Identity, Society and Culture Canada From 1815 to 1914By: Ellen Lee, Alicia Guan, and Lily Chen Canadian Society – Gender Role Canadian Society -Background Background In 1881 approx.88 per cent of Canadians identified with British or French ethnic origins. Of the remaining 12 per cent of the population, half identified themselves as German. At this time the Germans, including large numbers of Mennonites, were the largest non-British and non-French ethnic group in Canada. Other groups, which composed the remaining 6 per cent of the population, included Natives (3%), Dutch (1%), and small groups of Italians, Jews, Russians, Scandinavians, Chinese and African Canadians. Chinese Workers Between 1880 and 1885, about 15,000 Chinese laborers were brought into Canada from China and California to work on the British Columbia section of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Many of these immigrants were hoping this job would help them escape from crushing levels of poverty in China. The Chinese often had the most dangerous jobs on the railway carrying heavy rocks or planting unstable explosives. They lived in unsafe canvas tents that offered poor protection from the elements, including sudden rockslides in the Rockies. Many of these workers died from diseases like smallpox and cholera, or were killed in work-related accidents. Canadian Society - Art Emily Carr's art and vision of Canada have also been called unique. Her family background, the region of the country in which she painted, the subjects she chose to paint, and her own ideas about Canada and Canadian art combined to produced a vision of the Canadian west coast which remains popular today. This vision and the art it led Carr to create distinguishes her as the best-know woman artist in Canadian history. Her work was very well received and she found herself on the way to establishing a national character a leading artistic figure in Canada. In recent years, however, Carr's work has become famous. Where once Carr's art was generally applauded, some art critics have begun to question the ways in which she chose to describe the Native people. Her paintings of decayed Native totems and villages. It is important to note that a popular artistic vision of Canada could present Native peoples only as remembrance of the Emily Carr’s Artworks Canadian Society – Art (Part II) Lucy Maud Montgomery Known best for Anne of Green Gables and the Emily books, Montgomery is a person of national historic significance and a hero of the Twentieth Century: gifted author, diarist, photographer, letter writer, keeper of scrapbooks, and newspaper woman. Her public and private works show Canadian culture as she reflected and imagined it; the book covers suggest how some of her imaginings were interpreted and marketed. Stephen Leacock Stephen Leacock was an humorist, essayist, teacher, political economist, and historian (at Stanmore, Eng 30 Dec 1869; d at Toronto 28 Mar 1944). The recipient of numerous honorary degrees, awards and distinctions (the Lorne Pierce Medal, the Governor General's Award, a postage stamp issued in his honor, the Leacock Medal for Humor established in his honor), Leacock was the English-speaking world's best-known humorist 1915-25. Lucy Maud Montgomery Born in Clifton (New London) in 1874 on November 30th she has become the hero of the twentieth century due to her writings of the book "Anne Green Gables", and the "Emily Books" Montgomery has many hobbies such as being a photographer; owns a scrapbook, and is a gifted author Born on 1869 December 30th, Stephen Leacock lived in the rural village of Swanmore in Hampshire England. Stephen Leacock attended an elite private school of Upper Canada College in Toronto he was the head student in his class. A man whom has many traits as a great humorist, who is also a teacher with political economist views, and as a historian, he also has numerous honorary degrees, awards, and distinctions. The Interaction between Aboriginals and Europeans Explorers European explorers found aboriginal groups in Canada Europeans started the fur trade (increased activity + interaction) Aboriginal women would marry the European men to increase trade Europeans settled in Canada Aboriginal groups were the backbone to the fur trade Europeans brought diseases with them which killed off Aboriginals Traditional life was ruined by Europeans who brought alcohol with them Aboriginal groups went to war because of the fur trade The Interaction between Aboriginals and Europeans Explorers Taught Europeans how to build canoes showed the fur traders the best trails and canoe routes The Huron and Algonquin provided food, and medical cures The aboriginal needed tools(metal tools) but had no ironmaking technique Europeans wanted fur so they traded First Nations and Inuit women sewed mittens and leggings for the fur traders settlers were also taught how to snowshoe and toboggan for transportation Immigration on Canadian Society from 1815 – 1914- Chinese Emigration from China was once a capital crime Chinese immigrate were used as slaves for the BC railway and they were pay only 50 cents compared to the Whites Chinese workers were brought into the country to work on the BC railway Chinese workers were often badly treated in the camp by the whites There were separate camps for the Chinese workers, and they ate rice, salmon and tea for daily basis Chinese workers labour on the railway in BC , played an important role in the construction of the CPR Immigration on Canadian Society from 1815 – 1914- Chinese Immigration on Canadian Society from 1815 – 1914- Europeans Aboriginal and European newcomers lived in a place where is peace in Manitoba for more than 20 years. Canada is a Multicultural nation, home to members from all the worlds of life It was originally home to the Aboriginal peoples, eastern Canada became a power French settlement more than 100 years after its discovery by the white man By the late 1800’s Canada had a national railway system that was able to transport settlers who were Europeans By the late 1800s, Canada had a national railway system that was able to transport settlers who were European in origin. Immigration on Canadian Society from 1815 – 1914- Europeans Changing National Identity When the British Parliament accepted Canadian proposals for a revised constitution and passed the Constitution Act of 1982. As a result of this act, the British North America Act was renamed the Constitution Act of 1867. main provisions - single parliament with; equal representation; each constituent section unfair to Lower Canada - larger population & smaller debt. However, both Canada agreed. An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Government(Constitutional) Provinces of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick – want to be federally united into One Dominion under the U.K and Ireland, with a Constitution similar U.K. Changing National Identity Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier asserted that Canada's lack’s the TREATY-MAKING POWER made difficulties to maintain the rights internationally but he just mentioned it and took no immediate action to it. In 1911, the “reciprocity election," the suspicions of the United States proved by the award might have contributed to Canada’s rejection of the FREE TRADE. Lord Durham's Report and the Act of Union , Lord Durham recommended that the two colonies should combine into one colony. Secondly Canada (as a whole) should be given responsible government. Lord Durham's suggestion of "Responsible Government" meant that the government would listen to the Assembly (the common people) Suggestions The Anglican church should not have special privileges The colonies should be allowed to deal with their own affairs. Suggested that all British colonies unite. Force the French to be British. Changing National Identity After the Lord Durham's suggestions were announced to people, the French Canadians were angry because the report stated that they should be forced to assimilate. From the Act of Union, the Upper Canada became Canada West; the Lower Canada became Canada East; the Capital moved the Montreal. However the British government did not grant responsible government in 1841 because it did not want to give up their Changing National Identity British North America Act served as the main written part of Canada's constitution from 1867 until 1982. The Constitution Act of 1982 replaced it as the basic governing document of Canada. The British Parliament passed the British North America Act in March 1867 to provide for the formation of the Dominion of Canada. The act took effect on July 1, 1867 and united the three British colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada. Under the act, these colonies became four provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. The act divided the colony of Canada to create Ontario and Quebec. The British North America Act established a federal union with a strong central government and limited provincial governments. Generally, the dominion government had the power to deal with matters of national interest. Each provincial government handled education, health, natural resources, and other local affairs. Changing National Identity Thank- you for listening