Historical Thinking Concepts

Historical Thinking Concepts (HTCs)

• The 6 HTCs are historical significance, evidence, continuity and change, cause and consequence, historical perspective, and ethical dimension.
• Historical significance involves deciding what to remember, though values shift over time.
• Criteria for historical significance consider long-lasting consequences and relevance to current issues.
• Evidence relies on primary sources that provide firsthand accounts and foundational knowledge.
• Primary source analysis considers the artifact's context, author's perspective, purpose, values, worldview, and new historical insights.
• Secondary sources interpret primary sources, necessitating careful evidence collection, authentication, and interpretation to avoid errors.
• Continuity and change explores patterns over time alongside unexpected societal shifts.
• Identifying and connecting elements in history involves asking which is more important.
• Cause and consequence analyzes historical patterns, but sometimes events are not directly caused by previous ones.
• Historical perspective requires considering the lives and contexts of people in the past to avoid judgment.
• Ethical dimension involves questioning how the past should be judged and considering presentism when applying modern beliefs, such as judgments about public executions.

Canada at the Turn of the Century

• In the early 20th century, Canada experienced prosperity and social change led by Wilfrid Laurier.
• Immigration increased, transforming Canada, but Indigenous peoples, immigrants, women, and workers fought for rights.
• English Canadians primarily wanted British immigrants and preferred closed door immigration policies to maintain ties with Britain.
• French Canadians had fears about their language rights and Roman-Catholic schools being revoked by the government because of incoming immigrants.
• European Immigrants wanted to immigrate to Canada to fill the labour gap and to find a better life away from poor living conditions and persecutions.
• Asian immigrants often lived in major districts like Chinatown because of the lack of other opportunities.
• Increased foreign investment in industry led to labor shortages which led to poor working conditions for workers.

Causes of World War I

• The acronym MAIN describes the world in 1914 which means militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism
• Militarism fueled an "arms race" among nations and to maintain overseas empires.
• New military technology included weapons like the HMS Dreadnought.
• European countries formed alliances, including the Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austro-Hungarian Empire) and Triple Entente (French, British, Russia).
• Imperialism drove European expansion overseas starting Europe and extracting resources.
• Nationalism fostered European pride and the widespread belief that war was a valid tool for settling conflicts.
• On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo which was the spark that started the powder keg.
• Princip was a member of the Black Hand which was an NGO group attempting to take civilian populations of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
• Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia on July 28 which began the beginning of WW1.
• Wilhelm II pledged support to Austria-Hungary as Russia mobilized troops.
• Germany declared war on Russia(Aug 1) and France(Aug 3), then invaded Belgium; Britain declared war on Germany and Canada confirmed war status (Aug 4).

Battles of World War 1

• Bourassa compared anglophone Ontarians to Prussians for dominating Canada which is how the French population perceived it.
• Bourassa viewed Regulation 17 as silencing French voices because of regulations on speaking English.
• Canadian forces kept enlisting soldiers despite high casualties which was viewed negatively by the French supporters.
• The Ontairians were in favor which was another cause for government to pursue conscription.

The Second Battle of Ypres

• The Second Battle of Ypres took place from April 22 to May 25, 1915 and marked the first poison gas use in the war.
• The First Canadian Division assisted the french after chlorine launched at Ypres.
• To survive, soldiers covered their faces with urine soaked cloths.
• More than 6,500 Canadians were killed or captured.
• Colonel John McCrae wrote "In Flanders Field" inspired by the battle.
• Germany launched chlorine gas, which was intended to break the deadlock on the Western Front and would damage the throats of troops in opposition.
• The deployment of mustard gas led to the widespread adoption of gas masks.
• Chemical warfare was introduced on a grand scale during this battle which led to a heavy Canadian loss(6000+) and an introduction to brutal technology.

Battle of the Somme

• The Battle of the Somme lasted from July 1 to November 18, 1916 due to the German offensive, and the aim was to break through German lines on the Western Front.
• General Douglas Haig commanded tactics that underestimated German defenses.
• The battle impacted Canada's reputation due to the high casualties and inspired strategic changes.
• The battle was an attempt to prevent Germans from bombarding the city of Verdun
• The British Empire casualties were 420,000 consisting of 24,000 Canadians and 700 Newfoundlanders, 194,000 French, and 440,000 Germans.

Battle of Vimy Ridge

• The Canadian objective was to seize Vimy Ridge in response to previous unsuccessful attempts to capture the German Stronghold before.
• Victory depended on Canadian forces, and advance meticulously planned to overtake the German positions.
• The offensive at Vimy Ridge was motivated by the tactical worth of the elevated terrain.
• About 10,600 Canadian soldiers were injured or killed, about 3,600 died.
• The victory lifted Allied spirits and strengthened Canadian national identity after being one of the very first time it was their undertaking.

Battle of Passchendaele

• General Douglas Haig aimed to seize the high ground around Ypres and Passchendaele which was the 3rd Battle of Ypres
• Sir Douglas believed that this would create breakthrough and help win the war by removing pressure of German submarines that operated from Belgian ports.
• He commanded Lieutenant Arthur Currie to fight around the city of Passchendaele in Belgium after arguing fight which led to 275,000 casualties of British and 220,000 from Germans.
• Canada's victory enhanced its military reputation, credited to Arthur Currie's planning.
• Britain, Australia, and New Zealand all came under attack to no avail.
• The historical importance of events can shift based on current issues.
• It took place between July 31st and November 6th 1917.
• The battle is symbolized as the futility of war and led to high casualties, in a rain and mud defined condition effectively using mustard gas.

Canada's Hundred Days

• Canada sought to push forward and advance allied lines on the western front.
• Canadians captured key positions held by Germans to disorient their defenses.
• There was a desire of Canada to appear as a legitimate country with military power rather than as a former part of Great Britain.
• Reaching the Canal du Nord by Canada was enabled by help from Currie's leadership and engineers.
• 5 peace treaties were established as a result of the war at the Paris Peace Conference where countries like Germany and Russia were held to certain standards.
• German controlled land in Belgium for most of the war, an armistice was put in place at 11 am where November 11 is now recognized as Remembrance Day.

War at Home

• Growing food to feed troops was vital because European farmland was destroyed, and many farmers were at war.
• Prime Minister Borden directed Canadian troops, introduced income tax in 1917, and initiated victory loan campaigns.
• Sam Hughes, the first commander of Canadian troops, lost his position for opposing the integration of Canadian troops into British units.
• Minerals like Zinc, Copper, and Nickel, became important to build weaponry and shells.
• Women replaced men in the workforce, filling roles in factories, farms, and offices, but were paid less.
• Negative impacts included the treatment of people opposed to the British Empire, who were deemed to be aliens and treated unfairly which amounted to 1M people.

World War I - Chapter 6 Questions

• Canadians were enthusiastic and patriotic about joining WW1 due to their British roots and support of the British when Canada decided to support.
• Canadians who volunteered came from a diverse pool of factory employees, physicians, laborers, farmers, lawyers, and mine workers.
• Motivations for people to volunteering included money and helping mother country.
• Groups unwelcomed into the war included Indigenous peoples, Black Canadians, and opposed European citizens of Britain.
• 35% of people involved in the war ended up being original peoples due to lower mortality rates for others.
• Indigenous peoples were motivated to join to show their power because their current king descended from past Queen Victoria.
• Canadians could join if they were not original peoples so several reserves were in place for original peoples.
• Black Canadians weren't welcome due to discriminatory people however they were accepted in a segregated non-combat group.
• Nearly 3000 women participated in nursing roles while being first ever enlisted into the Canadian Armed forces.
• The level of technology made WWI different as airplanes, tanks, submarines, and the infamous machine gun were introduced.
• Trench warfare included explosives planted inside rooms causing a huge amount of deaths due to little protection.
• Trenches also slowed Ww1 because troops didn’t want to walk on land because of the explosives placed beneath the soil in areas that were not war zones.

War at Home 2

• Trenches were miserable and dangerous as soldiers suffered through disease, cold, and rotting carcasses.
• Canada provided medical ship equipment for opposing ships to sink them.
• Halifax and Nova Scotia included convoy equipment.

WW1 Key Terms

• No man's land: The land between enemy trenches where artillery and gunfire took place in a region that was non-combat and where hundred and thousands of deaths would occur.
• Trench Foot: Flesh rotting conditions that had little water to protect themselves where disease easily spread causing death for soldiers.
• Billy Bishop: Canadian who joined for bravery and being responsible for killing over five enemy team pilots.

Conscription Crisis

• Volunteering declined by 1916 because 3,117 men volunteered in August 1917 compared to 13,232 the prior month as casualties rose heavily.
• Conscription is the forced military enrolment and Borden called for the act with mounting casualties and declining volunteers.
• Pacifists and French Canadians were against conscription in the Canadian Society and conscription divided the Candian Society heavily.
• Halifax was worst explosion disaster where the aftermath left over 25000 survivors.
• The 24,000 conscripted soldiers aided Canada to end the war.

War's End

• War veterans met many challenges when they returned to Canada such as over 172,000 injured, inflation, 20% unemployment, recession, etc.
• 300% inflation rate due and the cost of ground beef was $0.39 where in the past it was just $0.1 cents due to scarcities of food.
• Women received the right to vote on national level and social conditions to allow the government to give women what the people thought fit.
• Canadian economy declined after the war in 1919 due to job loss, decreased veteran support from Canada.
• Canadian workers formed labor unions to demand high pay and fair standards.

Canada's Economy

• Industries focused and enhanced mass production for Canada's economy to improve in the 1920s.
• Automobile industry, power infrastructure, electricity, and raw material sectors all took rise in 1920’s.
• Mass production allowed products to be created faster while more cars were manufactured.
• Maritimes struggled due to coal decrease due to government applying high tariffs to these areas.
• The United States became trading partner for Canada in the 1920’s due to America's stable position
• Canadian writers reflected and adapted a new national identity relating to themes from Canada's identity.
• Canada joined the League of Nations in 1919 to have the right to its own military actions.

Cultural Shifts

• The rising prices, decreased salaries, strikes, and labor unrest were the result of the war on Canada’s economic state.
• Key figures supporting woman involved Emily Stowe, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Lousie Mckinney, and Emily Murphy known as the act of the Women's Suffrage.
• A Constitutional court case made women recognized as "persons’ allowing them to be elected to be on senate in Canada known as Famous Five who lead the Persons Case
• Canada struggled with Pandemic Influenza killing over 50 M as hygiene standards decreased to soldiers who got sick.
• Winnipeg's labor strike led by citizens with over thirty thousand was a strike led to fair work negotiation in 1920s
• The banning of liquor in 1918 for one year after the world war measures as alcohol was blamed for too much social issue.

Canada's art figures

• Mary Pickford was Canadian actor who received Canadian icon for Canadian and American people to connect on acting.
• "The Group of Seven" group made of several artists to paint all the beautiful regions that form in Canada.
• Emily Carr contributed to create more art into British Columbia
• Tom Thompson created painting for a beautiful Ontario region named Algonquin.

Historic figures

• Frederick Banting was the key scientist who found insulin to heal patients with diabetes
• After WW1 Turkey was recognized led by women but was then attacked by Greece starting the Chanak Affair
• The Halibut Treaty gave Canada ability to decide between British and their decisions with the help of leaders

Canada's relationship with the US

• Overfishing stocks in Canada was threatened when Americans started catching more fish.
• Crisis between King and Governor Byng, over rule of dissolvement and Byng's control, was in Canada.
• Statute of Westminster had England give British control of parliament by allowing countries to self govern on the Commonwealth.