Monday 3 June 2013

settlers

step.

In the first 3 months of  setting i’m our new land, our family will build a shelter/home. Trover skills and experience with lumber and carpentry. We brought with us the tools and supplies needed to do. Sophia and niina have experience in hunting and gathering, and we brought with us enough dried foods and grains to sustain ourselves for the next few months. Plus the nearby aboriginal people we met on our way into this area have offered to teach us some of their ways to survive. On our way in, we found a river that isn’t too far from our new homestead. Sophia carries water each day. we have experience in the market from previous trading. This  will be useful so we can start sharing resourses with other settlers. Ariana makes blankets and rugs from wool that we sell. Also, with neighboring settlers that have not come prepared. as for other supplies we bought a few building supplies. The aboriginal people we have met offered to help us explore and become familiar with the land we have come to. so we have knowledge from our family members before us in the land exploration and usage.

The land where we are settling is near other settlers and a  major traveling route  so we can  easily trade our crops and products. Our land is very flat with not many ground plants, more trees. The trees are spread apart so there is easily room  for growing crops. The soil  is quite dry, but there is a river not too far off. For watering that plants and for drinking.  There are some wild animals around mainly birds, squirrels and the occasional deer. When we first arrived my family was in  awe of the beauty of the forest and excited to start our new life here.

Friday 3 May 2013

Rebecca x2



We are Chinese settlers that moved to Montreal from Beijing. We were orphans living off the street but were able to stow away on a merchant ship to Canada with little trouble except for seasickness. We left China because the only option left for us was prostitution. Along the way, we stole much of what we used to settle in our land, including a live chicken.

The land we claimed is located on the river and up the riverbank and hill that surrounds it, in a rectangular pattern. We have two flat areas separated by a slight slope. The top one would be used for housing and livestock, the bottom for crops. The soil is relatively soft, and with a little bit of tilling will be able to supply us with crops aplenty. Many animals such as deer, rabbits, small birds and squirrels are in abundance, providing us with much needed protein until large farm animals can be obtained through trading. As the river near us is freshwater and unpolluted, it is a handy resource. In the winter months, the cropland may be flooded, but will provide the needed irrigation for that area.

The first three months will be especially crucial. In order to escape the cold winters, a shelter must be built. The land would have to be cleared with the help of the Jabunz’s or the native people that inhabit the area around us. Also, plots for crops would have to be tilled, either by hand or by ox pulled plow. Our skills include gardening, animal care, cooking, building skills, and medicine/first aid skills. The only things we brought/stole was: a cooking pot, old sheets, a shovel, and an axe. Our only neighbours that we know of, the Jabunz’s, live not very close, but still within helping distance. We managed to scavenge some dried food, rice and a live chicken found wandering in the middle of the road. To survive the next three months, we need to achieve a strong bond with our neighbours and the native people. They can help us and trade with us ford things we both need, especially in the winter months. We will also need to find work as either a seamstress, or a hired help in some of the older farms.

Upon our arrival, the deed to our land will be gained within the first 5 months. Winter would be upon us, so being able to store food and have beds and blankets will be necessary. Upon further exploring in the first four months, we have found a small settling area that has one resident doctor. He speaks halting Chinese but we will need to converse with the village people to better learn French. Finding the village is very important, as there is a small chapel, but no school. The children are all homeschooled. A school would be important as the amount of immigrants coming in is increasing. Roads should not be a problem as the land surrounding us is relatively flat and walkways are already constructed. In finding the village, we have also found that there are available jobs for washerwomen and farm hands. This will help drastically with the cost of crop seeds and feed for our chicken. 

Friday 26 April 2013

The Kilbintoshey's Immigration Story - Lara & Kiara


 The Kilbintoshey Clan from Scotland

Our Family:
    The Kilbintoshey Clan originated from Scotland and goes as far back as the 1400’s. The Kilbentoshey people have always been very involved in their community and at least one man in each family have gone into politics. The Kilbintosheys are very likeable people, they are often selfless but know when to keep things for themselves and be rational. Back in Scotland the Kilbintosheys had a hard life: they were barely getting by, struggling to support their 4 children. As was said before, the Kilbintosheys love helping others, it’s in their nature, but it was difficult to help others in need when they were in need as well. Currently there are many living members of the Kilbentoshey clan but only a few are immigrating to Canada to begin a new life. Married husband and wife Lara and Kiara have two boys and two girls and they have decided to go to Canada in hopes of starting anew to continue on with the Kilbintoshey ancestry. This decision ended up being the best they could have ever made. Things started looking up for the Kilbintosheys and soon they were able to help others as well.


After our long voyage across the Atlantic we finally arrived in Montreal. The process was slow at first: everyone wanted to get off the ship to find land but the Kilbintosheys eventually found their land and it was perfect. They were right by the creek which was hard to find and they had vast land with a lot of room to grow crops, keep their animals, and have a living space. The land is a mix of hilly and flat which isn’t necessarily ideal but they make it work. There are many trees and ferns but there is a large clearing where the house can be built. The soil is perfect for growing crops and there is even an area that can be used specifically for crops. Very excellent drainage. The air smells of freshness, pine trees, and the various smells of nature. The land is very secure with a fence and gate and it is also valley-like. With the creek we have access to fresh water and we can also wash our clothes and ourselves and our animals in it. We have an area to park our carriage as well as a place for our horses that pull the carriage. There are deer and birds in the area.



On the land we've created a home on, there are many natural resources we are able to make use of; skills
include fishing, farming, hunting, building, cooking/boiling water, gardening, sewing, building fire.
Our equipment consists of our animals - cow, pig, goat, horse (and buggy) - as well as daily life items
like pots and pans, fishing gear, weapons, and farm tools. Building good relationships with those in
the community around us (Aboriginal peoples, religious people, etc.) is important because it creates a
mutualism relationship in which both parties benefit (trading, buying/selling, etc.) leading to healthier,
happier, and easier lives. However, we can also be self-sustaining; we have brought food supplies with us:
lots of seeds, our cow, pig, and goat, as well as tools that will make fishing/hunting/farming much easier
giving us access to a variety of ways of gaining all sorts of foods. In the next three months, to get by and start achieving goals, we intend to build a solid support to ensure this is an area we will be able to live as easily as possible in. The first three months will be all about bare-bone structures leading to progress; ie, planting seeds and crops that will be harvestable, hunt to provide food, build shelter and living quarters, buy/sell/trade to gain money and resources, as well as building friendships and alliances with neighbours and community members.

This is where our couch would go.
During the next two years we will face many challenges in our new home - we must think ahead and prepare for as much as we can. Survival through the first winter will be largely dependent on how our harvests do; we have found land with fertile soil so it shouldn't prove too big an issue. Harvesting the crops we grow will be done either by hand or tool (scythe, etc.) Having shelter will also be very important considering the cold could lead to pneumonia or other illness. If a family member was to become ill or injured we would use what resources are available to us: herbs and remedies, Aboriginal treatments, the guidance of a member of the church - this shows the value of building relationships with others; by having strong friendships with other groups of people we are opening ourselves to many new and different ways of life that can be very beneficial, plus we can trade, buy,  and sell with them. We can meet these people by going around and introducing ourselves and discussing possibilities with trade, etc. This means it is very crucial to co-operate with our neighbours in order to build these relationships that will further our progress in our new home. Having four children, we feel a school and church would both be very valuable additions to our area, especially the school. All members of the community should come
together to find the resources and materials to build it and work together on the project as it is something that will be of use to everyone. Transportation is not a problem; there are roads and waterways, plus we have a horse and buggy to get around. Most goods and services will be "paid" for with the trading of other goods/services, but of course sometimes money will also be used. Money can be made by helping out a farmer with their crops, working in the community, and by selling crops or other homemade items.



Thursday 25 April 2013

James R., James M., and Tyler Immigrant Project

       We are a group of blues players from the States, after having escaped from slavery we took up the blues and moved to Canada. The land we were given here is somewhat flat, not mountainous. There is some running water nearby, although it doesn't seem very good for drinking. Not by looks, anyway. The soil is rich and wet, although not necessarily great for crops it will have to do. There are a lot of trees and smaller plants, and many small mammals and birds because of it. The river will be useful for the most part, save for any extreme flooding that could come about.

       During the first few months our first goal is to get our house built. There are lots of trees nearby, so material is not scarce, but the problem would be if we do not finish before the rain starts up again and it begins to get cold. I doubt we will take long enough for that to happen, but on the off chance it does, we brought blankets to sleep comfortably enough outside. Beside that we will start growing food as soon as possible, and hopefully start work on an irrigation system. With any luck our neighbours will be kind enough to lend us a hand, but if it comes to it we are all very skilled with manual labour. Doing odd jobs as slaves can come in handy, as it turns out. All we brought with us was some seeds, some blankets for each of us, some dried food, and an axe. If we are lucky we can find some help to level out the ground so that building is easier, but a slanted house is better than none so either way we must begin work quickly.

     Before the year is out we will have completed a house, something of a farm, and we will have made some furniture. Whether or not it is good I can't say, but still, it's better than the floor we used to sit on. So far we have managed to make it by as carpenters and farmers, and being mostly self-sufficient is a definite plus. However, anything we can do for the community we will, because it is certainly better to make friends than enemies.


Wednesday 24 April 2013

Where am I?

                             Where am I? 

Mathew Fietz


I am located on the West Coast of Canada I am within the Pacific Time zone. 
I am the Furthest west you can drive in Canada. I am where the vast cedar tree forest's meet the open Pacific ocean



 Climate






Economy

 Once a popular Hudson's Bay Company Fur trading Headquarters, I was built in 1843 in an area known today as "Old Town" I was home to Thousands of Aboriginal people that converged on my coasts. Once there was a gold rush in late 1858 and miners flocked from all over for the Pay day. Now I'm known to tourists for my Whale Watching, West Coast cuisine and our local theater events.


Leisure 

There are many things you can do around me, from Whale Watching to Bird watching, from Kayaking to Mountain biking, from Golf to Local theater and so much more.


Population

 Since the retreat of the glaciers about 10,000 years ago, Aboriginal population have inhabited my landscape. I got many people from different cultures living on my landscape, from European from the Exploreres, Chinese from the Gold Rush and over 40 other major cultures. Currently I got an estimated population of
363,000, not including the areas surrounding me.


Ecosystem 


My Ecosystem is very diverse.
 Here you will find bears, wolves, cougars, eagles, whales and much more species that would take for ever to list off. 


100Km Perimeter

Sidney BC is very close to me, Duncan is also close to me, within 150km.
I'm a stone toss away from Vancouver BC and depending on the weather you can see Mount Baker.

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Geetanjali, Jenny and Breanne

We are German-Irish settlers (from Germany moved to Ireland bla bla it's a long story) anyway, before we moved here we were lederhosen makers in Germany but the profession soon died out after everyone realized they looked goofy. so we went to Ireland (then all of the potatoes died) so we finally came over to Canada and have settled here in Quebec.
The land we were given is located right next to the river so we have a reliable source of fresh water. It has two flat areas (at different heights) separated by a small slope. The soil is good for growing (as we can tell by the abundance of ferns and trees). Many dogs are in the area. For most of the year the river will be beneficial as it provides water but during winter the water level may rise an we will be forced to stay on the highest possible land on our property.
The first three months will be crucial, we must make a house and clear a spot of land for crops. We will seek assistance from our neighbors and work together to get the job done. Some skill we have are our ability to sew and cook. We have brought with us a shovel, sewing material and German chocolate. We can hire people to clear the land and help build our new home which will make the job easier for us as well as help from our neighbors. we did not bring any food with us so hunting and gathering should be done immediately. To get by we make more tools, buy cooking material (possibly from a local merchant) and also find work either as farmers or possibly tailors as we are experienced in that field.
When we arrive and within the first 4 months we will have all our legal requirements complete (as we Germans work very fast) and we will also encounter our first winter. To survive that we will need to pre-collect food and create blankets and beds for ourselves. We will converse regularly with our neighbors to help develop our French and English and ensure we always have someone to help us. To us it is truly important that we cooperate with others as we may need something from them later. If a school or church is built near by we will certainly help build it for the good of the community. Lucky for us, transportation is not a problem. There are many walkways near our home.
To pay for goods and services we will make a living. To make a living we will be tailors or farmers. Maybe sell bottled water.





Tuesday 16 April 2013

Different Perspectives: The Durham Report and Act of Union

Groups:

In groups you will examine one of the following perspectives and prepare notes:
Group 1: French Canadian nationalists
Group 2: Upper Canadian reformers
Group 3: The Family Compact
Group 4: The Château Clique
Group 5: The Colonial Office in Britain
Group 6: Lord Durham

The next step will be to find a classmate from other groups to learn and record information from other groups.  

Please use the following websites for information:

Canada in the Making: Canada's Constitutional History
URL: http://www.canadiana.org/citm/themes/constitution1_e.html
 
The Canadian Encyclopedia
URL: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com
 
National Archives of Canada: Canada's Constitutional Evolution
URL: http://www.archives.ca/05/051103_f.html (French)
URL: http://www.archives.ca/05/051103_e.html (English)

National Library of Canada: Towards Confederation: Lower Canada
URL: http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/18/h18-2002-e.html
 
National Library of Canada: Towards Confederation: Upper Canada
URL: http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/2/18/h18-2001-e.html
 
Solon Law Archives: Canadian Constitutional Documents
URL: http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/
 
The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838
Canada in the Making: Canada's Constitutional History: 1837 - 1839: Rebellion
URL: http://www.canadiana.org/citm/themes/constitution11_e.html
 
Canada in the Making: The Rebellions of 1837 and 1838
URL: http://www.canadiana.org/citm/specifique/rebellions/rebellions_e.html
 
The Durham Report and the Union Act, 1840
Canada in the Making: Canada's Constitutional History:
1839 - 1849: Union and Responsible Government
URL: http://www.canadiana.org/citm/themes/constitution12_e.html
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