Grade 10 Canadian History Identifications and Definitions

Chapter Two: Trial by Fire: Canada Enters World War One

Fuelling the Fire – On the Homefront

2. Imperial Munitions Board: government board that oversaw production of munitions; started
building ships and airplanes as well as shells; replaced Sam Hughes’s Shell Committee and
proved to be more efficient

3. War Trades Board: government board to work closely with the U.S. to manage imports, exports
and problems of security

4. “Doing your bit”: patriotic attitude of those at home; everyone wanted to help where they
could

5. victory bonds: issued by the Canadian government to support the war; way of loaning money
to the government and then after the war, bonds could be cashed in for profit; by 1918, war
was costing Canada over $1 million a day; Canadian businessmen bought over $1 billion in
bonds, Canada about $2 billion in total

6. thrift stamps: provided an opportunity for children to loan money to the government; each
stamp cost 25 cents – after collecting $4, child could cash them in for $5 in 1924

7. honour rationing: a civilian effort to consume less and conserve supplies on the home front;
people were expected to voluntarily reduce the amount of food they ate, e.g., people limited
themselves to 1 ½ pounds of butter and 2 pounds of sugar a month; if caught hoarding or
stockpiling food people could be fined or sent to jail

8. victory gardens: gardens planted by ordinary people to produce as much food as possible;
allowed more to be available to go overseas

9. income tax: tax on personal outcome; introduced as a “temporary” measure to help finance
the war

10. corporate tax: a tax charged to businesses based on their total revenues
11. propaganda: information, usually produced by governments, presented in such a way as to
inspire and spread particular beliefs or opinions; systematic spreading of ideas influencing
people to support a particular cause or point of view

12. farmerettes: women who did the work on the farm that men usually did; due to men being
away at war

13. suffragist: a person who advocates that women should have the right to vote; a suffragette is a
woman who advocates for female suffrage which is the right to vote, in particular, in a political
election; key women included Emily Murphy and Nellie McClung

14. Wartime Elections Act: in 1917 the right to vote federally was given to mothers, sisters and
wives of soldiers in the armed forces; Canadian nurses serving in the armed forces could also
vote; in addition, took away the vote from those born in countries considered to be the enemy
and those of European birth who spoke the language of an enemy country; cancelled the vote
for conscientious objectors

15. An Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise Upon Women: May 24, 1918 women were given the
right to vote in federal elections; previously they had the vote only in specific provinces, e.g.,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1916, B.C., Ontario in 1917; last province was Quebec
in 1940; the Northwest Territories in 1951

16. Dominion Elections Act: in 1920 women were given the right to run for election to Parliament;
Native women and most Native men were still not allowed to vote

17. Halifax Explosion: French munitions ship Mont Blanc and the Belgian ship Imo collided; created
the biggest artificial explosion ever recorded up to Hiroshima; levelled much of the city killing
over 2000, injuring 9000 and leaving thousands homeless

18. conscription: forced enlistment in the armed forces of all fit men of certain ages; all able-
bodied men are required to join the armed forces; there is no longer a choice; enlistment is no
longer on a voluntary basis

19. Military Service Act: 1917 made conscription law; military service compulsory for all males
between 20 and 45 with younger men called up first; exemptions allowed for the disabled, the
clergy, those with essential jobs or special skills and conscientious objectors; of those who
registered, 93% asked for exemptions; 400,000 men registered, 100,000 of those were drafted,
and of those only 24,132 made it to the front lines in Europe; more importantly, conscription
divided the country and left deep and lasting scars

20. conscientious objectors: a person who opposes war for religious or moral reasons
21. pacifist: is opposed to war or violence of any kind; refuses to engage in military activity; faced
hostility and ridicule during the war and were seen as “shirkers”

22. Military Voters Act: the act that allowed men and women serving overseas to vote; 1917

23. Khaki Election: name given to the 1917 federal election because of Borden’s efforts to win the
military vote

24. Union Government: coalition government formed by Conservatives and some Liberals and
independents that governed Canada from 1917 – 1920; won the 1917 election; built on
support for conscription

25. abdicate: to give up a position of authority

26. socialist: believer in a political and economic system in which the means of production and
distribution in a country are publicly owned and controlled for the benefit of all members of
society

27. Central Powers: the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and
the Kingdom of Bulgaria

28. Hundred Days Campaign: Germany launched a mighty offensive on the Western Front before
U.S. soldiers could arrive in great numbers; this was the last final great sweep against
Germany’s last gasp offensive to win the war; the final Allied offensive against the Central
Powers; broke the back of the German military; more Canadian casualties at this time than in
any other battle

29. armistice: temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement of the warring parties; cessation of
hostilities as a prelude to peace negotiations; a truce