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Prince Edward Island Facts & Worksheets

Prince Edward Island is one of the three Maritime Provinces in Canada and is in fact the smallest province in Canada, both in terms of population and land area.

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Prince Edward Island is one of the three Maritime Provinces in Canada and is in fact the smallest province in Canada, both in terms of population and land area. It was named by the British after Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, who was referred to as the “Father of the Canadian Crown”.

See the fact file below for more information on the Prince Edward Island or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Prince Edward Island worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

  • Prior to European arrival in the lands that are now Prince Edward Island, the Mi’kmaq indigenous groups from the mainland used the island primarily for hunting, planting crops, and fishing in order to sustain themselves during the colder months.
  • Although the Vikings probably visited the area in about 1000 CE, John Cabot was likely the island’s first official visitor in 1497.
  • Historians lean towards crediting French navigator and explorer Jacques Cartier with the discovery of Prince Edward Island in June 1534.
  • Decades later, Samuel de Champlain claimed the island for France in 1603, and became the first governor of French Canada.
  • While the French were establishing trading posts and communal living spaces, fishers and trappers from the French mainland colony of Acadia came to the island to establish smaller communities of their own.
  • In 1758, the British came over and began occupying the island, dispersing nearly 4,000 settlers who were already there.
  • The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763 and ceded Prince Edward Island to Great Britain.
  • Within a few years, the British surveyed and divided the island
    into three counties, giving proprietors empty lots on the counties in order to promote settlement.
  • The Maritime Provinces union was a proposal set forth in the late 1800s to promote confederation of all the Canadian provinces, and later resulted in the founding of the Dominion of Canada, eventually leading to the permanent founding of the country of Canada.

GEOGRAPHY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

  • Prince Edward Island is colloquially known as the “Garden of the Gulf” and is known for its red soil and ocean coves.
  • The island itself is made up geologically of bedrock resulting from a sedimentary basin which was made from sediments that flowed from freshwater streams that cut into the ancient mountains that existed on the island 250-300 million years ago.
  • Prince Edward Island is completely dependent on groundwater for its source of drinking water, which is naturally filtered.
  • When visiting Prince Edward Island, you are likely to see a limited variety of flora and fauna, including red foxes, coyote, skunks, and North Atlantic right whales (who have seen an increase in numbers in the past few decades).
  • Inhabitants used to see animals like moose, bear, caribou, wolf, and other larger species, but due to hunting and habitat disruption, they no longer live on the island.
  • Prior to European settlement, trees like beech, maple, pine, hemlock, and others flourished; now only about half the island is covered in forest and species such as black walnut, horse chestnut, and European mountain ash trees.
  • Prince Edward Island has introduced a wildlife conservation program that aims to support clean and well-preserved conservation areas to increase and preserve previously threatened species of animals and plants.

ECONOMY AND CULTURE OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

  • Prince Edward Island is famous for its potatoes, partly due to its favorable growing conditions.
  • The island is also known for its fresh seafood due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Visitors are also drawn to the island because of its sandy beaches and unique history, but unfortunately these don’t bring in enough tourists and money each year to allow the island to keep up with national averages of productivity, employment, and income.
  • Reforms in the late 20th century aimed at improving the economy of
    Prince Edward Island resulted in heightened living standards for its
    people, but also a heightened dependence on public funds.
  • Agriculture and fishing, particularly dairy and potato farming and seafood, continue to be areas of strength for Prince Edward Island, but timber products, maple syrup, berry products, Christmas wreaths, and wild mushrooms are also profitable.
  • Charlottetown is the main centre of culture, and although it is small, there is a huge market for artisan crafts, theatre, and music that are displayed at the island’s annual Charlottetown Festival.

Prince Edward Island Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Prince Edward Island across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Prince Edward Island worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Prince Edward Island which is one of the three Maritime Provinces in Canada and is in fact the smallest province in Canada, both in terms of population and land area. It was named by the British after Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, who was referred to as the “Father of the Canadian Crown”.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Prince Edward Island Facts
  • Expulsion of the Acadians
  • Island Vocabulary
  • Design a Postcard
  • Discovery Timeline
  • Anne of Green Gables
  • Problems in the East
  • Prince Edward Island Wordsearch
  • The Charlottetown Conference
  • Potatoes Galore!
  • Prince Edward Island Crossword

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Link will appear as Prince Edward Island Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 27, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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