Former Canadian PM Harper is a little off on his Canadian History and setting the stage for looking at Canadian History and some Toronto History discovered

This video clip, taken at the G20 in 2009, underscores a great misconception of Canadian History.

The point about Canada not having a colonial past is 10 minutes into the video.  It is a little inaudible, but he mumbles about the "two major" something, but does not quite name France or England as the founding nations who are the Colonial powers of our nation!


A couple of maps detailing the colonial occupation of North America:

From European in North America link at http://www.owassops.org/webpages/gyankey/regadvhandouts.cfm?subpage=313702

A screenshot from a slide show detailing a superficial, but significant, bit of information on what Colonialism is:

from http://www.slideshare.net/maggiesalgado/imperialism-colonialism

Here is a map of the African colony during the same time frame (1783-1850) we will be looking at History.

Apparently, LaChine, in Montreal, was named by Jacques Cartier because he thought he was close to finding his route to China down the St. Lawrence River.  https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Lachine,+Montreal,+QC/@45.4471755,-73.7469568,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4cc916fceb64abcf:0xede7a57a2113f444

Prior to European exploration and settlement, First Nations people lived throughout much of the Americas.  In preparing this post and upcoming lesson, I wanted to find a map that would detail what the land looked like and where the diverse members of the many nations lived.  I came across Aaron Carapella.  He lives in Stigler, Oklahoma and is of Cherokee descent.  He spent 14 years researching this project and came up with these two maps:

http://www.ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/map-maker-provides-pre-contact-look-canada

from http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/11/12/new-pre-contact-map-transforming-understanding-south-america-one-tribe-time-162324

Historical Significance

This is one of the 4 main concepts of Historical Thinking the curriculum is emphasizing.  There are 4key concepts of Historical Thinking outlined in the Ministry of Education History curriculum:  Historical Significance, Cause and Consequence, Continuity and Change, and Historical Perspective.  This approach to studying historical events is not about the memorization and regurgitation of facts, but on developing some deeper thinking about issues from our past and how they connect with what is happening today.

Here is something that appeared in Toronto news this past weekend:

This is a screenshot of the The British Methodist Episcopal church on Chestnut St., south of Dundas St. West.

This church has its roots reaching back to the Underground Railroad, which is something historically significant to the Black people who found their way to Canada.  Eventually, the church moved to Shaw Street.  The full details of the story may be found at http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/02/15/torontos-black-history-unearthed-in-excavation-of-landmark-church.html.
 
late update:  Pablo Paradox:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syria-msf-hospital-bombing-1.3448514
 

http://www.slideshare.net/MitchDitkoff/peace-quotes-to-inspire-39436312