Elizabeth Simcoe

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the point of view of Elizabeth Simcoe (John Simcoe's Wife). Elizabeth is helping John to get settlers to York and make it the capital of their beloved Upper Canada. The settlers that are coming are intrigued and convinced to settle by Elizabeth's enthusiasm towards York. She has created many journal entries, paintings, and letters that will tell the people of the future about her life in this time period. She has been taking notes, and observations. The notes are all about her life and what she has observed. She has been observing people, the weather, the events, and the environment around her. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the point of view of Elizabeth Simcoe (John Simcoe's Wife).

John Simcoe and Upper Canada

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about John Simcoe some more, and him getting more settling in Upper Canada. Simcoe arrived in York with his wife, members of the Queen's rangers, and his servants on the 30^th of July in our year of 1793. He was there to make sure that the main fort our garrison was built here. Simcoe has had plans for the town made shortly after he got here. York became the base for the colony's capital and government because Simcoe and his family are living here. His few first months here have been alright. He has been facing challenges with his family, the first was shelter. They have been living in a canvas house. Sir Guy Carleton his superior believes that Kingston was a better capital for Upper Canada than York. He isn't going to give Simcoe the money he needs for his plans. Simcoe thought that if the other government officials moved to York, it would be easier to become the capital. He knows it was going to be difficult. York is dead land compared to Newark and Kingston. The Queen's Rangers are helping Simcoe protect and build up York. They have become York's first labourers. The Rangers are building some of the earliest buildings in York. They are building a log hut garrison, and a structure made out of wood for York's first parliament building. They are also helping to build streets called Dundas Street, and Yonge Street. Simcoe has to get some more settlers for his beloved York and Upper Canada. But Europeans can't move here due to some more war. Simcoe strongly disliked the United States, but due to the war in Europe, The States were the main source of settlers. Simcoe is getting some people from Ohio and New York to come to Upper Canada by offering them land. They also know how to turn dead land into a farm; which is an advantage. Simcoe is wanting to create a colony like England. He is trying to get more educated and wealthy people to come from The States, so he can give them bigger land grants. York has been surveyed, and Simcoe is saving some north town land for military officials from Newark. Simcoe is also giving late loyalists land grants. They have to swear an oath that they were loyal to the British King during the American Revolution; being loyalists. The loyalists have been recieving good amounts of land after swearing their oath of loyalty. Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about John Simcoe some more, and him getting more settling in Upper Canada. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about John Simcoe some more, and him getting more settling in Upper Canada.

John Simcoe and Toronto

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from John Simcoe’s point of view, Toronto before Simcoe, and The Toronto Purchase. Simcoe has ran a unit of loyalists called the Queen’s Rangers that took part in the American Revolution (because they were loyalists). But Simcoe was sadly injured and went back to England in 1781. When he was back in England he married a very wealthy woman named Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim. Because of the military and government positions going to more wealthy and important people; Elizabeth’s money helped Simcoe become the first lieutenant–governor of Upper Canada. Simcoe went to Newark in 1792, and was supposed to report to Sir Guy Carleton who the governor was for the two Canadas. Sir Guy was in Quebec, and stationed there. Simcoe thought that Carleton was not a good captain. Plus, remembering the American Revolution very well, he thought of how Carleton was too close to the American border, and was an easy target, when bad stuff happened, like conflict. Simcoe wanted to build a colony that resembled London. Just like New France, and how did that turn out? He reserved land for the future city. But he wanted to build a strong military base first, and started looking into York. Simcoe thought that York was a perfect place for the military base because it was farther from the border that was so close to Newark, it also had a harbour. York (Toronto) was valued by the First Nations long before John Simcoe. They used it for transportation for generations. When the French came, it was called Teiaigon. It was located at the mouth of the Humber River. The French built a small settlement fort called Fort Rouille in 1620. By 1690; Mississauga had control. Sir John Johnson (The Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs) in 1787 met with the Mississauga, and they met at the Bay of Quinte. A sale was created of the land along the North Shore of Lake Ontario, including Lake Simcoe, and the Humber River (both sides). What was purchased was unclear by the Crown. When the document of the sale was found years later, it had no description of the sale; it was blank. The Crown asked the Mississauga to redo the purchase when the 1787 purchase screwed up. The deed stated that Mississauga sold a lot of land, and on record was more than what they had said in 1787. The deed was signed on August 1^st, 1805. Not the first or second treaty included the Toronto Islands. A branch of the Mississauga asks to use this land because the land was never purchased from them. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from John Simcoe’s point of view, Toronto before Simcoe, and The Toronto Purchase.

Government Structure after 1791 and Government in Upper Canada

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about Government Structure after 1791 and Government in Upper Canada. Many people in the British Government thought that the American Revolution was a result of too much democracy. The British Government thought that the assemblies in the former Thirteen Colonies were gaining too much power. The power they we’re gaining was more than the British Government. It was disastrous results in a runaway democracy. Loyalists demanded the British Government to elect an assembly. Loyalists had already proved their loyalty to the British Government, and always had a loud voice in their government. Britain knew that this assembly was important to the loyalists. But they didn’t want it to lead into anymore rebellions. In the Constitutional Act of 1791 the assembly that was elected was given as little influence as possible. The Government in Upper Canada’s government’s executive branch had people to make big decisions. These were people such as the executive and legislative councils. The Executive Council we’re appointed to advise the lieutenant – governor on government stuff. There we’re also appointed councillors, but not exactly for life. The Legislative Council approved and made all laws in Canada’s Upper. Legislative Councillors were legislative councillors for life. If they died they passed it on from father to son. The Legislative Assembly formed a different part of the government. The Assembly was elected by male people who owned property. The Legislative Assembly made and approved of laws just like The Legislative Council. But the thing with The Legislative Assembly’s laws is that they could not be overruled by the lieutenant – governor or The Legislative Council. The Legislative Assembly could also impose taxes, they had the power to. The taxes helped fund the projects of the government and helped run the government. The lieutenant – governor could accept or deny any advice given by the Assembly or one of his councils. The lieutenant – governor also had control of the Crown reserves. Which means that he would not have to rely on the Legislative Assembly to get all the income. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about Government Structure after 1791 and Government in Upper Canada.

The Loyalists and Constitutional Act of 1791

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about the loyalists and the Constitutional Act of 1791. Loyalists (people kicked out of their houses by the patriots) settled wherever they could really find land. Immigrants moved to areas to the west of the Bay of Fundy, in Nova Scotia. All the loyalists outnumbered the actual population very quickly. Loyalists argued that Halifax’s government was too far away too help them with what they needed. A royal charter in 1784 created New Brunswick as a colony. Another place that became its own colony was Cape Breton Island. Loyalists that were settling in Quebec tended to move to the west of Montreal. They went to such places as Kingston, Cornwall, Morrisburg, and farther west, in the Niagara region. Loyalists that moved there thought, (I don’t know why) but they thought they should have the same rights as British Citizens. In 1785, the loyalists sent a petition to the king of England stating that they have always been British subjects and wish to have the same rights as the British. The British then created the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was modelled after the system that had been put in place to created New Brunswick and Cape Breton in 1784. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live about the loyalists and Constitutional Act of 1791.

Thayendanegea's Point Of View

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the point of view of Thayendanegea. He served with the British in the seven year war. During the American Revolution, he still was with the British. He travelled to where the Haudenosaunee were in 1776. They had a treaty with the rebels (patriots, a.k.a the people against the British). The treaty stated that they didn’t have to take part in the American Revolution. He got the Haudenosaunee to take sides with the British, and they helped in many successful battles. Thayendanegea travelled to London, and started a petition for his people, and the British provided land for the allies. Frederick Haldimand (Governor of Quebec) gave land to British allies that were a part of the Haudenosaunee. He granted six miles of land to people. Thayendanegea and many other First Nations moved to this Promised Land stated in the “Halimand Proclamation”. Many pieces of that land are under land claims with the federal government. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from Thayendanegea’s point of view.

Loyalist's Point of View Part 2

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the loyalist’s point of view. A group of loyalists were former slaves from the Thirteen Colonies a.k.a the patriots. Slavery was legal in all of North American colonies until the mid-nineteenth century. Slaves owned by rebels had freedom promised to them if they helped the British. Most people making up the population were forced to work for other settlers with worse wages than being a slave. They have to settle on poor land, outside towns, making everything harder. We have a special guest here today, his name is Thomas Peters. He was a black loyalist, and went to Nova Scotia with a group of Black Pioneers. Most of the Black Loyalists had trouble getting farms. The Black Loyalists got about half a hectare each, when other Loyalists got millions of hectares. Thomas wrote petitions on behalf of Black Loyalists, because they were loyalists, and they were being penalized for being black? When his petitions were rejected, he went to present them to the crown. Once again, rejected. While in London, Thomas caught the attention of the Sierre Leone Company. This company was run by abolitionists (people trying to stop slavery). This company was trying to make an establishment to free slaves in Sierre Leone, Africa. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the loyalist’s point of view.

Loyalist's Point Of View Part 1

Hello this is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the loyalists point of view. Since loyalists were kicked out of their Quebec houses by the patriots, they went to Nova Scotia. They have to buy, clear, and plant a land grant, plus build a home on it. They have very little tools to do so, and winter is a humungous challenge for most of them, and they have very little food. The British help them with everyday life because the loyalists continued being loyal to the British even after the patriots gave them a lot. Life in Quebec and Nova Scotia were different for the loyalists. In Quebec loyalists got land grants by a lottery system. The British Government supported the Loyalists for a few years while they were in Nova Scotia with things like food, clothing etc. They stopped helping in 1787. Poor weather and insects created the “hungry year”. This is Rebecca Nokatomi blogging live from the Loyalist’s point of view.