Grade 11 History

Grade 11 History Overview

Discussion Questions

  • What is history?

  • Why should we study history?

  • Significant historical events:

    • World War I

    • World War II

    • D-Day

    • Civil War

    • Vietnam War

  • Importance of remembering historical events:

  • How is history documented?

What is History? (Class Brainstorm)

  • Concepts of History:

    • The past involving people, landmarks, events, languages, and lands.

    • Activities and occurrences that have been part of our past.

    • Historic changes that shaped nations.

    • Collective knowledge of human experiences.

    • Recording significant events and milestones.

Why Study History? (Class Brainstorm)

  • Understanding the Past:

    • Learning from past mistakes.

    • Improving our current understanding of society.

    • Avoiding repetition of errors.

    • Building on previous experiences for future developments.

    • Facilitating reconciliation, healing, and forgiveness.

Significant Historical Events (Class Brainstorm)

  • Notable Events:

    • World War I.

    • World War II.

    • D-Day.

    • Civil War.

    • Vietnam War.

    • Chernobyl explosion.

    • Women’s rights movement.

    • Napoleonic wars.

    • Trojan wars.

    • Slave trade.

Importance of Remembering Historical Events (Class Brainstorm)

  • Knowing Our Roots:

    • Understanding our origins.

    • Learning from past mistakes to avoid repeating them.

    • Gaining insights into different cultures and societies.

    • Framing our perspective on how we have shaped the world.

How is History Documented? (Class Brainstorm)

  • Forms of Documentation:

    • Written documents, scrolls.

    • Oral stories, poems, and books.

    • Artistic representations and artifacts.

    • Ruins, videos, and landmarks.

    • Photographs and journals, music.

Considerations in Learning History

  • Perspective Awareness:

    • Analyze whose viewpoints are represented in historical narratives.

    • Evaluate the authorship of historical texts and the subjects covered.

Positionality in History

  • Personal and Contextual Understanding:

    • Positionality highlights how individual experiences influence perceptions of history.

    • Factors such as gender, race, social class, inform our worldviews.

    • Recognizing the power dynamics in historical contexts.

History of You Assignment - Early Planning

  • Family History Exploration:

    • Reflect on family traditions and significant geographical ties.

    • Identify key life events across distinct developmental periods:

      • Early years (0-6 years)

      • Middle years (7-12 years)

      • Later years (13-17 years)

Cluster 1: The First Peoples and Nouvelle France (to 1763)

Essential Question #1

  • Who were the First Peoples and how did they organize their societies?

Diversity & Origins of First Peoples in Canada

  • Definition:

    • First Peoples include diverse First Nations and Inuit communities.

    • They are the indigenous population of Canada, having no other ancestral homelands.

Diverse Lands, Diverse Cultures

  • Cultural Adaptation:

    • Different First Peoples communities adapted their lifestyles based on their geographical environments.

    • Example: Great Plains relied on bison; Northwest Coast relied on fish.

Diverse Lands, Diverse Languages

  • Linguistic Diversity:

    • In the 17th century, fifty major languages spoken by First Peoples.

    • Classified into twelve language families with various dialects.

Origins of First Peoples in Canada

  • Cultural Significance of Origin Stories:

    • Origin stories are foundational narratives reflecting community beliefs and customs.

    • Best understood in the original languages of the communities.

Creation Stories

  • Understanding Beginnings:

    • Creation narratives vary across communities, showing a connection between people and the land.

Scientific Evidence of Origins

  • Archaeological Theories:

    • Various archaeological insights theorize the origins of human history in the Americas.

Traditional Worldviews of First Peoples in North America

  • Worldview Defined:

    • The collection of beliefs and assumptions guiding understanding of the universe.

    • Influenced by personal experiences, culture, traditions, and spirituality.

Spirituality and Interconnectedness

  • Holistic Understanding:

    • Emphasizes the relationship between all elements in the universe, highlighting balance and harmony.

The Medicine Wheel: An Introduction

  • Symbolic Representation:

    • The sacred circle symbolizes Mother Earth and interconnectedness.

    • Focus on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life.

The Medicine Wheel Components

  • Quadrants and Signification:

    • Four quadrants typically consist of:

      • Physical: Connection to the body and Earth.

      • Mental: Thoughts and beliefs.

      • Emotional: Depth of feelings.

      • Spiritual: Connection to the divine.

Classes’ Knowledge of the Medicine Wheel

  • Brainstormed Understanding:

    • Recognization of four directions, associated colors, seasonal changes, and their implications for nature and healing.

The Circle as an Important Symbol

  • Natural World Relations:

    • Considerations of forms of the natural world shaped like circles.

Seasonal Associations of the Medicine Wheel

  • Colors and Seasons Interpretation:

    • Yellow - Spring (renewal time).

    • Red - Summer (abundance).

    • Black - Fall (harvest).

    • White - Winter (completion).

Elemental Relationships in the Medicine Wheel

  • Colors & Elements:

    • Yellow: Fire (light and warmth).

    • Red: Earth (source of sustenance).

    • Black: Water (essential for life).

    • White: Wind (life-giving air).

Animal Associations in the Medicine Wheel

  • Symbolism and Interpretations:

    • Yellow: Eagle (vision and power).

    • Red: Buffalo (provision and endurance).

    • Black: Wolf (intelligence and playfulness).

    • White: Bear (strength and healing).

Plants and Medicinal Uses in the Medicine Wheel

  • Sacred Plants:

    • Yellow: Tobacco (honoring creator).

    • Red: Sage (negative energy purification).

    • Black: Sweetgrass (purity and calm).

    • White: Cedar (home protection and purification).

Heavenly Body Associations

  • Celestial Connections:

    • Yellow: Sun (new beginnings).

    • Red: Earth (sustains life).

    • Black: Moon (guidance in planting cycles).

    • White: Stars (connections to ancestors).

Life Stages Representation in the Medicine Wheel

  • Color-Coded Life Stages:

    • Yellow: Birth/Childhood (innocence).

    • Red: Youth/Adolescence (growth).

    • Black: Adult/Parenthood (responsibility).

    • White: Elders/Grandparents (wisdom and reflection).

The Divisions of the Medicine Wheel

  • Key Components:

    • Color, Direction, Season, Element, Animal, Plant, Heavenly Body, Life Stage

Video Resource

  • Educational Clip:

    • Insights into the Medicine Wheel teachings.

Quick Write Activity

  • Reflection Question:

    • Identify the Medicine Wheel division that resonates personally and explain why.

Upcoming Lessons

  • Traditional Worldviews Overview:

    • Influence of experiences, traditions, and beliefs on worldviews.

Reflection Opportunities

  • Personal Reflection:

    • Examine individual relationships with land, languages, and traditions.

Essential Question #2

  • European Encounters:

    • Exploration motivations and interactions with First Peoples.

The Vikings Arrive in North America

  • Historical Accounts:

    • Bjarni Herjolfsson's and Leif Ericson's explorations and encounters with First Nations.

    • Establishment of L’Anse aux Meadows as a Viking settlement.

Doctrine of Terra Nullius

  • Colonial Perception:

    • European misconceptions regarding ownership and land rights concerning Indigenous peoples.

Early European Explorers

  • Key Figures:

    • Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) and various British explorers seeking the Northwest Passage.

Nouvelle-France Development

  • French Exploration Needs:

    • Early French explorers’ reliance on First Nations for knowledge of geography and resources.

Company of One Hundred Associates

  • Economic Development:

    • Established by Champlain to expand Quebec and create a French empire in North America.

Expansion of Nouvelle-France

  • Challenges Faced:

    • Attacks from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy hindering development.

Royal Colony Transition

  • Under King Louis XIV:

    • Nouvelle-France transformed into a royal colony, governed directly by the monarch.

Sovereign Council Framework

  • Governance Structure:

    • Key members and their responsibilities in administering the colony.

Independence of Nouvelle-France

  • Growing Autonomy:

    • Factors contributing to a more independent governance.

Defense Strategies of Nouvelle-France

  • Military Conflicts:

    • Increasing tension between French settlers and the Haudenosaunee, leading to military expeditions.

Militia Organization

  • Community Defense:

    • Creation of a militia among leaders and colonists for protection.

French Territorial Claims by 1682

  • Extent of Control:

    • Territories held by France across North America.

Church Role in Nouvelle-France

  • Social Services:

    • Religious and social contributions of the Catholic Church to the community.

Jesuit Missionary Efforts

  • Conversion Attempts:

    • Strategies of the Jesuits and other religious orders in engaging with First Nations communities.

Seigneurial System Overview

  • Land Management Structure:

    • Explanation of land ownership and obligations between seigneurs and habitants.

Coureurs de Bois and Their Influence

  • Cultural Exchange:

    • Relationship building with First Nations and the impact on trade.

Les Filles du Roi (The King's Daughters)

  • Population Growth Strategy:

    • Overview of the plan to address gender imbalance in Nouvelle-France.

Acadia Settlement

  • Early French Settlement:

    • Establishment of Port Royal and the Acadian identity.

Treaty of Utrecht Consequences

  • Territorial Losses:

    • Impacts on Acadia including relocations and demographic changes.

Uneasy Peace with the Acadians

  • Compromises and Agreements:

    • Arrangements made between the Acadians and British authorities.

Acadian Expulsion Events

  • Historical Tragedy:

    • Overview of the expulsion and its repercussions on Acadian communities.

Aftermath of the Expulsion

  • Settlements and Returns:

    • Re-establishment challenges faced by deported Acadians.

Building a Historical Timeline

  • Methodology

    • Constructing a timeline of key events.

Genocide Definition

  • Understanding Genocide:

    • Overview of definitions surrounding genocidal actions and implications of the Acadian expulsion.

The Seven Years' War Overview

  • Conflict Summary:

    • Brief background and main players involved in the Seven Years’ War.

North American Theatre of the War

  • Fighting Dynamics:

    • Explaining British and French military strategies in North America.

Key Battles of the War

  • Siege of Louisbourg and Quebec:

    • Major battles leading to British control in Canada.

Treaty of Paris 1763 Outcomes

  • War Conclusions:

    • Land distribution changes post-war and impact on Indigenous relations.

Understanding the Fur Trade

  • Historical Importance:

    • Overview of the fur trade’s development and significance in North America.

Coureur de Bois vs. Voyageurs

  • Differences and Contributions:

    • Explaining the roles of both groups in the fur trade.

Trading Posts Functionality

  • Role in Indigenous Relationships:

    • Exchange dynamics and the cultural significance of trading posts.

Hudson's Bay Company Beginnings

  • Foundational History:

    • Establishment and goals of the HBC and early figures involved.

Perspectives of HBC vs. French Traders

  • Trade Dynamics:

    • Contrasting attitudes towards trade and engagement with Indigenous peoples.

Closing Notes Agenda

  • Future Topics and Reminders:

    • Upcoming lessons and assessments on Nouvelle-France.