Sunday, 1 April 2012

Innocent villager

Innocent villager’s newspaper entry 26

                The Treaty of Ghent was signed a few short days ago in Berlin. All of the main leaders sat in a room for 5 months negotiating what the agreement would be. This means that the war of 1812 is finally at an end. After two and a half months of the Canadians fighting the Americans the war is at a close. The Americans had this coming from the first gunshot. They were disorganized and outright not very smart about this war. It was pointless. So the Americans lost, the Canadians won, and the Americans got what was coming to them.

Lieutenant Colonel de Salaberry

Entry 17

                Today was the battle of Chateauguay. We Canadians won of course. For the first time in history we French and the British finally agreed upon something, that we all hated the Americans. Those nit-witted Americans couldn’t win a battle even if we surrendered. We were greatly outnumbered and yet we still managed to make them surrender. They are as disorganized and foolish as a toddler. At one point in the battle I could’ve sworn I saw the Americans fighting each other. How daft of them.

                                Lieutenant Colonel de Salaberry


Friday, 23 March 2012

Isaac Brock 2

Journal entry 2
                Last year I was not glad to have my job and I thought that it would be boring and almost pointless. But now I understand that my charge will go without boredom. The war of 1812 is starting to get exciting and it shall go on for years to come. By the end of this war I shall retire back to England or parish in battle.
We have invaded Detroit and sent Hull running. We invaded with a fraction of his army in Detroit, and he surrendered. This war so far is turning out to be in our favour. Even though the king was sceptical and scared that we would lose because he could not spare many forces we are coming out on top.

Isaac Brock 1

Journal Entry 1
                I am Isaac Brock. I have decided to start to record my actions in the war of 1812 for the future generations to understand what happened in this godforsaken war. I am in the position of the head of British forces in Canada.
                Last year I was not glad to have my job and I thought that it would be boring and almost pointless. But now I understand that my charge will go without boredom. The war of 1812 is starting and it shall go on for years to come. By the end of this war I shall retire back to England or parish in battle.
                Today I have made an alliance with the indian chief Tecumseh. Now I have another 600 troops at my disposal. We have recently scared General Hull out of Sandwich and I am slowly making a name for myself.

Monday, 19 March 2012

The King of Britain: 1812

                I woke this morning in a sweat with a bad feeling about the day ahead. I considered telling my butler that I was sick but I second guessed myself. If I were to skip the bad feeling today I would have to face it the next. I guess do today what you are going to put off tomorrow.
                I put on my house coat and go downstairs for morning tea. My butler Hanes is standing there the tea already on the table with a side of my favourite crumpets. He always knew how to get me into a good mood.
                I get ready for the day, a routine every single morning, and then I walk downstairs to the board room. Immediately I am startled by a young man looking in his twenties looking like he has only been working for a few months. He ran up and in a very high register he screamed “YOUR MAJESTY! YOUR MAJESTY!! CANADA IS BEING ATTACKED BY THE AMERICANS!!!” I take by the shoulder and quietly I said to be calm and that we will stop this uprising.
                I turn to the board. I was informed that this war was going to be more difficult than I thought. Most of our troops were occupied with fighting off Napoleon Bonaparte. Therefor we don’t have a lot of troops to spare. Canada would have to fend mostly for itself. This was a very large problem. I return to that statement “We will prevail! My forefathers have not gone their whole lives fighting for this country so that I could lose it to some British rejects! We will prevail!!” and at that the case of panic was closed and we went onto another chapter of how we were to protect both ourselves and our own colony from falling.

Thursday, 8 March 2012

William Hull

A man looking to be of the military steps up onto a crate and turns to us Canadians. It is now that everyone noticed he was American. Everyone just knew. How he walked, how he stood. They know now that the United States has declared war on Canada and therefor the Crown and Britain.
William Hull stepped up looking at all the angry faces around him. They know I’m American, he thought, they know what I’m doing here. They are probably mad with rage. But I’m safe. All of my soldiers are only a few pace away from me. If I were to die they’d slaughter every last one of them. Alright here I go… “As you all know, we have started a war with you!  If you side with the first nations you will parish! If you side with your own forces you will parish! If you side with the Crown you will parish! If you oppose us in any way we will not take you prisoner, but you will fall! I am not here to kill innocent people I am here to control you land and keep the queen in her place! Yes you are angry! But you need to understand Canada under Britain’s rule is a trap! If you are under our rule, your lives will be twenty times easier! We promise!”
The crowd’s expression didn’t get any better. William thought that it actually got worse. He stepped down and walked over to his soldiers saying in a low register “lets go before they get overwhelmed.”

Sunday, 4 March 2012

Canada Needs Help

Keys: Um, sir the chief of one of the Indian tribes is here. He says he was summoned?

Mr. Waterson: Ah yes let him in. And treat him nicely Mr. Keys.

Keys let the first nations chief in.

Chief: Nice place here mr.?

Waterson: Waterson. Mr. Waterson. I am going to ask you a favour for your land as well as mine. As you know the Americans are attacking us and I need you, and any other Indians in the area, to take a large amount of land around the border and protect it well. Afterward you can keep this land as a gift of thanks.

Chief: So you are coming to us for help? This is not of your usual ways.

Waterson: No it isn’t but to win this war we have to change our tactics.

Chief: Alright. I’ll do it.

Waterson: Oh thank you Mr. Cheif

Declaration of War

President James Madison: Ferrel! Come in here at once!

Ferrel: Yes mister president sir. What do you need?

PJM: I have given some thought of going to war with Britain. I declare that it would be pretty easy to get all of their land in North America, so I have decided that I want to. So go send out the troops, immediately!

Ferrel: Alright sir. But you will have to write a formal letter sir. To Britain I mean. You can’t just start to attack.

PJM: I always hated the politics behind war. Alright Ferrel, go get a nice clean sheet of paper. I want to start this war as soon as possible.

Ferrel: Yes mister president sir.

He leaves the room and comes back with a sheet of paper.

PJM: Write this Ferrel: “As I send this letter to you Britain it almost pains me to do so. The message that I send is not happy news. Well… for you. Heh heh. The United States of America are declaring war on Britain. Heh he he. At the moment that you send a response to this letter I will send out my troops to kick your keester off of the property that should already belong to the United States.” You got all that Ferrel? Well go make it longer and more pretty and let me sign it when you’re done.

Ferrel: Yes mister president sir.

Saturday, 3 March 2012

James Franklin

Journal entry 42: 1776

                I am John Franklin’s great grandson, James Franklin. I have, after all these years found his great journal that my father used to tell stories about. He would say that every time the journal came out either something really good or really bad was happening or had already happened. I have very good news today. I have finally got a job at the Hudson’s Bay Company, as for four generations of my family have. I am a carrier (I carry the furs in a cart to Quebec where they are sent to Europe in large ships, from port to port. I find joy in traveling, it sooths me.

                Now the competition for the fur trade has made a surprising turn. The traders in Montreal have all joined together to form The North West Company. The merchants in Montreal, however, trade differently than the HBC. They go out from their post west to find and hunt for furs. This makes it harder for them. But they cannot do anything else. They do not have a strong relationship with the aboriginals and they would come to us with the furs before they went to them.

James Franklin

John Franklin

Journal entry 9: 1670

                Today was the founding day of The Hudson’s Bay Company. It was very generous that they gave me a job there. I have been informed that all I need to do in the shop is wait for the aboriginals to come in every day and trade for their furs so they can be sent to Europe as soon as possible. Apparently there is great competition among the fur trade industry.

 But all I need is to earn a good amount so I can feed my wife and children. We came here with barely anything, just the clothes on our backs and a couple of plates and cups. My children are grateful though. Come every time I come home at night and greet me with thank you’s and things. I love them to death!

                John Franklin

Part 2: The History of Toronto: The Toronto Purchase

It was 1787; the chief superintendent of aboriginal affairs Sir John Johnson met with the Mississauga (a First Nations tribe who owned the Toronto area at the time) and they negotiated a price for the land that is now the GTA. They came to terms with the British and the land along the north shore of Lake Ontario. But the crown saw now their mistake in their negotiating and made a new agreement and made the Mississauga sign a deed to give 22.5 by 45 kilometer area. This was finally done on August 1, 1805

Part 1: The History of Toronto: Intro

York was always a place of great appeal. When aboriginals used to live solely in north America and after their route always went through Toronto. When French settlers came to the area that Toronto stands now they made it a major Seneca village. Later the French made a fort there called fort Rouille. Then after the frenchlost Canada it came into the possession of the Mississauga tribe. So for all of time there has been an age old fight for the possession of Toronto.

Friday, 10 February 2012

John Simcoe

April 20, 1792

Dear Sir Guy Carelton,

I find that Upper Canada has a very unsafe capital city. It is on the border of the United States. Now we here are all loyalists to England so the American people hate us greatly. With the American revolution not a fading memory I would suggest to move the capital city.

My thoughts are upon York. This city would be ever so suitable for the job. It has a wide range of seeing birth so if the Americans were to attack it, York would see it a mile away. All it would really need is a military base and it is set. All I need is your consent and I shall be happy to move there immediately.

Yours truly,

                                John Graves Simcoe

Thayendanegea

Thayendanegea entry 1

                It was hard to get here to the haudenosaunee. They have agreement with white man Britain and is safe here. I am slowly learning English language from one of haudenosaunee men. They were taught by British just after agreement signed. White man British very nice. This American Revolution I no want part of. That is why I come here because is no part of revolution. British very understanding. I like English. It is different and is weird in spell, very fluent, but it is fun to learn.

Thayendanegea

Friday, 3 February 2012

The Black Loyalist

Dear Mrs. Norrington,

                Please, would you be ever so kind to read this to my ma and pa.

I want you and pa to know that I am better off with my new owner. He is teaching me to read and write so I can send messages like this to you. It is amazing the power of spoken and written words. I have seen the power of them. I am trying to convince the government to stop this war. The British have all of the right to put a tax on anything. They sacrificed their blood sweat and tears for this country. They fought and won against the French. That’s the thanks they get, contradiction.

I’ve been sent out of house and home because I believe this but I don’t care. You should believe it too.

Your son,

                Owafo Brown

Peter Van Alstine

Dear mother,

How are you doing back home? Has Mrs. Norrington Stopped cutting your flowers yet? That devil of a lady. How’s dad? Has he stopped drinking? My guess is no. And brother. Is he still thieving for money? I am sorry that I have not sent a letter in a while but money has been short and paper more expensive.

                My wife she is now dead, and I have been kicked off my land. I have been sent to one of the camps with my three children in Sorel. Money is still scarce but I am starting to settle. I have land given by the king and have finished my house. I don’t know if I am going to build a mill for my wheat because the local mill really isn’t so local to us. Although we have had to beg at times we are fine and can’t wait to finally be on our way in these god forsaken colonies. Wish me luck, in the days ahead of us.

                Your son,

                                Peter Van Alstine

Thursday, 26 January 2012

James Robertson

Title: James Robertson

Scene: On Prince Edward Island on a warm summer’s eve on the 62nd birthday of James Robertson.

Grandson: Hey Grandpa’ James Why did you move here to St. John’s Island anyway?

James: Well it’s a very long story. If yer willin’ ta here it.

Grandson: Please tell us the story!

James: Well ‘looks at grandson’s puppy dog eyes’ aw allright.

                It all start’ed when I came ‘ere ta Canada. I was young and happy. Me an’ me brother, Alex, we left home ta start a new life. We finally, af’er what fel’ li’ a lifetime we arrived in New York. Me an’ yer’ grand uncle star’ed a newspaper company called “The Royal American Gazette”. Those were the days. We runne’ tha’ gazette fer eight years until those stupid Patriots kicked us out when we refused ta suppor’ th’ revolution happenin’.

                So we moved from place ta place four times till the war was over. But we was loyalists so we kept on publishin’ our newpaper agains’ th’ war. When th’ war stopped we moved ta’Shelburne, Nova Scotia, you know, where yer uncle Paul lives, an’ we printed the gazette ‘til three years after me brother died. Then I moved here wit’ your lovely grandmother an’ stayed here until now.

                But now I think it’s time fer bed!

Grandson: Nooooo! Tell me more!

James: No, no. it’s getting’ late. Off ta bed with ya.

Grandson: Aawww.

Did Loyalists Get What They Deserve?

 

By: Daniel Beg

When we look into the history of the United States of America we see a lot of loyalty to the country. But at one point in history I ask if there was too much loyalty.

In 1763, the president declared war on the British to gain liberty and freedom from them. Before then the British treated the USA horribly. They put a tax on everything: tea, paper printed and more. But the Americans thought that they shouldn’t have to pay taxes to the British. So they started a war.

During this war there were two sides to the coin. Only some of the American population wanted to attack the British. These people were called Patriots. But over 70,000 of the population then didn’t want to attack, this side were called loyalists. The Patriots despised the loyalists and attacked them many times. Even people who tried to stay neutral were targeted, like Thomas Randolph who was stripped covered in tar and feathers and ridden around town until he decided to leave. These people were all either kicked out of the country or left because of how they were treated.

My question to you is: Do you think that the loyalists got what they deseved?

Monday, 23 January 2012

Dear Mother the war is beginning

March 8,1763
 
Mother I am sorry that this message is so short but it is my last before I am sent to the front lines. I love you dearly and hope that I make it out alive.
 
Love forever,
  Christopher Hadfeild

Dear Mother

February 6, 1763
 
Dear mother,
 
There has been some talk of the president declaring war on the British. I would not blame him if he did. Although war is not good in the Catholic Church the British are treating us rather horrid. Did you know that they put a tax on every paper that we print! I bet in Canada there is no such thing. I am so glad that the president is taking charge to gain liberty.
 
I am going to tell you that if there is a war then I will sign up to be drafted. This is my decision and nothing you do will change it. I want my name to go down in history as one of the valiant fighters of this godforsaken war.
 
Your son,
  Christopher Hadfeild

Thursday, 12 January 2012

Some More Letters

Feb. 9, 1763

Dear Family,

The farm is going good. In this brisk weather the barn is not nearing its finishing point any faster than if I didn`t have hands. Although we are halfway finished.

The king is trying to assimilate the French that are still here. His majesty has closed the Ohio valley. This only made things worse. Now the French are mad. They’re not going to move to Quebec all of the good land is already taken. But to be true I hear that the colonists in Quebec aren’t too happy either. The British merchants are blaming Governor Murray for favouring the French. Now we all know that that’s almost a crime, but they’re like little babies trying to fight over who is loved more by their parents. Makes us British look immature and unruly.

John Cowsson

               

Dec. 9, 1774

Dear Family,

The French were enraged beyond belief. I thought that these British merchants were going to be the downfall of this whole colony. I was afraid that war will once again break out. But all of that has been resolved.

Now some other person named Carleton is recommending that we keep the French as happy as possible. He thinks that we could be allies if the thirteen colonies ever attacked Britain. So now there’s a treaty that states that all of the French aren’t going to be assimilated. So all is well that ends well.

John Cowsson

The First Letter

Dear family,

I’m happy to be in this new land. I like farming here, the land is very fertile. The one thing that’s bad about this place is the way here. And now I’m one of the settlers in an almost completely unexplored land. What an adventure!

I went into town today to buy myself a horse and some wood for my barnand paper so I can write to you. I spied a couple of young ladies that I may fancy. I’m in the market now, so to speak. I’m looking for some help to put up my barn and I told a couple people and they said they might be interested. For a price of course.

                But all of the things that are going on! The Indians here have already tried to rebel but they got cold and left for the winter. The King has issued a royal proclamation to “better organize our gained territories”. They’re going to make laws, and start a whole new government here. The king is taking the Indians’ land left right and center. I don’t think they’re happy about it. He said that he would put out land claims but he hasn’t lately. Weird what this world is coming to, no honesty whatsoever.

John Cowsson