Author: jaredchomyc Page 1 of 2

On December 2, 2016

In Learning Canadian History

Jared Chomyc

History 1120

Dr. Tracy Penny Light

02 December 2016

History 1120 Concept Map

Lectures

The lectures help to provide facts and evidence to support pre-confederation Canadian history

Readings

I would say reading the articles have been the best way to really understand this time period

Pre-conceived Ideas

We all have pre-conceived ideas and opinions based on our upbringing and other factors
We usually have many ideas about the indigenous people of Canada
However, I have learned to open my mind to new aspects of indigenous people

Actual Facts

All of these things help to break down any pre-conceived ideas and opens my mind to thinking historically

Discussions

The seminar discussions help to bring new ideas and perspectives to the readings of the week.

Grading Percentages

Research Assignment 35%
Eportfolio 20%
Research Paper 20%

Pro-Confederation Speech

On December 2, 2016

In Learning Canadian History

Jared Chomyc

History 1120

Dr. Tracy Penny Light

02 December 2016

Pro Confederation Speech

Today our goal is to provide more information, in order to show how beneficial confederation would be to the maritime colonies. We realize your main concern is autonomy. However, we believe that if you join the confederation it will only strengthen your autonomy, not take it away. To the colonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, there would be many benefits. Firstly, would be the protection we would provide from the expansion of the United States. Secondly, it will improve your economy by providing a larger market for your goods. Finally, it will provide a link to the other colonies through the inter-colonial railway. To Prince Edward Island we promise to clear all the debt you have accumulated and give you back your land from absentee landlords. Some are concerned with the issue of regional equality. To them, we would say that just because you are a smaller province, that does not mean you will not be represented equally. You will have the same amount of seats as Ottawa and Quebec. These are the reasons that the Maritimes should join the confederation.

Research Paper Outline

On December 1, 2016

In Reflections On the Past

Jared Chomyc

History 1120

Dr. Tracy Penny Light

02 November 2016

Research Paper Outline

The research question I am endeavoring to answer is the different thoughts and relationships between the British, French and the Indigenous people who were involved in the Seven Years War. This is important to better understand the motivations that each side had for fighting the war and the effects that the war had on all parties involved. The primary document I chose to use is the Royal Proclamation of 1763. This document which was produced at the end of the war outlines the British bias and viewpoints towards the people of Canada, both indigenous and French. I chose to use Hamish Scott’s article “The Seven Years War and Europe’s Ancien Régime” because it helps to clarify the impact of the Seven Years war on both France and England. This article will shed more light on how the French and English felt about the Seven Years War. The second article I chose was Martin L. Nicolai’s article “A Different Kind of Courage: The French Military and the Canadian Irregular Soldier during the Seven Years’ War” because it accurately portrays the French involvement in the war and their military presence which Nicolai argues was more formidable than previously recorded. A better understanding of the French and their military prowess will help to shed more light on their thoughts and feelings during the war. The final article I chose was Elizabeth Horner’s article “Intimate Enemies: Captivity and Colonial Fear of Indians in the Mid-Eighteenth Century Wars”. This article had a dual purpose, it helped to prove the thesis of my document analysis and also show the viewpoint of Native Americans towards the Royal Proclamation. The article showed the strained relationship between the British and the Indigenous people as a result of the Seven Years War. All these sources were chosen to illustrate the relationship between the British, French, and Indigenous people during and after the time of the Seven Years War.

Bibliography

Elizabeth Hornor, “Intimate Enemies: Captivity and Colonial Fear of Indians in the Mid-Eighteenth Century Wars,” Pennsylvania History 82 (2015): 162-185.

Hamish Scott, “The Seven Years War and Europe’s Ancien Régime,” War in History 18 (2011): 419-455.

Martin L. Nicolai, “A Different Kind of Courage: The French Military and the Canadian Irregular Soldier during the Seven Years’ War” Canadian Historical Review 70 (1989) 53-75.

Statement of Process

Originally when looking at the different suggestions for research topics, I was leaning towards the study of Scottish settlers in North America. However, upon more information and study of the Seven Years War, I decided that the topic of the relationship and viewpoints of the people involved in the Seven Years War would be a more interesting subject. I am interested to know how the people of this time period dealt with a war on this scale which lasted seven years. When looking for documents for the analysis I found the Royal Proclamation of 1763 which also helped push me in the direction of my chosen research topic.
When choosing sources I wanted to be careful to find three sources which would represent the three different opinions and actions of those involved in the war. That is why I chose one that showed the impact of the war on Britain. Another that articulated the French military presence during the war, and finally a document that showed the Indigenous people’s view of the war and the Proclamation. The other benefit of the articles that I have chosen is that they span a range of about thirty years. Which helps to show how views of history have changed during this time period.
At the beginning of this project I assumed that this war was very simple and orderly as was common in this time period. What I found out through my research was that this war was devastating to all parties involved. I also had the assumption that this was a strictly British/French war but as I found out in class and my research this was not the case. The most impactful idea I learned however, was the idea that every party had thoughts and feelings about what the Seven Years War did to them as a whole. These views did not necessarily match up with the laws and statements brought forth by the Royal Proclamation.
I think I gained a greater appreciation for the feelings and thoughts of the people during this time period. It is easy to study History and have a sort of distance from the subject as a result of it being so long ago. However, to see that these people were reacting to this war in a very human and intelligent way helped me to have more empathy towards what they must have been going through. Unfortunately, I am still not entirely clear about how the Indigenous people felt during the war the article I found studies the aftermath and the Royal Proclamation more than it does the feelings of the indigenous people at the time of the war.
As far as what I will do differently next time, I would focus more on getting the information and sources faster so I have more time to go over what they mean and how to interpret them. I would also start on the project sooner and not switch between two subjects. The confusion of switching subjects hindered my learning and progress on the topic. I would also schedule a meeting with the professor to ensure that I am on the correct path for success in the research that I am doing.

Journal Entry 10

On November 30, 2016

Journal #10

In the dictionary history is defined as the study of past events. However, I have learned that history is more than just studying the events of the people in our past. It is so much more than that. To me history is about trying to comprehend the realities of life that can be very hard to understand for a twenty-first century audience. History is about seeing past mistakes and learning to better our future. In particular we have learned a tremendous amount about the indigenous culture. European settlers did a lot of harm and made many mistakes however, we have learned from those mistakes. The historiography is also ever changing when it comes to indigenous accounts of what happened. This is something that would not have been considered even a little as fifty years ago. I have learned that in order to truly understand history it is important to have accounts from each party that was involved. It has been said that history is written by the victors and while that may be true, current historiography is attempting to change that.

As far as the actual research of history goes there are many ways in which this course has helped me develop the tools needed to do so. First of all, I have learned that through careful readings of primary and secondary sources we can have a greater idea of the reality of living in the past. Secondly, I have learned that finding my own sources and creating a research topic can lead to a far greater understanding of any particular topic. Thirdly, discussion on specific readings can open up different insights that I may have not realized without other classmates input. Finally, tough the compiling of all the information I have learned in my Eportfolio I have a much greater understanding of exactly what I have taken away from History 1120.

In conclusion, I have learned many new ideas and subjects throughout this course. Whether it be about first contact, the seven years war, indigenous accounts, or the thoughts and feelings of every party involved there has been a tremendous amount that I have learned. I have learned what history means to me and how to appreciate the differences between how everyone approaches history. I have learned the value of both primary and secondary sources. I have also learned the need of discussion to further benefit my learning experience. I have also learned that my own research into a particular subject can lead to a much better comprehension of that subject. Ultimately, history for me is about learning from our mistakes through researching our ancestor’s mistakes and their triumphs.

History 1120 Notes

On November 30, 2016

In Learning Canadian History

The Transatlantic Age: Contact, Cooperation, and Conflict 09/27/2016

The Vikings

The first documented European visits to North America were made around 1000 CE by the Vikings (Norse explorers from Scandinavia)
Evidence for these early expeditions can be found in Norse sagas
Around the year 100 CE, Leif Eriksson and his crew wintered at L’Anse aux Meadows
L’Anse aux Meadows, located on the northern tip of Newfoundland, is the only confirmed Norse settlement in North America
L’Anse aux Meadows was inhabited for no more than a few years (some scholars suggest that conflicts with Aboriginal peoples forced the Norse to return home)
Vikings were not just barbarians they were also explorers and farmers
Erik the Red colonized Greenland in the tenth century
In 1960 a Norse settlement was found

What Motivated Europeans to Explore Other Lands?

A range of factors:
- Demographic
  - Searching for new space because of growing population
- Political
  - Rivalry between political nations and looking to expand their empires
- Technological
  - The building of better ships helped to promote sea travel, also the invention of the compass
- Economic
  - No easy access to China so they were trying to find a more efficient way to access Chinese gold and spices
- Religious
  - Christians felt the need to spread religion throughout the world

John Cabot’s (Giovanni Caboto) first voyage May 2-August 6, 1497
- Europeans were in search for fish, furs, and spices
- First people to explore Newfoundland was the British
  - The English focused a lot of their efforts on cod fishing
  - Cabot declared possession of Newfoundland with a British flag
  - Cabot took one more voyage in 1948 and was lost at sea
- In the late 1500’s the English tried to settle in Newfoundland but were mostly unsuccessful

Cuper’s Cove Colony

Cuper’s Cove Colony was established by the London and Bristol Company in 1610
The Company had received a Royal Charter to establish a colony in Newfoundland, to help “secure and make safe the trade of fishing”
John Guy was the leader of this new colony- he led 39 colonists to Cuper’s Cove
Over the next few years, the colonists cleared land, planted, gardens, built homes
The colony encountered many difficulties- the Beothuk were not eager to trade in furs; agriculture proved difficult; several colonist died of scurvy; the colony was frequently attacked
Cuper’s Cove colony was the first formal English settlement in (what would become) Canada
By 1660 there were 1500 people who colonized Newfoundland
Cartier’s first voyage was 1534
- The French looking for trade passage to China
- Also looking to conquer land for the king of France
- On July 24, 1534, Jacques Cartier erected a cross at the entrance to Gaspe Harbour
In 1535 during his second voyage he sailed and named the St. Lawrence river
Kidnapping natives was a common practice among early European settlers
Cartier’s third voyage was in 1541
- Cartier lied to the natives and told them that the men they kidnapped had become princes
King Henry the IV wanted to send his people to convert the first nations people to Christianity
The French had difficulty at first, building up a settlement in Acadia
Samuel de Champlain- the ‘father of New France’ Founded Quebec city in 1608
- Over 25 years he went back to France nine times in order to ask for more money and supplies for the Quebec settlement
- Much of the information from this time period is from the point of view of the Europeans
The native population thought the Europeans were ugly and vulgar
Felt beaver hat was in style at this time
The fur trade preceded colonization
In the short term there were benefits of trading with the Europeans but later it proved to be unfair for Native people
Many French people attempted to convert natives to Christianity
They felt it was their calling

Marie de l’Incarnation

Founded the convent of the Ursulines in Quebec in 1639
Important to the early development of new France
Held in high regard by the colony’s civil authorities
Felt that she was fulfilling the will of god
Her convent functioned as a school for aboriginal children
Encountered great difficulties I her efforts to teach (and convert) aboriginal children
She regularly whipped herself to stay true to Jesus
Gave up trying to educate young native woman
Instead they began to teach the settlers children
The struggles Europeans were having in Europe continued in North America
Europeans brought many diseases such as measles, and mumps
- Which killed a lot of native people

New France 10/04/2016

What strikes you about the roles that the settlers played?
Was life better or worse in New France (than in France)?
- Woman would be paid 300 pounds for 10 babies and 400 for 12
- All poor people would be better in New France than France
- Opportunity to work and be successful
- Runaways could be whipped publicly or hanged
- 15,000 people between 1608-1700 and only 3,400 remained
First Settlements
- Governance
  - Fur trade companies in control (pre:166)
  - Creating a royal province: 1663
- Military Issues
  - Defending New France
  - Treaty of Utrecht
- Ile Sainte-Croix- settled by Pierre Du Gua de Monts in June 1604. This settlement was the first attempt by the French at year round colonization in North America, The little colony remained on the island for one very cold winter- more than half the crew died of scurvy
- In the spring of 1605, De Monts and Champlain moved the settlement across the bay, to Port Royal.
- Order of Good Cheer
  - Social club started by Samuel de Champlain at Port Royal during the winter of 1606-1607
  - Purpose: boost morale and health of the colonists during the long, cold winter
  - Each man took turns planning a delicious feast, and organizing the entertainment for the evening
  - Although it was a success, the Order only lasted for one year
  - New France:
    - 1628: approx. 300 European settlers
    - 1663 was the date that New France went from a fur trading post to an official colonized state
    - 1759: approx. 85,000 European colonists

Great Peace of 1701
- By the late 17^th Century, the Iroquois were greatly weakened by years of warfare and disease
- In 1701, representatives for the Iroquois agreed to meet up with the French in Montreal to discuss the terms of peace
- The French recognized the independence of the Iroquois
- In return, the Iroquois agreed to give up their claims west of Detroit, and promised to remain neutral in any future war between France and England
- The Great Peace ended almost a century of war between the Iroquois and the French
Treaty of Utrecht (1713)
- Settled the War of Spanish Succession (1702-1713)
- The war was fought not only in Europe but in North America
- France agreed to abandon Hudson’s Bay, Acadia, and Newfoundland to the British
- France retained fishing rights in Newfoundland
- France also kept the two islands protecting the entrance to the gulf of St. Lawrence
Louisbourg (Cape Breton Island)
Mercantilism in New France
- Louis XIV and his minister of finance, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, favoured the economic system known as mercantilism
- Under this system, France’s overseas colonies were seen as important only to the extent that they provided goods, and a market, for France
- Some scholars argue that mercantilism slowed economic growth in New France by discouraging colonial economic initiatives
Coureurs des Bois (Runners of the woods). In 1680, over 600 coureurs des bois were active in the fur trade in the area of New France.
The Acadian Expulsion
The Fall of New France
- The Seven Years’ War
- The struggle for empire- on North American soil
- Battle of the plains of Abraham
- Surrender and Negotiation
Conclusion: assessing the impact of the conquest
Halifax was founded as a military counterweight to Louisbourg
July 28 1765 the Acadians are deported to the United States or sent back to France
The Great Expulsions (also known as the deportation, or Le Grand Derangement)
- 1754: beginning of war between the French and English in North America
- Most Acadians refuse to sign an unconditional oath to British Crown
- 1755: British capture Fort Beausejour, and discover 300 armed Acadians inside French lines
- Lieutenant-governor Charles Lawrence and the Nova Scotia Council decided to deport the Acadians
Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)
- War between France and Britain (and their respective allies)
- The war in Europe was officially declared in 1756
- Informal warfare between the French and English had broken out in the Ohio Valley in 1754, two years before war was formally declared in Europe
- The Seven Years War profoundly altered the balance of power in North America: by the end of the war New France had fallen to the British!!
- The War also opened the way for a dramatic confrontation between Britain and its thirteen colonies- the American Revolution
The Plains of Abraham was a turning point in Canadian history

Adjusting to British Rule 1763-1814 10/18/2016

Issued by King George III on October 7, 1763
Replaced French laws with British laws, and defined the boundaries of Quebec
The interior region west of the Allegheny Mountains was declared to be “Indian territory”
Stated that transactions involving Aboriginal land had to be properly negotiated through the British Crown
Contributed to outbreak of the American Revolution (1776)

Three-Tiered State System 11/08/2016

Lieutenant Governor (appointed)
Legislative Council (appointed)
House of Assembly (elected)
- Louis Joseph Papineau
  - Elected to the lower Canadian assembly in 1809
  - Elected leader of the Parti Patriote in 1827
  - Leader of the lower Canadian rebellion 1837-1838
- Bishop John Strachan (1778-1867)
  - First Anglican Bishop of Toronto
  - Member of the executive council from 1815-1836, and of the legislative council from 1820-1841 (upper Canada)
  - Pillar of the Family Compact” – and elite, conservative group that controlled the colony
- Moderates
  - Continued rule of Britain in the colonial government
  - Appointed executive council
- Radicals
  - Elected executive council
  - Lieutenant Governor reduced to a figure-head
  - More elected government positions
- Close to 10,000 people stood to bear witness as Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, two of William Lyon Mackenzie’s most loyal supporters, were hanged on April 12, 1838
- John George Lambton (Lord Durham)
- The Durham Report (1839);
  - Responsible Government
    - Executive Council (cabinet) drawn from the majority party in the elected Assembly and must have the support of the majority in the Assembly to pass their legislation
  - Union of Upper and Lower Canada

Act of Union: 1840

Upper and Lower Canada united to become the “Province of Canada”
English made the official language of the Parliament of the Province of Canada
Canada East and Canada West given equal numbers of representatives, despite the fact that Canada East has a far larger population

British North America – Economy and Society, Mid-19^th Century

Industrialization- Revolution or Evolution
Foundations of industrialization
- End of Mercantilism
- Reciprocity Treaty, 1854
- Railway mania
- Population
British North American Society
- Courtship, marriage, and family
- Health and welfare
- Religion and social reform
- Schooling
- The workplace
Small craft-shops turned into large factories

Pros/Cons of Industrialization

PROS
- More goods
- Created jobs
- Increased technology/ agriculture
- Better travel (facilitated joining of colonies)
- Improved trade
CONS
- Takes business away from families
- Child “slavery”
- Environmental pollution
- Exploitation of nature = nature becomes a commodity
- Safety = work in factory is precarious
- Shifting quality of goods

Reciprocity Treaty
- Ratified in 1854 (in effect from 1855-1866)
- Established free trade of major natural products between the British North American colonies and the United States
- Opened up navigation rights to Lake Michigan and the St. Lawrence
- Although it did not increase trade very much, the treaty had enormous symbolic significance
- British North America began to focus on north-south trade
Railway Mania
- Railways facilitated industrialization by:
  - Transporting goods more quickly and efficiently
  - Providing a market for goods
  - Becoming the first major industrial manufacturers in Canada
- Railroads are “iron civilizers”
- As “a people we may as well in the present age attempt to live without books or newspapers, as without railroads”
- The locomotive “waits for no convenient season”
- 1841-1851 population increased from 1.1 million to 2 million
- “The perfection of womanhood is the wife and mother. The center of the family, the magnet that draws man to the domestic altar that makes him a civilized being, a social Christian. The woman is truly the light of the home…”
- The social reform movement
  - Developed throughout Canada in the mid-19^th century in response to the social conditions of industrialization, urbanization, and immigration
  - Influenced by the growth of the ‘social gospel’ (focused on applying Christianity to solve societal ills – to bring about the “Kingdom of God on earth”)
  - Social reformers sough to improve society, but they did so from a limited perspective – white, middle class and Christian

The Road to Confederation 11/22/2016

The American Civil War (1861-1865)
Political Developments
- The Great Coalition
- The Charlottetown Conference
- The Quebec Conference
Responses to the Confederation Proposals
External Pressures
- British support for Confederation
- The American contribution to Confederation
- Fenian Raids
“A more unpromising nucleus of a new nation could hardly be found on the face of the earth”
- Joseph Howe, 1866
“Somewhere on Parliament Hill in Ottawa… there should be erected a monument to this American ogre who has so often performed the function of saving us from drift and indecision”
Trent and Alabama Affairs
Alban’s Raid
John A. Macdonald (Conservative)
George Brown (Clear Grits)
The Charlottetown Conference (Sept.1-9, 1864)
- Continued loyalty to the British Crown
- A strong central government within a federal union in which the provinces retained control over their own local affairs
The Quebec Conference
- Regional representation
- Financial control
- Federal/Provincial powers
  - The delegates eventually hammered out an agreement, and produced the Seventy-Two resolutions (or Quebec Resolutions), which became the basis for the British North America Act
- Quebec Resolutions
  - Appointed Senate with Canada West (Ontario), Canada East (Quebec), and the three Atlantic Provinces (Maritimes) each with 24 members
- “rep by pop” in the House of Commons
- Fenian Marching Song:
  - “We are the Fenian Brotherhood skilled in the art of war, And we’re going to fight for Ireland, the land that we adore. Many battles we have won, along with the boys in blue. And we’ll go and capture Canada for we’ve nothing else to do.
- The British North America Act: Signed by Queen Victoria on March 29, 1867, and came into effect July 1, 1867.
- The four original provinces in Confederation: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
- Years of entry for the other provinces/territories
- Manitoba: 1870
- Northwest Territories: 1870
- British Columbia: 1871
- Prince Edward Island: 1873
- Yukon: 1898
- Alberta: 1905
- Saskatchewan: 1905
- Newfoundland: 1949

Journal Entry 9

On November 27, 2016

Journal Entry #9

Duelling in Upper Canada can be attributed to a number of reasons. But in most cases it results from a man feeling that his honour has been slighted. However, what is clear is that dueling at this time in Canadian history was performed by a certain type of person. These people always had three qualities, they were white, upper class, and always men. This meant that dueling during this time period helped to define what masculinity was. Unfortunately, only upper class white men decided were involved in this definition. As Cecilia Morgan states in her article “this method of settling disputes was not open to men of the lower-middle or working classes”[1] which proves how dueling was only granted to the rich, upper class man. Duels were usually started for one of two reasons. The first being the supposed slight of a man’s honour or in most cases the defense of a woman’s honour. In many ways these slights were imagined as Morgan states how honour was “both sought and protected as though it were a thing known and fixed, while at the same time it was in constant need of affirmation, being repeatedly challenged”[2]. Which goes to show how the whole idea of honour was not fully understand and therefore men dying over it was completely ridiculous. However, that did not stop men from fighting anyway. Men chose to uphold women’s honour regardless of whether or not they truly understand what honour meant. This is seen in the case of John Wilson and Robert Lyon. In Stephen Bown’s article he notes how the whole duel was started over “had sat alongside Miss Hughes with his arms about her in a position which no woman of spirit would permit.”[3] Now, Wilson was in love with Elisabeth Hughes and as a result of this so called slight to her honour he challenged Lyon to a duel. This duel led to the death of Robert Lyon and it also resulted in John Wilson being taken to court. Although Wilson was acquitted and later became a judge it does not deny the fact that the duel was fought over an absolutely ridiculous reason. However, Wilson and Hughes did go on to marry and they stay married for thirty four years. So maybe Wilson really did love Hughes enough to die for her. In Morgan’s article she wraps up by stating how masculinity ended up abolishing duels as well. She says that it was strongly discouraged by society because of it leading to the widowing of wives and left families economically destitute. She says that “the ‘phantom’ of honour was less important than men’s responsibilities towards financially dependent wives, children, mothers, and sisters”[4]. What this shows is how Canada’s ideals of what masculinity is began to shift towards more modern ideas of what it means to be a man. In conclusion, dueling in Upper Canada was controlled entirely by upper class, white men. Although it was defined by an idea to uphold men’s honour and women’s virtue, what ended up happening was needless death and violence. So as a result of this many men and women fought for it to be outlawed in order for the respectable family unit to be maintained. As a result of this fight Upper Canada moved towards a much more modern idea of masculinity and the nuclear family.

Bibliography

Cecilia Morgan, “In Search of the Phantom Misnamed Honour: Duelling in Upper Canada,” The Canadian Historical Review 76 (1995): 1-35.

Stephen Bown, “Pistols at Six O’Clock,” Beaver 79 (1999): 1-7.

[1] Cecilia Morgan, “In Search of the Phantom Misnamed Honour: Duelling in Upper Canada,” The Canadian Historical Review 76 (1995): 24.

[2] Morgan, “In Search,” 25.

[3] Stephen Bown, “Pistols at Six O’Clock,” Beaver 79 (1999): 3.

[4] Morgan, “In Search,” 35.

Document Analysis

In Reflections On the Past

Jared Chomyc

Document Analysis

History 1120

Dr. Tracy Penny Light

October 19^th 2016

In the aftermath of the Seven Years War, the British released the Royal Proclamation on October 7, 1763. This proclamation was released in The London Gazette and it laid out a set of rules and regulations that the governments of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada would have to follow. As a result of the time it was written, the language and grammar are very different than in a contemporary context. The time period also expresses certain racial prejudices and an idea of an all-powerful Monarch and “the Members of Our Council”[1]. The documents main focus was to give a set of rules for their colonies, they did this in four ways. First of all they wanted to clearly outline the borders of their governments. By doing this the people would accept British rules of border and country. The second item was to outline how much land would be distributed to the different officers of the British Army. Lastly, they wanted to determine what land the indigenous people were entitled to and regulate how the buying and selling of native land was achieved. So in order to understand this document fully it is important to first look at how the British government chose to outline their borders, and the effect that would have on the people of Canada.

It must be understood that this is a foreign government setting boundaries upon a people who in some cases have never been to Britain and who owe no allegiance to the country. So it is understandable to see how Canadians and the indigenous people would have been upset about the idea of having their boundaries and land made up by the British Monarchy and its counsel. The Proclamation states in detail as to where the beginning of one country starts and where the others end. It states that the government of Quebec is “bounded on the Labrador Coast by the River St John, and from thence by a Line drawn from the Head of that River through the Lake St. John to the South End of the Lake Nipissim”[2]. Using precise detail the British government controlled every aspect of people’s lives in the Canada. In essence they are telling both the indigenous people and the rest of the country where their borders are instead of letting them keep the borders they established on their own. It is mentioned several times that the British are making these decisions with the help of their “Privy Council”[3] as opposed to discussing the matters of borders with the people of Quebec and the other governments. Not only does this document insist upon the borders of these countries, but it also states that the Monarchy is in control of the land. The document says “Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, as are now or hereafter shall be in Our Power to dispose of”[4]. Therefore, Britain is taking the land from its rightful owners and distributing it amongst who they wish. This is further evidenced when looking at the land that is granted to the soldiers who were on the side of the British.

In regards to the soldiers of the Seven Years War the Proclamation states that they will grant land “to such Reduced Officers as have served in North America during the late War”[5]. What this document does not state is the effect that this would have on the people of this country. It is easy to read between the lines of this document and assume that the land will be taken from those who were defeated by the British. The sad reality of this is that in many cases this may mean the stripping away of many people’s homes and livelihoods. Therefore, due to the time in which they lived in the people were forced into the subjugation of the British. With it being an official government document it does go into great detail as to how much each rank of soldier would receive. It states that a Field Officer is entitled to “5,000 Acres”[6] and every Captain is entitled to “3000 Acres”[7] and so on. The indigenous people are the last people to be mentioned and effected in this Proclamation.

Although the document appears to appeal positively to the native people of Canada nothing could be further from the truth. While the document does state that the natives “should not be molested or disturbed in the Possession of such Parts of Our Dominions and Territories”[8] which in essence allows the natives some land outside the borders of Quebec, West Florida, East Florida, and Grenada. It does not however, take into account that indigenous people may have lived in these areas before the war. The document goes on to say that “if at any Time any of the said Indians should be inclined to dispose of the said Lands, the same shall be purchased only for Us”[9]. This declaration means that if at any point the indigenous people choose to sell their land they must do so in accordance to the rules and regulations of the British government. As a result of this it would be very hard for an indigenous person to bargain or even discuss the sale of his property without the aforementioned permission of the British.

In conclusion, the Royal Proclamation of 1763 was an act that was intent on giving the people of Canada a set of rules and guidelines to follow. The problem with this was that in many cases the varied people of Canada had no need or want for the types of laws and restrictions that this document promised. Although in some ways the Proclamation may have set out to help the people of Canada it ended up having the opposite effect. The indigenous people did not go unmolested and the people that benefited the most from the document were people on the winning side of the war. It strictly regulated borders and which part of that said land went to whom. The reasons for this could be that the King and his council have no experience with the land and its people. Therefore any document governing them would not have a positive effect. However noble the goals and purpose of this document may seem, in the end it failed its main goal. It would not be long before the people of Canada would want to force a change in the way they were living.

Bibliography

George R, “A Proclamation,” The London Gazette, October 7, 1763.

[1] George R, “A Proclamation,” The London Gazette, October 7, 1763, 1.

[2] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[3] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[4] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[5] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[6] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[7] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[8] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

[9] R, “A Proclamation,” 1.

Journal Entry 8

Journal Entry #8

In Greer’s article about charivaris he focuses on three main stages that he identifies. The first stage were essentially marital disagreements between society and the newlyweds. For example a man marrying a much younger woman or if “one of the partners had been previously married”[1]. After this the charivaris shifted into the next stage which involved a much more political angle. During the rebellion of 1837 Greer argues that in the summer of 1837 the charivaris were being used to further political ideas. He says “charivaris were used for more clearly strategic purposes”[2] which indicates how these demonstrations were transforming from simple disagreements of matrimony to an all-out political force. Something that Greer does not mention in his article is that often times these charivari events would deal with racial issues as well. In Moodie’s novel “Roughing it in the Bush” she speaks about how a young black man who married a young white woman was dragged out of his house naked and as a result of the weather he “died under their hands”[3]. This is the main difference between the two readings both Greer and Moodie focus on the marital aspects of the charivari it is Moodie who shows the blatant racism that was abundant in the ceremonies of the charivari. However, Greer shows how after the rebellion of 1837 that the charivari revolts moved from political or marital concerns to violent outbursts of social unhappiness. Greer states that after the rebellion the charivari turned into a “weapon for chastising moral transgressions and punishing nonconformist”[4] so in the early days of the charivari they were threatening in some ways but it was not until after the rebellion that they changed into a more malicious event. Greer states that the “charivari form was deployed in radically new and decidedly more cruel ways”[5]. In conclusion, the charivari of Canada had three main stages. The first was a milder ritual meant to intimidate those individuals who went outside the social norms of society set by the Catholic Church. For example, a young man marrying an older woman or vice versa. At this same time Moodie adds that the charivari could be quite violent and racist as well with her story of the young black barber who was killed for marrying a white woman. From her the second stage that Greer illustrates was the political stage that involved the charivaris attacking captains and in some cases demanding they step down or pay a certain fee. In the final stage Greer illustrates how after the rebellion the same rituals turned violent and could many times result in either injuries or death. By the end of the article Greer shows how the charivari started as a simple revolt of assumed discrepancies of the social norm, to violent demonstrations of the power of a masked, anonymous group of people can have.

Bibliography

Allan Greer, “From Folklore to Revolution: Charivaris and the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837,” Social History 15 (1990) 25-43.

Susanna Moodie, Roughing it in the Bush (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2014) 21-25.

[1] Allan Greer, “From Folklore to Revolution: Charivaris and the Lower Canadian Rebellion of 1837,” Social History 15 (1990) 27.

[2] Greer “From Folklore to Revolution,” 35.

[3] Susanna Moodie, Roughing it in the Bush (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2014) 25.

[4] Greer, “From Folklore to Revolution,” 42.

[5] Greer, “From Folklore to Revolution,” 42.

Journal Entry 7

Journal Entry #7

In Jorgensen’s article he is attempting to address the question of indigenous people’s role in Barkerville. Like many historians today he is attempting to correct the older analysis of indigenous people’s lives and the role they played in society. It is very easy to disregard the indigenous population of Barkerville and write them off as nothing more than prostitutes and helpless victims of disease. However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact the indigenous people were involved in many aspects of life in Barkerville including “berry picking, laundry services, packing and packhorse support, hunting, selling salmon and eulachon, letter-carrying, mining, and prostitution”[1]. In spite of this history has not always looked at the indigenous point of view and as a result has lacked the authenticity of Jorgensen’s article.

Some early historians viewed Barkerville through a tiny lens unable to see any impact that the indigenous people were having except for menial jobs like prostitution and carriers. They did not look at the surrounding areas of Baskerville and the evidence of the indigenous people who were there. Even during the time of the gold rush there was indigenous people present just outside of Barkerville in a place called “Barkerville: Indian Encampment”[2]. The only excuse for their ignorance could be due to the massive destruction of indigenous people due to the smallpox epidemic. With Europeans immunity to smallpox the effect on them was rather small, not much more than a cold or flu. However, in the case of the indigenous people and their different lifestyles smallpox caused “population loss”[3] which “range as high as 90 percent”[4]. This shows just how much the indigenous people in BC suffered due to the diseases that ran rampant due to European contribution. That being said the Indigenous people who remained in Barkerville and the surrounding areas contributed in many different ways.

At first one of the ways the Indigenous people survived was the hunting and trading of furs throughout the province and in Barkerville in particular. They existed in other ways during this time as well such as “Foraging, particularly for berries, was another form of subsistence work engaged in by First Nations people”[5]. Now it is true that they also used wage worker such as delivering mail, it is also true that they were involved in mining. The Indigenous people were very active at this time in the mining trade Jorgensen quotes Daniel Marshall by saying “’Native peoples not only participated in gold discoveries throughout the northern Pacific Slope region, but actively mined the resource’”[6]. These different examples show how Indigenous people were not just hiding in the shadows of Barkerville but they were instead active participants in its growth and mining opportunities.

There is also a very negative viewpoint towards Indigenous woman being only prostitutes and while there is evidence of this Jorgensen also says “Aboriginal women who came into contact with white men through the sex trade were comparatively more visible (and therefore potentially better recorded) than were those involved in other forms of work”[7] so as a result of the white European centered history many Aboriginal woman were viewed as nothing more than prostitutes. This again shows the limited view of the history up to this point. However, Jorgensen is on the right track to creating a more multiethnic approach to history. In this article he uses both primary sources found in the newspaper and other important documents of the time, but he also uses Indigenous oral traditions to back up his arguments. Which will lead to a better understanding of Indigenous people’s role in this time period.

Bibliography

Mica Jorgensen, “Into That Country to Work,” BC Studies 185 (2015): 109-136.

[1] Mica Jorgensen, “Into That Country to Work,” BC Studies 185 (2015): 135.

[2] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 120.

[3] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 118.

[4] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 118.

[5] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 122.

[6] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 129.

[7] Jorgensen, “Into That Country,” 132.

Journal Entry 6