When being taught about the war of 1812, we focus primarily on the perspective of the British and Americans. But does anybody ever stop to think about what this war would have looked like for the First Nations people of Canada? 

   In this blogpost, I will highlight what I think the First Nations point of view would have looked like during the time of the war of 1812. I will also share what I believe their feelings and opinions towards the battles would have been, and how they benefitted form partaking in the war. 

   Going into the battles that made up the war of 1812, the First Nations people wisely sided with the British who were fighting to keep the land that is now Canada, safe and in their possession. Both the First Nations and the British wanted to keep the Americans from expanding up into what’s now modern day Canada. The First Nations people wanted to keep the Americans from taking over their ancestral land. In order to keep this land protected, more than 10000 First Nations warriors help to fight in almost every major battle, during the war of 1812. Not only did the First Nations increase the British’s army sizes, but they also offered exceptional fighting abilities. As a First Nations person, I would feel very honoured to be able to offer so much to the British army. It would make me fight with pride knowing that my contribution was making a big difference in protecting my ancestors lands. 

   There were three main areas that the war was fought on: the Western Great Lakes region, the Niagara region and the St. Lawrence region. In all three of these places, First Nations warriors helped to keep the American warriors from invading, and taking over the land. I imagine the First Nations saw this as a very important job, as the work they were doing was helping to keep their ancestral lands protected from being over taken. 

   The First Nations played a very key part in the victory at the Battle of Detroit. If it hadn’t been for the Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, and his great deception and bluffing techniques, the outcome of the Battle of Detroit may have been very different. Even thought the British went into the fight with less men, they were able to use strategic planning and deception methods to trick the Americans into surrendering. Once again, as a First Nations person, I would take much pride in the fact that it was because of not only our great efforts that the Battle was won, but also our traditions and practices that played a huge part in the British victory. 

   Overall, I think that the First Nations people fought the battles involved in the war of 1812 with a lot of heart and a lot of drive. This drive came not only from the fact that they were protecting their ancestral land, but that they were also protecting their ties with the British. 

   These ties with the British helped to provide them with jobs and equipment they wouldn’t otherwise have. If it wasn’t for the British people living in “Canada” the fur trade would not have existed. And to the First Nations people the fur trade was very important, as it provided many of them with a source of income. They were able to trade the pelts and furs they hunted for valuable things that they needed. This included things like pots, pans, weapons, metals... So by fighting along side the British, they helped to not only keep the fur trade alive, but also strengthen their ties with the British, and keep their ancestral land safe and out of the hands of the Americans. 

1812 The War That Saved Canada(2012)Uploaded By: Canadian War Museum. 

Available online at: https://legionmagazine.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/1812Lead.jpg

Websites used:

https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1338906261900/1338906300039

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/m/article/first-nations-in-the-war-of-1812/

American perspective

During the war of 1812, we are taught the reasons we fought. Why the Americans needed to be defeated, and why we were superior. We have a self-centered focus on all of our history. It normally depicts as right, and the opposing force is making the mistake, not us. We can not do bad, unless it is covering inter nation issues. Such as mistreating first nations, and immigrants. That we have learned we have to tell the truth, but vs. other countries, we are always right. If you sat in a american classroom and learned about 1812, it would be depicted very differently. it would probably look a lot more like they are doing the right thing, fighting for their countries land, and trading. We are told that the Americans want out land, which is true, but not are only motivation. They were also looking trading routes to Europe.

The Americans wanted to do over sea trading, but have already burnt bridges with Britain. (solid pun right there, burnt bridges, overseas, classic) Britain controls most of the water ways and america wanted to get through. The easiest way to hit Britain, attack Canada. In the end this did not work because Canada actually held its ground this was one of the few times America actually didn't win a war. The treaty of Ghent had nothing in it about maritime issues, so it is often not discussed but most scholars agree they believe that was indeed a motive.

During this time Britain was also facing the Napoleonic wars, while also battling with the Americans in the new world. The U.S. also had to deal with the native Americans, battling for there own land. not wanting to lose the great lakes, Alabama or Michigan. When reading up on important 1812 battles for Americans,they do not have the same ones a Canada view. Many are even including the British, they focus on the native Americans and the land the fought for with them. Also most are on american soil. From what I'm reading they don't actually associate the war to Canada. while at the time we weren't a country, and Britain did most of the fighting. But I'm sure those people that fought probably became Canadians, and it is all whats now Canada. Former president Obama even said "It's now been 200 years since the British came here to the White House under somewhat different circumstances. They made quite an impression. They really lit the place up! But we moved on." The British prime minister was in town when he made that remark, but I'm sure Canadians have been in the white house and they made no such remarks.

In the end both countries teach that they were superior, and had there motives, and they were the good guy. Which is sometimes right, sometimes wrong, nut for the most part neither side had to many differences in battle stories, just details.
 Websites of use:
http://www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/essays/american-perspective/
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/2167359-the-u-s-perspective-on-the-war-of-1812/

In Today's News

In Today's news 

Today we just learned about the struggles the colonial government in governing it's own citizens pitted between English and French constant arguments would arise and eventually leading sometimes governments being defeated all because of the Act of Union of 1841 that united Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Québec) into Canada West and Canada East. A coalition would be formed by Robert Baldwin in the West and Louis Lafontaine in the East.  

A major issue leading into confederation was the railways the question was the Premier at the time was debating on how to pay for it and these disagreements lead to political deadlock where votes were tied and nothing could actually be done(very frustrating I would imagine. See why I don't like politics?). A second Coalition was from by John A. Macdonald leader of the conservatives party and George Etienne Cartier who had French support (very important.). The opposition was George Brown leader of the Liberal Opposition and founder of the Toronto Globe. Both people would oppose each other on a personal level resulting in Brown many times calling John A. a devil. They would bump heads many times sometimes John A.'s government being defeated and sometimes George Brown being defeated.  

A major step was John A.'s scheme that Queen Victoria herself chose Bytown(Ottawa) as Canada's capital because Canada had no permanent capitol going from Québec to Toronto and back again. Later Macdonald and Cartier chose to work together and managed to gain support from George Brown who even openly supported them. This is our birth story.

quotes from John A.

• If I had influence over the minds of the people of Canada, any power over their intellect, I would leave them this legacy: ‘Whatever you do, adhere to the Union. We are a great country, and shall become one of the greatest in the universe if we preserve it; we shall sink into insignificance and adversity if we suffer it to be broken.’

• My sins of omission and commission I do not deny; but I trust that it may be said of me in the ultimate issue, ‘Much is forgiven because he loved much,’ for I have loved my country with a passionate love.

posted by George journal.

unknown author

online at:John A quotes

 Uploaded by Wikipedia last edited on November 23 2017 at 12:17

available online at: Original flag of Canada

In another persons shoes November blog post

The battle of seven oaks battle massacre or incident






I believe that the metis would call it an incident because they would see it as a small footnote in history. The main problem was that they couldn't sell pemmican to the NWC because of the colony's leader. They blamed the HBC for the conflict because the of the aforementioned pemmican proclamation which the metis saw as an attack on the NWC as the NWC saw it too. The proclamation threatened their way of life because the metis could not sell the pemmican which meant they could not make a living.







The HBC would claim it was a massacre because they believe that since the British did not win the fight then the metis would only make a massacre. The British also have a history of twisting things to make the British reign supreme, they would call it a massacre because they wanted the metis to be seen as barbarians and needed public opinion low of them. This is shown by how after the battle they claimed the metis instigated the conflict and mutilated bodies after the fight. This persisted after their investigation showed that the metis did not instigate the fight and did not mutilate the bodies. They would also use the word massacre to emotionally charge people to believe the metis are monsters. None of the things Britain said was true but they always tried to lessen the power of the natives and metis. This notion of it being a massacre has persisted so much that it is hard to find a picture that is not geared to look like a massacre.







The Winnipeg free press would say it was a incident as well, after more information came to light it would be shown that the metis did not instigate the battle. In total 22 people died in total this is not enough to warrant a massacre name. The most significant was how the HBC tried to turn it all on the metis. All of this leads me to believe that they would call it an incident.

The main problem throughout history was the lies the British spread even after Coltmans report which clearly stated that the metis were not the instigators in the fight. The main reason it was called a massacre was British interference throughout history saying it was a massacre.


After the event of seven oaks lord Selkirk used his own private army to take fort William, which was the HQ of the NWC he remained at the fort for the winter and sent his men to retake fort Douglas. on the way they captured several smaller forts. this caused the NWC to take 5 HBC post, the war continued on for 5 years. Thankfully the Selkirk colony continued to grow steadily.


In 1820 the HBC started to mimic the NWC tactics, they pushed further in First Nation lands often losing money doing so. Because of all the pressure the HBC was causing the two companies merged in 1821.





References
The battle of seven oaks/2017. uploaded by Wikipedia, Available online at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Seven_Oaks
My brain


-John