Who was Sir Sam Steele?
Quick answer: A great frontier hero, Mounted Policeman and soldier. In our practice tests 58% of 101 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “A military leader of the Métis in the 19th century”.
Why is this the correct answer?
Sir Sam Steele was a great frontier hero — a Mounted Policeman and soldier who helped maintain order during the construction of the CPR, the Klondike Gold Rush, and the Boer War.
Study Tip
Sir Sam Steele was a prominent figure in Canadian history, known for his military service and involvement in the North-West Mounted Police. He played a significant role in the country's westward expansion.
What should you know about this topic?
Sir Sam Steele was a frontier hero, a Mounted Policeman and a soldier, as described in Discover Canada. He was one of the early officers of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), created in 1873 to bring law and order to the West after Canada acquired the territory from the Hudson's Bay Company. The NWMP later became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada's national police force.
Steele helped keep order in the West as settlers arrived and the Canadian Pacific Railway was built. He took part in the march west in 1874 and played a role in responding to the North-West Rebellion of 1885. During the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon in the late 1890s, he was famous for keeping order among the thousands of prospectors who rushed north looking for gold. Later he served as a soldier in the South African War and in the First World War.
Discover Canada lists Steele among several notable Canadians whose stories help explain the country's history. This topic links to test questions on the RCMP, the settlement of the West, Louis Riel and the Métis, and Sir Arthur Currie, another military figure, from the First World War. Remember Steele with three words from Discover Canada: frontier hero, Mounted Policeman and soldier. He is a symbol of the early RCMP and its role in building the West.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- The Father of Manitoba: This title is often given to Louis Riel.
- The first Prime Minister of Canada: This was Sir John A. Macdonald.
- A military leader of the Métis in the 19th century: This describes Louis Riel or Gabriel Dumont, not Steele.
What is the most common mistake?
Learners sometimes confuse Sam Steele with Louis Riel, the Métis leader, or with Sir John A. Macdonald. Steele was a policeman and soldier who upheld the law in the West.
How can you remember the answer?
"Steel(e)" was tough: a policeman made of steel who kept order on the frontier and in the Klondike.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
58% of 101 practice answers from about 71 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "A military leader of the Métis in the 19th century", chosen 26% of the time. The data covers practice tests on BecomeACitizen.ca from March 31, 2026 to September 30, 2026.
How hard is this question compared with others?
It is the 14th hardest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the Canada's History chapter is 68% correct, and the average across all questions is 75%. You need 75% to pass the real test.
These are practice questions written from the official Discover Canada guide. IRCC does not publish the real test questions. See the full ranking in the 20 most-missed citizenship test questions or browse more Canada's History questions.
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Test yourself with questions from Canada's History. Timed mock tests, instant scoring, and detailed explanations.
Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the Canada's History section of the Canadian citizenship test. The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions drawn from the official Discover Canada study guide. You need to score at least 75% (15 out of 20 correct) to pass.
This chapter has 61 questions in our database. Studying chapter by chapter is one of the most effective ways to prepare, as it helps you build deep understanding of each topic before moving to the next.
How should you study for the citizenship test?
Start by reading the complete how-to-pass guide, then work through each chapter in the study mode. When you feel ready, take a full exam simulation with the real 45-minute time limit.