Discover Your Family and Community History

Your family has a special history. It is made up of stories, memories, and traditions passed down over many years. When you learn about your family's past, you discover who you are and where you came from.

Your community also has a history. Communities grow and change as new families move in and new buildings are built. You can explore Changes in Community Life to see how places look different over time.

A family story is a real tale about things that happened to your family long ago. Grandparents and other relatives share these stories so you can learn about your roots. Listening to family stories helps you remember where your family came from.

Families keep memories safe in many ways. You can put photos and special objects in a memory book or album. Today, families also store thousands of photos on phones and computers. You can learn more about keeping memories through Family Stories and Family Artifacts.

A tradition is a special activity your family repeats again and again, like celebrating holidays the same way each year. Your heritage is the customs and history passed down from your ancestors. Different families in Canada have different traditions because they came from many countries and cultures around the world.

You can explore Family Celebrations to learn how families celebrate their culture. You can also discover Cultural Customs and Traditions to see how traditions connect families to their history.

Indigenous peoples in Canada have shared their history for thousands of years by telling stories aloud from one generation to the next. This is called oral tradition. Elders are respected older people in Indigenous communities who share knowledge and stories with younger people.

Settlers were people who moved to new lands long ago to build homes. French Canadian settlers brought the French language from France, which is why French is still spoken in Canada today. You can explore Immigration Stories and First Peoples Oral Histories to learn more.

The Métis people are a unique group in Canada descended from both Indigenous and European ancestors. Métis families are known for colourful floral beadwork, fiddle music, jigging, and eating traditional foods like bannock.

Communities change when new families move in and new buildings are built. Many small farms have grown into large towns with many people. You can explore How Communities Change and Population Shifts Growth and Decline in Communities to learn more about this.

Long ago, people lived differently. Children walked long distances to school. Families grew their own food on farms. People used wooden washboards to wash clothes and stored food in cool underground cellars. You can compare then and now by exploring Then and Now Comparisons and Generational Changes.

Past: The past is time that has already happened. When you hear a story about your grandparent as a child, that story is about the past.

Present: The present is right now, today. What you are doing at this moment is happening in the present.

Tradition: A tradition is a special custom or activity your family does again and again, like eating the same foods every holiday season.

Memory: A memory is something you recall from before. Looking at an old photo can bring back a happy memory.

Elder: An elder is a respected older person in an Indigenous community who shares knowledge, stories, and cultural traditions with younger people.

Settler: A settler was a person who moved to a new land long ago to build a home and start a new life.

Culture: Culture includes the traditions, language, and customs of a group of people. Your culture is part of who you are.

Ancestor: An ancestor is a family member who lived before you, like a great-grandparent. Learning about your ancestors helps you understand your family history.

Heritage: Heritage is the customs and history passed down from your ancestors. Your heritage connects you to your roots and identity.

Generation: A generation is a group of family members who were born around the same time. Your parents are one generation and your grandparents are another.

Oral Tradition: Oral tradition means a story is spoken aloud and remembered without being written down. Indigenous peoples used oral tradition to share history for thousands of years.

Community: A community is a group of people who live and work together in the same place, like a town or neighbourhood.

Family Tree: A family tree is a diagram that shows how family members are related to one another over many generations.

You can talk to a grandparent or older family member and ask them to share a story from the past. Listening to their memories is a great way to learn about your family history.

You can also look at old photographs with your family. Old photos show you what people wore, where they lived, and how they worked long ago. You can learn more about using sources like photos through Using Historical Sources and Understanding Evidence.

Try drawing your own family tree to show how your family members are connected. You can also ask your school to invite community elders to share their personal stories with your class.

You have already learned about Family Stories, Family Artifacts, Generational Changes, Then and Now Comparisons, Family Celebrations, First Peoples Oral Histories, and Immigration Stories. These topics gave you a strong foundation for understanding family and community history.

Next, you will explore Family Customs, Local Heritage, First Peoples Traditions, and Learning from the Past. These topics will help you go even deeper into understanding your family and community.

Your learning connects to many other important topics. You can explore Coming to the Community to learn how new families joined Canadian communities. You can discover First Peoples History and First Peoples Ways of Life to understand how Indigenous peoples lived and shared their culture.

You can also explore Sequencing Events to learn how to put events in order from the past to the present. Topics like Diversity Within Communities, Community Celebrations and Events, Ways People Express Culture, and Sharing Between Cultures all connect to how families and communities celebrate who they are.