LESSON 5: KEY PLAYERS
1) For your colony or social group, read the mini-biography for your key player. How were they representative of your colony? How did they impact Confederation? You may click on the provided links for more information.
2) Complete the History Journal at the bottom of the page for your key player by responding to the relevant red question (at the bottom of your player's mini-biography).
2) Complete the History Journal at the bottom of the page for your key player by responding to the relevant red question (at the bottom of your player's mini-biography).
MARGINALIZED PEOPLES
Mary Ann Shadd Cary
(October 9, 1823 – June 5, 1893)
During the 1860s, thousands of African-American slaves escaped into British North America via the Underground Railroad. Mary Ann Shadd Cary was an American-Canadian anti-slavery activist, journalist, publisher, teacher and lawyer. She was born as a free black woman in the United States, and became a prominent member of the Underground. She eventually moved to Canada West, and wrote a pamphlet called A Plea for Emigration, in which she asked that all free citizens assist African-Americans in settling in BNA. She said:
In Canada as in recently settled countries, there is much to do, and comparatively few for the work ... If a coloured man understands his business, he receives the public patronage the same as a white man.
Cary opened a school for ex-slaves' children in Windsor, and in 1853 became the first woman in North American to found a weekly newspaper, called The Provincial Freeman. She eventually returned to the U.S. and became one of only two female lawyers in America.
How did Mary Ann Shadd Cary change the face of Canada and the lives for both woman and Black Canadians?
http://blackhistorycanada.ca/profiles.php?themeid=20&id=5
Mary Ann Shadd Cary
(October 9, 1823 – June 5, 1893)
During the 1860s, thousands of African-American slaves escaped into British North America via the Underground Railroad. Mary Ann Shadd Cary was an American-Canadian anti-slavery activist, journalist, publisher, teacher and lawyer. She was born as a free black woman in the United States, and became a prominent member of the Underground. She eventually moved to Canada West, and wrote a pamphlet called A Plea for Emigration, in which she asked that all free citizens assist African-Americans in settling in BNA. She said:
In Canada as in recently settled countries, there is much to do, and comparatively few for the work ... If a coloured man understands his business, he receives the public patronage the same as a white man.
Cary opened a school for ex-slaves' children in Windsor, and in 1853 became the first woman in North American to found a weekly newspaper, called The Provincial Freeman. She eventually returned to the U.S. and became one of only two female lawyers in America.
How did Mary Ann Shadd Cary change the face of Canada and the lives for both woman and Black Canadians?
http://blackhistorycanada.ca/profiles.php?themeid=20&id=5
FIRST NATIONS
Chief Little Pine
(1773-1854)
Chief Shingwaukonse (also know as Little Pine, The Pine and Shingwauk) was an Ojibway leader who fought in the War of 1812 and received a medal in recognition of his loyalty to Queen and Crown. Without his leadership, passion for his people, and advocacy, many of the treaties created between the First Nations and the Canadian government may never have been created.
After the war, Little Pine rose to the position of head chief, and took on the role of peacemaker and diplomat. He wanted his people to learn what the British could teach them, but he did not want to lose their independence or their traditional way of life, but instead wanted to build on the skills the Ojibway already possessed. Little Pine spent 13 years negotiating with the government and was able to secure a treaty in which his people received payment for any resources removed from their land. This treaty remains in affect today. He also wrote a journal full of his wisdom, which was published and is still read today.
"You have become a great people, whilst we have meted away like snow beneath an April sun; our strength is wasted, our countless warriors dead, our forests laid low, you have hounded us from everyplace as with a wand, you have swept away all our pleasant land, and like some giant foe you tell us, 'willing or unwilling, you must go from amid these rocks and wastes.'"
- Little Pine in a letter to the governor of Canada, 1849
How does Chief Little Pine's legacy live on today?
http://anglicanhistory.org/indigenous/shingwauk1872.html
http://www.ammsa.com/node/28203#sthash.gKguexdM.dpuf
http://shingwauku.ca/about-us/school/chief-shingwaukonse-vision
Chief Little Pine
(1773-1854)
Chief Shingwaukonse (also know as Little Pine, The Pine and Shingwauk) was an Ojibway leader who fought in the War of 1812 and received a medal in recognition of his loyalty to Queen and Crown. Without his leadership, passion for his people, and advocacy, many of the treaties created between the First Nations and the Canadian government may never have been created.
After the war, Little Pine rose to the position of head chief, and took on the role of peacemaker and diplomat. He wanted his people to learn what the British could teach them, but he did not want to lose their independence or their traditional way of life, but instead wanted to build on the skills the Ojibway already possessed. Little Pine spent 13 years negotiating with the government and was able to secure a treaty in which his people received payment for any resources removed from their land. This treaty remains in affect today. He also wrote a journal full of his wisdom, which was published and is still read today.
"You have become a great people, whilst we have meted away like snow beneath an April sun; our strength is wasted, our countless warriors dead, our forests laid low, you have hounded us from everyplace as with a wand, you have swept away all our pleasant land, and like some giant foe you tell us, 'willing or unwilling, you must go from amid these rocks and wastes.'"
- Little Pine in a letter to the governor of Canada, 1849
How does Chief Little Pine's legacy live on today?
http://anglicanhistory.org/indigenous/shingwauk1872.html
http://www.ammsa.com/node/28203#sthash.gKguexdM.dpuf
http://shingwauku.ca/about-us/school/chief-shingwaukonse-vision
CANADA EAST
George-Etienne Cartier
(September 6 1814 - May 20, 1873).
A lawyer from Montreal, George-Etienne Cartier and rose to political power in the legislature in 1848. When John A. MacDonald and George Brown began advocating for representation by population, Cartier became a strong opponent, arguing that the Canadiens were already a minority in government, and to protect the French-speaking people there needed to be an equal number of seats for Canada East and Canada West. He and George Brown soon became bitter enemies.
Cartier was a Father of Confederation and a strong-lover of Canada, even composing the son "O Canada, mon pays, mes amours", which may have been one of the models for our current anthem. He became very involved in the development of the Grand Trunk Railway, supported the choice of Ottawa as our nation's capital, and encouraged the French-Canadiens to join in the Confederation by ensuring the re-establishment of Quebec as a province. During John A. MacDonald's several illnesses, Cartier acted as Deputy Prime Minister.
Without Cartier, do you think the relationship between French and English Canada would have been different?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-georgeetienne-cartier
George-Etienne Cartier
(September 6 1814 - May 20, 1873).
A lawyer from Montreal, George-Etienne Cartier and rose to political power in the legislature in 1848. When John A. MacDonald and George Brown began advocating for representation by population, Cartier became a strong opponent, arguing that the Canadiens were already a minority in government, and to protect the French-speaking people there needed to be an equal number of seats for Canada East and Canada West. He and George Brown soon became bitter enemies.
Cartier was a Father of Confederation and a strong-lover of Canada, even composing the son "O Canada, mon pays, mes amours", which may have been one of the models for our current anthem. He became very involved in the development of the Grand Trunk Railway, supported the choice of Ottawa as our nation's capital, and encouraged the French-Canadiens to join in the Confederation by ensuring the re-establishment of Quebec as a province. During John A. MacDonald's several illnesses, Cartier acted as Deputy Prime Minister.
Without Cartier, do you think the relationship between French and English Canada would have been different?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-georgeetienne-cartier
CANADA WEST
Sir John A. MacDonald(January 1815 - June 1891)
Born in Scotland, Sir John Alexander MacDonald was a Father of Confederation, the creative mind behind the British North America Act, and Canada's first prime minister who paved the way for our future leaders. He also suffered from several personal misfortunes, including the death of his wife and son, the lifelong disability of his daughter, and personal illnesses.
In the years leading up to Confederation, MacDonald headed the Tories and faced growing opposition in Canada West, who believed that MacDonald was too lenient with French-Canadian "domination". In 1864, Macdonald reluctantly accepted George Brown's idea to form a new coalition between MacDonald's Tories, Brown's Grits, and Cartier's Partie Bleu. This coalition played an important role in the forming of the Dominion of Canada.
Macdonald's preference for a strong, highly centralized (federal), unitary form of government was influenced by the destruction he saw during the American Civil War, and led him to writing 51 resolutions for the BNA Act, which laid the foundation for our current government. On July 1, 1867, MacDonald became the first Prime Minister of the new Dominion of Canada and was knighted by the Queen.
Why is Sir John A. MacDonald called a driving force of Confederation?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-john-alexander-macdonald
Sir John A. MacDonald(January 1815 - June 1891)
Born in Scotland, Sir John Alexander MacDonald was a Father of Confederation, the creative mind behind the British North America Act, and Canada's first prime minister who paved the way for our future leaders. He also suffered from several personal misfortunes, including the death of his wife and son, the lifelong disability of his daughter, and personal illnesses.
In the years leading up to Confederation, MacDonald headed the Tories and faced growing opposition in Canada West, who believed that MacDonald was too lenient with French-Canadian "domination". In 1864, Macdonald reluctantly accepted George Brown's idea to form a new coalition between MacDonald's Tories, Brown's Grits, and Cartier's Partie Bleu. This coalition played an important role in the forming of the Dominion of Canada.
Macdonald's preference for a strong, highly centralized (federal), unitary form of government was influenced by the destruction he saw during the American Civil War, and led him to writing 51 resolutions for the BNA Act, which laid the foundation for our current government. On July 1, 1867, MacDonald became the first Prime Minister of the new Dominion of Canada and was knighted by the Queen.
Why is Sir John A. MacDonald called a driving force of Confederation?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-john-alexander-macdonald
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Sir James Douglas
(1803-1877)
Sir James Douglas has gone down in Canadian history for two things: his strong leadership and development of transportation routes in the colony of British Columbia, and for his difficult personality. The son of a Scottish father and a Black Canadian mother, Douglas was intelligent, savvy, and driven. In 1849 he was appointed an agent for the Hudson's Bay Company on Vancouver Island so supervise the fur trade, and where his arguments with the governor of British Columbia became legendary. Within a year, the governor had resigned and Douglas took over his position, later becoming the governor of British Columbia when it became a colony. As governor, he initiated British rule west of the Rocky Mountains, trade and industry, and he is remembered as "the Father of BC".
Douglas was one to "get things done", but the paths he took could sometimes be hard-headed and alienating. Some hailed his as a hero, others viewed him as a villain. He supervised the building of roads to the Cariboo Region to support transportation for the gold rush, but got into trouble with the British Crown for taking out loans without permission. His opponents soon began to declare him "snobbish" and a "dictator", and the British decided to take his governorship away. He was knighted to soften the blow, and became "Sir James."
Do you think Sir James Douglas was a hero or a villain?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-james-douglas
Sir James Douglas
(1803-1877)
Sir James Douglas has gone down in Canadian history for two things: his strong leadership and development of transportation routes in the colony of British Columbia, and for his difficult personality. The son of a Scottish father and a Black Canadian mother, Douglas was intelligent, savvy, and driven. In 1849 he was appointed an agent for the Hudson's Bay Company on Vancouver Island so supervise the fur trade, and where his arguments with the governor of British Columbia became legendary. Within a year, the governor had resigned and Douglas took over his position, later becoming the governor of British Columbia when it became a colony. As governor, he initiated British rule west of the Rocky Mountains, trade and industry, and he is remembered as "the Father of BC".
Douglas was one to "get things done", but the paths he took could sometimes be hard-headed and alienating. Some hailed his as a hero, others viewed him as a villain. He supervised the building of roads to the Cariboo Region to support transportation for the gold rush, but got into trouble with the British Crown for taking out loans without permission. His opponents soon began to declare him "snobbish" and a "dictator", and the British decided to take his governorship away. He was knighted to soften the blow, and became "Sir James."
Do you think Sir James Douglas was a hero or a villain?
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sir-james-douglas
NEWFOUNDLAND
Charles Fox Bennett
(June 1793 - December 1883)
Charles Bennet moved to Newfoundland in 1808 from his home in England, and later opened an import/ export trading company with his brother. Bennet's business expanded to include a farm, a mine, a shipyard and a metal factory. He was a huge supporter of diversifying Newfoundland's economy, and believed that the colony should rely on several types of resources and areas of economy.
When Bennet joined the legislature, he voted against the creation of responsible government (a system that relied on elected officials and decreased the governor's powers) several times. He believed this system would not work for a colony as small as Newfoundland, and thought this might give an unfair advantage to the Catholic portion of the population. This eventually became a very unpopular position, and led to Bennet losing his political seat.
Bennet was one of the most outspoken critics of the Québec Resolutions, and was a strong anti-Confederation voice in Newfoundland, likely influencing it's standing as an independent colony. He was convinced that union with the other colonies would result in raised taxes, disrupted trade, and a deplete the population.
How did Charles Bennet influence Newfoundland's decision to not join Confederation?
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.05-e.html
Charles Fox Bennett
(June 1793 - December 1883)
Charles Bennet moved to Newfoundland in 1808 from his home in England, and later opened an import/ export trading company with his brother. Bennet's business expanded to include a farm, a mine, a shipyard and a metal factory. He was a huge supporter of diversifying Newfoundland's economy, and believed that the colony should rely on several types of resources and areas of economy.
When Bennet joined the legislature, he voted against the creation of responsible government (a system that relied on elected officials and decreased the governor's powers) several times. He believed this system would not work for a colony as small as Newfoundland, and thought this might give an unfair advantage to the Catholic portion of the population. This eventually became a very unpopular position, and led to Bennet losing his political seat.
Bennet was one of the most outspoken critics of the Québec Resolutions, and was a strong anti-Confederation voice in Newfoundland, likely influencing it's standing as an independent colony. He was convinced that union with the other colonies would result in raised taxes, disrupted trade, and a deplete the population.
How did Charles Bennet influence Newfoundland's decision to not join Confederation?
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.05-e.html
THE MARITIMES
Arthur Hamilton Gordon
(November 1829 - January 1912)
Arthur Hamilton Gordon was lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick during the time of Confederation debates, and was responsible for creating the Charlottetown Conference, one of the three major conferences of the pre-Confederation debates and the one at which the Maritimes and the Canadas agreed to a union. Born in England, his own father (George-Hamilton Gordon) was the prime minister of Britain. After his father's death, Gordon began looking for governor positions in the Colonies.
Gordon was committed to creating a larger, stronger Maritime union, which would unit New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and wanted to become the Governor of this much larger colony. He was somewhat disappointed when his idea, the Charlottetown Conference, resulted in a much larger union that he would not be able to lead. Despite his mixed feelings towards Confederation, Gordon did play an important role in the project, and in 1866 he forced anti-Confederation political leader Albert Smith to resign, clearing the way for Confederation supporter Samuel Tilley.
How did Arthur Hamilton's personal motivations influence the development of the Maritimes?
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.29-e.html
Arthur Hamilton Gordon
(November 1829 - January 1912)
Arthur Hamilton Gordon was lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick during the time of Confederation debates, and was responsible for creating the Charlottetown Conference, one of the three major conferences of the pre-Confederation debates and the one at which the Maritimes and the Canadas agreed to a union. Born in England, his own father (George-Hamilton Gordon) was the prime minister of Britain. After his father's death, Gordon began looking for governor positions in the Colonies.
Gordon was committed to creating a larger, stronger Maritime union, which would unit New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and wanted to become the Governor of this much larger colony. He was somewhat disappointed when his idea, the Charlottetown Conference, resulted in a much larger union that he would not be able to lead. Despite his mixed feelings towards Confederation, Gordon did play an important role in the project, and in 1866 he forced anti-Confederation political leader Albert Smith to resign, clearing the way for Confederation supporter Samuel Tilley.
How did Arthur Hamilton's personal motivations influence the development of the Maritimes?
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.29-e.html
History Journal
Click here to complete History Journal 1.