Yes, You Guessed It...

PSSST... Pop Quiz! Yes, You Heard it Here First... POP QUIZ!!!!!

Based on today's class, you can expect a quiz on the following --

1. How does a bill become a law in Canada? Use the links below to review the basic elements for the passage of a bill. (3 marks)

http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Reference/queens-e.html

http://www.fedpubs.com/subject/law/statutes.htm

2. Explain how Canada's system of government is an example of metropolitan control. (3 marks)

See the blog entry from Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Use the definition as supplied - and then apply some critical thinking to come up with some concrete examples of metropolitanism in our system of government. Use the following topics:

• representation by population in the House of Commons







• the appointment process - who appoints the Governor General? The Senate? The cabinet?







• the "equal representation" of the Senate (see the following link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_of_Canada)

3. Explain how the railway is an example of metropolitanism where southern Ontario casts dominance over the rest of the country based on industrial production. (2 marks)

4. Who was Canada's first prime minister? (1 mark)

5. What is Confederation? (1 mark)

6. Who were the provinces that originally joined in 1867? (2 marks)

7. What were the 4 major factors that led to Confederation? (4 marks)

OK...#3 is a critical thinking exercise for the quiz. Numbers 4-6 should be obvious...If not -- look them up. Number seven bears a bit of review:

• fear of US invasion after the Civil War



• trade problems (cancellation of the Canadian-American Reciprocity Treaty - a free trade policy whereby products were allowed into United States without taxes or tariffs starting in 1854 - which was then considered to be beneficial for Canada, in 1865 by the United States, partly as a revenge against Great Britain for unofficial support of the South in the American Civil War)
  



• the railway (trade between the provinces required a railway that no one could afford by themselves)



• political problems (the Canadas - i.e. Quebec and Ontario were deadlocked. No one could form a majority government and things that needed to get done to move ahead couldn't get the political support required)

1837 Rebellions

Read the material below regarding the 1837 rebellions.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0006708

We will be covering this time period...pop quizzes are a distinct possibility...

Recap and Moving Forward

In our study of Canadian history, we have reached a point where we need to review the sum total of our work. This will be helpful in our exam preparations. Answer the questions below as fully as possible. We will start going over these questions on Monday, May 9, 2011.
Unit I: The First Peoples of Canada:

1. Explain some characteristics of early aboriginal societies:

a. What does it mean when we say that aboriginals lived in a Matriarchal society?
b. What does it mean when we say that aboriginals were an “oral” culture?
c. Explain some examples of how early aboriginal cultures were governed by spirituality?

2. Who were the Iroquois? Generally what European group did they form an alliance with? Who are the Huron? Generally what European group did they form an alliance with?

3. What is meant by “First Contact” between the “Old World” and the “New World”

a. Discuss the effects or outcomes of first contact between the early Europeans coming to the “New World” and the aboriginal groups already living on the continent.

b. Explain how what happened at first contact shaped the relationship between aboriginals and Europeans in general.

Unit II: New France: (1500s – 1759)

4. Who were the Jesuits?

a.What other names were they known by?
b.What was their main goal in coming to New France?
c.Discuss how their relationship with various aboriginal groups is symbolic of

Aboriginal – European relations?

5. What is the Seigneural System?

6. In what ways was the fur trade important to the development of Canada? In what ways did it shape the course of early Canadian history?

7. What was the Battle of the Plains of Abraham

8. Identify and discuss the various factors that led to the fall of New France to the British? Why was this one of the most important events in early Canadian history?

9. Discuss why General Wolfe led a brilliant military attack on the French in the final battle for control of Canada. What mistakes did the French leader Montcalm make in this final battle? Explain the Battle for the Plains of Abraham in full detail


Unit III: British North America (1759 – 1867)

10. What was the Royal Proclamation Act of 1763 and what did it do?

11. What was the Quebec Act and what did it do?

12. Identify and explain three reasons why the people in the Thirteen Colonies began rebelling against British rule, ultimately leading to the American Revolution?

13. What was the American Revolution

a. When did it begin and end?
b. Who was it fought between?
c. What position did French Canadians take in this war?
d. What did the American Revolution result in?
e. Why was it considered a civil war?

14. Who were the Loyalists? Identify and explain four ways their arrival in Canada impacted and/or shaped early Canadian culture and life?

From Jaques Cartier to Louis Riel...or How Did We Get Here?

Before restarting the essay writing process that you embarked on before Mr. Goto's arrival, we are taking some time to examine the context of what was happening in the West at the time of the Red River and Northwest rebellions. To understand what was happening in the world of Louis Riel, we must examine the forces that were changing literally what people believed to be true and real. Sometimes this kind of change is referred to as a "paradigm shift." This is a term that has been popularly used since the 1960's to describe a profound change in a fundamental model or perception of events. Another term that might apply would be a changing of the Zeitgeist.

See paradigm defined - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paradigm

See Zeitgeist defined - http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zeitgeist

Having written an essay about Louis Riel and his impact on western settlement, the following can be agreed upon:

Riel used political, social and military means to advocate on behalf of his constituency - the Metis. He did what he thought was fair and just based on his interpretation of who had right to the land and what would best protect the language and culture of his constituency going forward.

Riel personified the inherent conflict brewing between natives and non-natives based on the fallout resulting from the paradigm shifts which had taken place in "first contact" between Europeans and natives, the emerging fur trade and New France, The Conquest and British North America.

What were those paradigms and how did they clash and merge to transform the world of native peoples, and, on a larger scale, the world of what becomes Canada?

French Colonialism

The conventionally agreed upon beginnings of a French presence in what becomes Canada, and indeed the name Canada itself begins with Jacques Cartier. The explorer claimed part of present day Canada for France in 1534. Cartier's voyages and his reports were critical in terms of convincing France to move forward and make New France, as it was eventually called a colonial priority.

Below is a story detailing a recent archaeological find documenting one of Cartier's settlements.



http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=edd7eac6-f566-4011-87d7-82becfc883a2&sponsor=




What could motivate European powers like France, Britain and Spain to pursue colonial property around the world?





To understand this, we need to examine the colonial paradigm...





The mother country (i.e. one of the three European powers) would find some useful good (i.e. the beaver in New France, spices in the Far East) that was otherwise unavailable or could be manufactured into a finished good that was in demand back home.





In this arrangement, the colony was a storehouse of sorts or supply line. The focus was entirely on the needs of the mother country, which created the demand and dictated the terms of all development. In this way, the mother country served as the center and the colony as the hinterland. We refer to this as metropolitanism.

The Metropolitan Thesis, also known as the Laurentian thesis, is one of the dominant schools in Canadian historical thought. The basic argument of the school states that the driving force in Canadian History has been the nation's metropolitan areas. These originally included Paris, London (after 1763), and finally Montreal and Toronto in the modern era. These metropolitan centers determined how Canada would be developed, how it would be governed, and how it would be settled.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Thesis

In metropolitanism, cities cast huge shadows of influence over other areas. We see concrete examples of this in many aspects of Canadian society. The means by which representation by population is exclusively used to fill the federal parliament centralizes power by giving the most populated areas the greatest influence.



See the chart in the link below. A careful examination of the chart shows that out of 308 seats in the House of Commons, Ontario gets 106 members and Quebec gets 75. In other words, 58% of the seats available in the federal parliament come from these two powerful provinces. This gives Ontario and Quebec what amounts to perpetual control of the national agenda.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_Canada

The railway is also a symbol of metropolitan control, creating an east-west trade axis instead of a north-south one. In part, this occurs as a result of the split between the Thirteen Colonies and Britain. However, the net effect of the railway is to act as the backbone of metropolitan control of the west, as finished goods are produced in Ontario and shipped out to the frontier.


Cultural exchanges between peoples are also a part of colonization and native peoples soon found the "Black Robes" or Jesuits amongst them. These were representatives of the Catholic Church whose aim was to spread the word of God and compel religious conversion throughout the world. The Jesuits were extremely well educated and made relations with native peoples a priority based on their mission. However, other French influences made such relations a priority for other purposes.



Background of the Society of Jesus

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14081a.htm


The Jesuit Order today in English Canada

http://www.jesuits.ca/About_us/index.php



Intermarriage between French and natives led to the Metis. This led to a blending of native culture with the addition of the French language and the Catholic faith. The reason that French Canadians identified with Louis Riel was because they saw Riel as a defender of French language rights and French education, which invariably took place in the Catholic church. Also, the French found themselves conquered by the English after 1760, and as such could identify with the Metis who felt conquered as well. By and large, the frustration French and native peoples felt was based on a changing economy and the move away from the fur trade and the staple culture.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?Params=A1ARTA0005259&PgNm=TCE

British Colonialism

The 1759 Conquest, which culminates in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham results in the fall of New France and the first of many transformational changes in North America.

See the link below and read about the Plains of Abraham and the context of this struggle during the French and Indian War.

http://bataille.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca/en/

To understand why things were changing so much in North America, we need to consider several factors:

• Britain's complete dominance of North America after 1760





• The decline of the fur trade as a viable economic activity





• The changing nature of European settlement after 1760

Given the fact that Britain had outlasted France and Spain in the rush to colonize the New World, and the fur trade was declining due to the fall in the demand for fashionable products made from fur, "Quebec" as New France was now known, would move to a settlement culture. In the interests of growing the colony profitably, the British relied on the template of the Thirteen Colonies to the south, expecting that Montreal and Quebec would become centers of commerce and manufacturing. However, the capacity to do this was woefully weak given the fact that the French population that remained had no interest or skills in becoming merchants like the ones in Boston. They preferred to keep to themselves and continue farming along the banks of the St. Lawrence. British immigration to Quebec in the 1760's was limited and so the development Britain hoped for would not materialize. Ultimately, the real catalyst for economic change would depend on an influx of enterprising, industrious, and business-minded people -- namely, the United Empire Loyalists. But that would take until the time of the American Revolution; a long way off.

In the meantime, the majority French population were frustrated by having a significant part of their livelihood (i.e. the fur trade) legislated away from them by the British in the interests of "modernization". As a consequence there was no enthusiasm for enterprise and the merchant trade. Combined with the relatively small numbers coming in from Britain, Quebec stumbled economically. The growing difficulties with the Thirteen Colonies and the unmistakable dominance of the French Catholic population, convinced those charged with administering Quebec on behalf of
Britain that something would have to be done to keep the French happy, otherwise they might join the American Revolution.

The solution to this problem was the Quebec Act. See the link below. It served to secure French Canadian support, but it also greatly offended the American colonists and is widely viewed as being one of the Intolerable Acts which pushed the colonists over the edge and started the War of Independence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Act

Mr. G Takes Over

For the next number of weeks, Mr. G will be looking after class. Please see his blog, linked below in order to keep up with the course.

http://whynotcanadianhistory.blogspot.com/

The Essay

Over the last number of days, we have been looking at the objectives for each part of the essay to prepare you for the essay writing process. Below is a summary of the class notes for this section:

The essay assignment typically comes in two forms -- a question or a directive.

for example:

What is the most important characteristic required to be successful in school? (question)


Discuss the most important characteristic required to be successful in school. (directive)



The most important thing to remember when writing the essay is to make sure you understand the question and answer the question directly.



Below you will find the objectives we discussed for the introductory paragraph (in order of importance - NOT appearance):



1. Answer the question (thesis statement)



2. List of supporting ideas (evidence which will serve to prove your thesis)



3. Introductory statement (this is the first sentence in your essay)






Next, you will find the objectives for the body paragraphs (in order of appearance):



1. Topic sentence (from your list of supporting ideas and relates to thesis)



2. Supporting details (logically prove why the thesis is true... between 5-7 sentences)

3. Transition sentence (make the connection from the present supporting idea/topic to the next supporting idea/topic)

Finally, your conclusion has only one objective:

Expand on the thesis. Like a lawyer's summation, you may not present new evidence. Instead, you are to write a few sentences that take your thesis and explain in greater detail what you were trying to argue.

You have all written an introductory paragraph, and the first paragraph of the body of the in class essay you were assigned. All students were checked to ensure that each paper fulfilled the objectives above.

After successfully completing this task, you were assigned another in class essay. This particular assignment made use of the material in the textbook from pages 279-285. You may pick up the reading entitled "Manitoba Reading" from the drop box anytime.

The essay question for this assignment was as follows:

What impact did Louis Riel have on the settlement of the West?
This essay is due --- Wednesday, March 16,2011.

Make sure you can identify which specific sentences accomplish each of the objectives outlined above for both the introductory paragraph, the body paragraph, and the .

In Search of a Canadian Identity

Through the use of a PowerPoint slideshow, you are to prepare a presentation that will use events and personalities from Canada's history to define a distinctly Canadian identity.

The presentation should last no less than three minutes and no more than five minutes.

Below you will find some general parameters for the assignment. More details will come in the days to follow.

General Parameters:

examples must include political, social, economic, military history

examples must also be chronologically presented with a timeline of sorts -- this timeline should tell an evolving story

examples must be organized into a set of themes -- don't have too many or too few (probably somewhere between three and five)

present day results or impact of each item chosen must be clearly explained

DO NOT READ SLIDES FOR THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION. Be prepared to show you have a command of the material you have chosen.
prepare a list of references using APA style

Presentations will begin Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Canadian History Links
Links to help you get started:


http://canadahistory.com/index.htm

http://www.cyber-north.com/canada/history.html

http://www.canadashistory.ca/

http://www.linksnorth.com/canada-history/

http://www.histori.ca/default.do?page=.index

http://www1.canadiana.org/citm/themes/constitution1_e.html

http://canadaonline.about.com/od/history/History_of_Canada.htm

http://www.international.gc.ca/history-histoire/world-monde/1984-1993.aspx?lang=eng