loosely applied to huge areas of land north and west of Lake Superior. What is it called today?

Answer: Northwest Territories

The origin of the name came from the merger of huge tracts of land known as The North-Western Territory and Rupert's Land. The North-Western Territory encompassed huge areas of vast lands of northern Quebec and Ontario, and lands west of Lake Superior. As provinces grew and new ones were formed the Territory shrunk somewhat. In 1912 it was renamed Northwest Territories and in 1999 it was split to create the territory of Nunavut, it is larger in size than India! The Inuktitut name for it means 'beautiful land'

After Nunavut was formed some residents (and politicians) thought it was time to have a different name for the Territories. They tossed around several names but decided to keep Northwest Territories. One of names suggested was 'Bob' (which was second in the polls for awhile). A few of the reasons for 'Bob' were: 'Bob is dyslexic-friendly', and 'The Bob and Doug Mackenzie River flows through it'. No one can say there is no humour up north!

The British Antarctic Territory is a area of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom. Way too cold for me!
14. The name Yukon originally didn't apply to the whole territory but to what?

Answer: Yukon River

The Territory was established on June 13, 1898. The name was first applied to the river and is derived from 'Yu kun ah', meaning 'great river'. It was first used by an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, who in 1846 called it by what he understood to be it's Native name. The capital is Whitehorse.
15. What did the name Canada originally mean?

Answer: Village or Settlement

It means village or settlement. It comes from the Iroquoian word Kanata. The Native Canadians use it to send Jacques Cartier to the village of Stadacona, and he used the word to describe all the considerable land around the the village, and by 1545 it was appearing on European maps as Canada.


Thanks to bloomsby and LDV who had the task of editing my quiz!

I hope you liked this quiz. Please don't forget to rate it (and others) when you have finished!
Source: Author Hermit007

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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