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Post by whisper on Jul 6, 2022 5:19:00 GMT -5
^^^ I don't remember much about history, apart from a few kings and queens, very early stuff like the peasants revolt . I "bunked off" most of senior school. I will have to remember next year to steer clear of the subject
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Post by patriciaanne on Jul 6, 2022 11:00:19 GMT -5
^^^ I don't remember much about history, apart from a few kings and queens, very early stuff like the peasants revolt . I "bunked off" most of senior school. I will have to remember next year to steer clear of the subject Aw, please don't. 💗 I find the discussion interesting, and I don't often get the luxury of viewpoints outside the U.S. So it's always nice to hear other perspectives. ☺️
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Post by Easton on Jul 6, 2022 17:29:35 GMT -5
^ Does American history (as taught in school) include the aftermath in regards to the war's influence on Canada? Canada was built on the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and on the American Civil War.
First, the War of Independence: At the time of the Revolution, my 7th great-grandfather was a colonist living in Pennsylvania. He had married Mary Lord (of New York's Lord and Taylor) and they had started their family. His parents, who had immigrated from either Ireland or Scotland, lived in Pennsylvania as well along with the rest of their children. With war looming, my ancestor along with his older brother drew lots to determine what 'side' they would fight on. My ancestor fought on the side of the Loyalists. His brother fought for the patriots. Either way, the family would be on the winning side. They just didn't anticipate what would happen afterwards.
When the war was over, the Loyalists were expelled from the new United States, either sent back to the UK or allowed to travel north into English Upper Canada (Ontario). Lower Canada was French, present-day Quebec. Upper Canada was allowing homesteading and my ancestor was the first to settle in an area north of Presqu'ile Provincial Park on the northern shore of Lake Ontario in what would become Brighton, Ontario. My family still lives in Brighton and still owns the original homestead. I've never met any of my American family, but there's a lot of them still living in Pennsylvania and in other parts of the US.
War of 1812 and Civil War: The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and the US. Canada was invaded a number of times but, ultimately repelled the invasions with a lot of help from the Peoples of the First Nations. It was during this war that the White House in Washington was burned. Then, with the US Civil War, it was clear that Canada could not depend upon Great Britain for protection and, on July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing Dominion while still part of the Commonwealth and subject to its Constitution. In 1982, we got our own Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms but still maintained a ceremonial link to the Crowns via our Governor General.
In effect, your Revolutionary War created 2 countries and, today, the border between Canada and the United States remains the longest undefended border in the world.
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Post by tommyc on Jul 6, 2022 23:23:32 GMT -5
It's been over 30 years since grade school and high school so my memory isn't great but I remember very little history being taught about Britain and even less about Canada.
Yes, alot about the Revolutionary War but that's about it. Maybe we spent a day or two on the War of 1812.
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Post by tommyc on Jul 6, 2022 23:43:44 GMT -5
Getting back to flossieskid's original post about 4th of July memories, those are some nice memories you have about watching the fireworks as a kid and young adult and then continuing the tradition with your children. I always loved the 4th of July. It was always a fun day. We would wake up in the morning and head to the local parade. We would always get a box of donuts and set up along the curb to watch the parade. I always looked forward to the clowns passing out candy. After the parade, we would then head to a local store for their annual 4th of July sidewalk sale. I remember my parents buying their first microwave oven one 4th of July at the sidewalk sale. One year I also remember buying the song The Eye of the Tiger 45rpm record. It was popular at the time because it was in one of the Rocky movies. Then we would head home for the 4th of July cookout. We had a screened in patio in our backyard and an above ground pool. It was such a fun day grilling out and hanging out with the family in the patio and the pool. In my older years, I would buy fireworks and set them off in the front yard, hoping not to get busted by the police. One year three or four cop cars flew up to the house and drove onto our lawn raid style. They just told me to stop and left without giving me a ticket. Quite a lot of drama to just give me a warning and drive away. One year, it was pouring rain most of the day and I had ridden to my parents house on my motorcycle. I remember wearing my helmet and raingear as I cooked the food on the grill. Everyone thought it was funny but it kept me dry while cooking the food. Here are some pics from 1974, 1977 & 1978 of us at the parade with a box of donuts and the donut shop in the background. I would use that same wagon 10 years or more later to deliver the daily morning paper as a paperboy.
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Post by patriciaanne on Jul 7, 2022 20:56:54 GMT -5
^^^ What great photos and fun memories!!
We were always at our lake house. We would hang out on the beach and have a few fireworks and then we would watch the really BIG fireworks displays all around the lake.
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Post by patriciaanne on Jul 7, 2022 21:09:07 GMT -5
^ Does American history (as taught in school) include the aftermath in regards to the war's influence on Canada? Canada was built on the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and on the American Civil War.
First, the War of Independence: At the time of the Revolution, my 7th great-grandfather was a colonist living in Pennsylvania. He had married Mary Lord (of New York's Lord and Taylor) and they had started their family. His parents, who had immigrated from either Ireland or Scotland, lived in Pennsylvania as well along with the rest of their children. With war looming, my ancestor along with his older brother drew lots to determine what 'side' they would fight on. My ancestor fought on the side of the Loyalists. His brother fought for the patriots. Either way, the family would be on the winning side. They just didn't anticipate what would happen afterwards.
When the war was over, the Loyalists were expelled from the new United States, either sent back to the UK or allowed to travel north into English Upper Canada (Ontario). Lower Canada was French, present-day Quebec. Upper Canada was allowing homesteading and my ancestor was the first to settle in an area north of Presqu'ile Provincial Park on the northern shore of Lake Ontario in what would become Brighton, Ontario. My family still lives in Brighton and still owns the original homestead. I've never met any of my American family, but there's a lot of them still living in Pennsylvania and in other parts of the US.
War of 1812 and Civil War: The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and the US. Canada was invaded a number of times but, ultimately repelled the invasions with a lot of help from the Peoples of the First Nations. It was during this war that the White House in Washington was burned. Then, with the US Civil War, it was clear that Canada could not depend upon Great Britain for protection and, on July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing Dominion while still part of the Commonwealth and subject to its Constitution. In 1982, we got our own Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms but still maintained a ceremonial link to the Crowns via our Governor General.
In effect, your Revolutionary War created 2 countries and, today, the border between Canada and the United States remains the longest undefended border in the world.
Easton, this was so interesting -- both the history and your personal link to it. I want to say that it is shameful how history is taught (or not taught, as it were) in this country. It was a lot better when I was a kid, but even then, it wasn't great. I have done a lot more studying of American history on my own. Now my father, on the other hand, was a walking encyclopedia of both American and world history -- right down to individual battles. And I'm talking right up to the end of his life. I wish I could ask him if he knew about what you shared with us. He probably did, judging by how much he knew about other things. But to answer your question -- we were woefully lacking in info on Canada in our history classes. Crazy when you think about it as Canada is a huge neighbor and very important to the U.S. As for world history in general -- I do remember learning about various kings and queens in England; the French revolution; and what was going on in Europe pre-WW2 that led to the rise of Hitler. I don't recall much about Asia, although I'm sure it was covered at some point.
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Post by flossieskid on Jul 8, 2022 2:15:51 GMT -5
Loved tommyc’s photos and memories from his years of celebrating the fourth of July. What terrific treasures to have! I learned so much about Canada and I am ashamed to say I never learned any of that stuff in school. So Easton’s post surely enlightened me! But, my gold star goes to PatriciaAnne and her posting of the Declaration of Independence. I read it many years ago in school but haven’t reviewed it for decades! When I read it again, you could truly understand why this new nation absolutely had to remove itself from the tyranny of the king of England’s restrictions. What an incredible beginning. I do wonder what the founding fathers would say today about the country they fought so hard for.
Thank you to all of you for sharing your special posts!
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Post by carol on Jul 9, 2022 13:32:15 GMT -5
^ Does American history (as taught in school) include the aftermath in regards to the war's influence on Canada? Canada was built on the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and on the American Civil War. First, the War of Independence: At the time of the Revolution, my 7th great-grandfather was a colonist living in Pennsylvania. He had married Mary Lord (of New York's Lord and Taylor) and they had started their family. His parents, who had immigrated from either Ireland or Scotland, lived in Pennsylvania as well along with the rest of their children. With war looming, my ancestor along with his older brother drew lots to determine what 'side' they would fight on. My ancestor fought on the side of the Loyalists. His brother fought for the patriots. Either way, the family would be on the winning side. They just didn't anticipate what would happen afterwards. When the war was over, the Loyalists were expelled from the new United States, either sent back to the UK or allowed to travel north into English Upper Canada (Ontario). Lower Canada was French, present-day Quebec. Upper Canada was allowing homesteading and my ancestor was the first to settle in an area north of Presqu'ile Provincial Park on the northern shore of Lake Ontario in what would become Brighton, Ontario. My family still lives in Brighton and still owns the original homestead. I've never met any of my American family, but there's a lot of them still living in Pennsylvania and in other parts of the US. War of 1812 and Civil War: The War of 1812 was a war between Britain and the US. Canada was invaded a number of times but, ultimately repelled the invasions with a lot of help from the Peoples of the First Nations. It was during this war that the White House in Washington was burned. Then, with the US Civil War, it was clear that Canada could not depend upon Great Britain for protection and, on July 1, 1867, Canada became a self-governing Dominion while still part of the Commonwealth and subject to its Constitution. In 1982, we got our own Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms but still maintained a ceremonial link to the Crowns via our Governor General. In effect, your Revolutionary War created 2 countries and, today, the border between Canada and the United States remains the longest undefended border in the world.
Unfortunately a lot of history isn't being taught anymore because some people find parts of it offensive and want to hide it and try to erase it. They did a survey in 2018 and two thirds of the millenials surveyed didn't know what a concentration camp was.They had never heard of the Holocaust. I've seen news stations interview people off the street, people who were under 35 years old and they couldn't answer simple history questions like who the first US President was,who the US fought in the American Revolution, What is the Gettysburg Address and who gave it? who attacked Pearl Harbor and when? and what an abolishionist was, and what the underground railroad was.
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Post by patriciaanne on Jul 10, 2022 11:15:07 GMT -5
^^^ This is so true, Carol!!! As much as my education was lacking in history, I DID learn about the founding of our country (which included the abomination of slavery); the Civil War and what led up to it; and I absolutely learned about the Halocaust -- in great detail. I beg people to educate their children -- and grandchildren. If you are sending your kids off to school and thinking they're getting a complete, well-rounded education, you are sadly mistaken. Even putting political agendas aside, the amount of info that can be covered in a school day is limited. What kids actually absorb is an even smaller percentage of that. Parents have to grab a mitt and get in the game. We have wonderful places to visit -- like Colonial Williamsburg and Gettysburg -- that really make history come alive. And holidays like Independence Day and Memorial Day are teaching opportunities.
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Post by carol on Jul 10, 2022 16:53:46 GMT -5
^^^ This is so true, Carol!!! As much as my education was lacking in history, I DID learn about the founding of our country (which included the abomination of slavery); the Civil War and what led up to it; and I absolutely learned about the Halocaust -- in great detail. I beg people to educate their children -- and grandchildren. If you are sending your kids off to school and thinking they're getting a complete, well-rounded education, you are sadly mistaken. Even putting political agendas aside, the amount of info that can be covered in a school day is limited. What kids actually absorb is an even smaller percentage of that. Parents have to grab a mitt and get in the game. We have wonderful places to visit -- like Colonial Williamsburg and Gettysburg -- that really make history come alive. And holidays like Independence Day and Memorial Day are teaching opportunities. I learned all those things too and more. I first learned of the Holocaust from reading The Diary Of Anne Frank. I read that in 7th grade 2 years before I had a world history class. I was the type of student if I wanted to know more about a subject I would go to encyclopedias and other books. I probably learned more that way than in the classroom. Now I go on the internet. If we aren't careful and continue to not teach the ugly parts of history and the consequences of those events we may see them happening again. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905.
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Post by patriciaanne on Jul 12, 2022 13:13:06 GMT -5
I also read "The Diary of Anne Frank." It was very powerful. And someone who lived in our building was a concentration camp survivor with a tattoo on her arm. She must have been just a child because this was probably 1972 and she was only about the same age as my mother (maybe a little older.) I was only 9 years old, but I knew what that tattoo was. Nowadays you wouldn't be able to find 19 year olds who knew what it was.
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Post by Easton on Jul 12, 2022 15:15:38 GMT -5
I'm a Boomer. I was born 6 years after the end of WWII. In high school during the 60s, we were taught about the Holocaust. It was already fresh in our minds as it were. During Armistice Day (today we call it 'Remembrance Day) the school would hold assemblies in the auditorium and show us film footage of the war.
WARNING: If you are the sensitive type, please stop reading now. The following description is extremely disturbing.
Much of the footage shown was difficult to watch, but the most disturbing footage was German footage from inside a concentration camp. The only thing I can remember, and I remember very, very clearly, was a scene of a huge open pit with guards and rifles standing around the rim. The pit is filled with hundreds of naked, skeletal bodies (if you've seen photos of prisoners of war, you get the drift). Two soldiers approach carrying another body - one holding the wrists and the other holding the ankles. They stop on the edge of the pit, swing the body back, and then toss it into the deep pit where it crashed upon the other corpses.
Sixty years later I am still disturbed by that footage. I remember it in my mind as if I watched it this morning. I would love for Holocaust deniers to be forced to watch those films, but I am sure they would poo-poo it all as 'Hollywood Magic'.
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Post by carol on Jul 12, 2022 23:27:57 GMT -5
I also read "The Diary of Anne Frank." It was very powerful. And someone who lived in our building was a concentration camp survivor with a tattoo on her arm. She must have been just a child because this was probably 1972 and she was only about the same age as my mother (maybe a little older.) I was only 9 years old, but I knew what that tattoo was. Nowadays you wouldn't be able to find 19 year olds who knew what it was. Back in 1987 when I was studying to become a nurses aid I did a clinical training in a Jewish nursing home. I saw a patient there, an elderly woman, who had a number tattooed on her arm. I knew what it was and she knew I saw it but of course I didn't say anything. I figured it was a subject that she wouldn't want to be reminded of. I've also discovered in my family history research that I had a great great aunt and uncle who died in a concentration camp. I don't know which one or if they were even in the same camp when they died. Aunt Anna was the sister of my patermal great grandfather. She was Catholic and I believe her husband Jacob Weber was Jewish. They would have been in their early 70's then. My great Grandfather and two of his brothers came to Canada in 1904 but she and other siblings stayed in Hungary.
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Post by Johnny on Jul 15, 2022 6:22:36 GMT -5
I learned in the TV series, The Wind at My Back, of Canada's policy of turning away Jewish refugees during Nazi oppression. In the episode I watched, a young Jewish musician was smuggled from Ontario to New York. to escape Canadian deportation. I didn't realize there was such policy and antisemitism in Canada towards Jews attempting to escape the Holocaust.
I recall the U.S. also turning away Jewish refugees, but also allowed many to immigrate to the states.
I did learn about the loyalists who were originally colonists in the states moving to Canada, but not in school. I learned that from Canadians visiting the U.S. On my own I learned that Columbia University in NY was founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter of King George II, it was renamed Columbia College in 1784 later to become a university by 1890. .
Something else I learned more recently, although some Black Canadians originated from Africa as slaves. Most came as refugees from America especially during the War Between the States, in the Underground Railway.
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