Canadian History in the 20th Century
CHC2D1 Essay Topics
1. Conscription: Was conscription in World War I necessary?
2. “Doing your bit” the Home Front in Canada in World War I: Why was victory in the war in
Europe dependent upon the home front?
3. Canadians in Battle, World War I: Did Canada’s role in the battles of World War I strengthen
Canadian identity as a nation?
4. Vimy Ridge: Was the battle a Vimy Ridge truly a turning point in Canadian history?
5. Election of 1917: Did Borden buy his victory?
6. World War I Weapons: What weapon was the most effective in World War I?
7. The Dionne Quintuplets: Was the settlement received by the surviving members justified?
8. Person’s Case: Did this new legislation advance the role of women?
9. Winnipeg General Strike: Was it justified?
10. The Regina Riot: Was it justified?
11. 1930 medical advancements (Banting and Best or Norman Bethune): Argue why ONE of these
advancements was the most important Canadian Medical contribution.
12. The CCF: Did the CCF enact real change in Canada?
13. Rise of Hitler: Character or Circumstance?
14. Fascism: Appealing or Appalling?
15. Rise of the Nazi Party: The fault of the people or the politicians?
16. The Holocaust: Motivated by fear or hate?
17. The Foreign Policy of Appeasement: Cause of WWII?
18. Canada’s treatment of Jewish People: Did Canada do enough on the home front to help the
Jewish people? (St. Louis, funding of Nazi Parties, immigration policies)?
19. Failure of Dieppe Raid: Strategy or senseless slaughter?
20. Operation Barborossa: Hitler’s gravest error?
21. Dunkirk: A Miracle or Mistake?
22. Hiroshima: Was it really necessary?
23. Pearl Harbour: Was it really a surprise?
24. POWs in the Pacific: Is all fair in war?
25. The Battle of Stalingrad: More important than D-Day?
26. Ortona: Without this victory would the Allies have been successful at D-Day?
27. Ortona: The Vimy Ridge of WWII?
28. The Success at Juno Beach: Canadian courage or strategic masterpiece?
29. Japanese Interment, World War II: National security or National disgrace?
30. Conscription: Did King’s approach to conscription in World War II show that the government
had learned a lesson from World War I?
31. Rosie the Riveter: How riveting was she?
32. Women’s Roles: Did the involvement of women in World War II really change their role in
society or was it simply a wartime necessity?
33. The Nuremburg Trials: Was Justice Served?
34. United Nations: Doomed for failure or lessons learned?
35. The Avro Arrow Decision: Political Blunder or Foresight?
36. Canadian Peacekeeping (Suez Crisis, Somalia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, etc.): Should
Canada continue its role as international peacekeepers?
37. Canadian Peacekeeping: Laughable or Legacy? (Suez, Somalia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia…)
38. The FLQ Crisis: Was Trudeau justified in calling in the army and using the War Measures Act?
39. FLQ Crisis: Over reaction or Necessary Reaction?
40. The Quiet Revolution: A Movement to Reform or Separate?
41. Was Diefenbaker right in refusing to arm warheads with a nuclear tip?
42. Trudeaumania: Was “Trudeaumania” justified?
43. Canadian-American Relations (Cuban Missile Crisis, NATO, NORAD, Korea, Vietnam, BOMARC
Missile, 911): How did ONE of the above mentioned events affect Canadian-American relations?
44. Referendum (1980 & 1995): Working towards a sovereign nation or a set back?
45. French Language and Culture Bills 22 & 101: Necessary or the beginnings of Separatism?
46. Aboriginal Assimilation (Residential Schools, Land Claims, Marriage Status): Successful policy or
devastation to their culture?
47. Gouzenko Affair: How did the Gouzenko affair affect postwar Canada in the 1950s?
48. Oka Crisis: Where the Mohawk land claims justified?