-
Start of WW1
-1
The start of WW1 was the start of something brutal but Canada had Britain to help as allies in the war. Propaganda posters were put up to get people to enlist in the war and was seen as a heroic act. It helped men to feel truly like men. Soldiers who enlisted had to be trained in harsh, winter conditions on Salisbury Plain in England. The men during this time would serve in the local militia. The start of WW1 also resulted in businesses making more money and opened opportunities to get jobs. -
Trench Warfare
-2
Trenches were first dug on September 15, 1914, in the Battle of the Marne. The Trenches were the main source of protection for the soldiers during the war. However, it had its flaws throughout the war as well. Trenches cold, wet, and muddy caused soldiers to suffer from trench foot. Being in the war and trenches for a prolonged amount of time made some soldiers suffer from "shell shock," now known as PTSD. This physical and psychological damage was treated by the Nursing Sisters in the front. -
Francis Pegahmagabow
+1
Francis Pegahmagabow was an Aboriginal soldier in the war. He enlisted with the 23rd Regiment in August of 1914 and was 1 of only 4000 Aboriginals to serve in the war. He, along with other aboriginal soldiers were underestimated by Canadian Officials, but Pegahmagabow proved his worth by becoming an effective sniper and earning three military medals. Canada started becoming more excepting of Aboriginal soldiers in the war as they proved that the can fight alongside the white people. -
Second Battle of Ypres
-1
The Second Battle of Ypres was a battle that happened within WW1. It was also one of Canada's first major battles. It was another brutal battle with more than 6,500 Canadians wounded, captured, or killed. The Second Battle of Ypres was when the German's first introduced chlorine gas into the war as a weapon. The Canadian soldiers had to start using the trenches to their advantage now more than ever. After a whole month of fighting in this battle, Canadians won the battle. -
Jeremiah Jones
+1
Jeremiah Jones was a Black soldier in the war. He was 1 of 16 black Canadian soldiers assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment. In June of 1916, he enlisted in the 106th Overseas Battalion. while fighting at Vimy Ridge, Jones performed a heroic action of rescuing his unit from an enemy machine-gun nest. The heroic action contributed to one of Canada's greatest victories in WW1. Black soldiers still faced discrimination from the white soldiers but proved they could fight in a white man's army. -
Conscription and Military Service Act
-1
After Vimy Ridge, Canada needed more soldiers to fight in the war after losing plenty of men, but no one thought going to war was exciting anymore. Men who were qualified were already sent overseas. Prime Minister Borden introduced the Military Service Act in 1917. It had stated military service as compulsory for men aged 20-45. This was also known as Conscription. French-Canadians didn't like being involved and got called conscientious objectors. This lead to rioting and a national election. -
Mae Belle Sampson
+2
Mae Belle Sampson was a Nursing sister in WW1. She was selected in the first draft for service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and worked at "Canadian Hospital," in Britain. She helped treat 15,000 troops in a hospital with only 2000 beds. Eventually, she volunteered to work on a hospital ship and was assigned to the Llandovery Castle. The ship was torpedoed by a German submarine on June 27, 1918, and only 24 of 258 passengers survived. All nursing sisters, including Sampson, were dead. -
End of WW1
+1
WW1 ended on November 11th, 1918. Canadian soldiers were pushed to their limits after the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. PM Borden started to push making more decisions on war efforts. Germany surrendered on November 18th, 1918, and the armistice was signed. Over half a million men and women served in the war and around 60000 to 70000 never made it home. Military and civilian casualties in WW1 all together were over 37 million and many soldiers were affected physically and psychologically. -
First Nations Children
-2
The Indian Act in the 1920s lead to the making of the residential school system. It was established for First Nation, Metis, and Inuit children. Indian children from ages 7-15 were sent to these schools where they'd get physically and sexually abused. Some kids didn't make it, committed suicide, died violent deaths or alcohol got to them. These schools were poorly funded, badly constructed, had sanitary and ventilation problems and kids had a poor diet, clothing, and medical care. -
Fanny Rosenfeld
+1
Rosenfeld was a natural world-class athlete. She competed in a race in Beaverton, Ontario in 1923 and discovered that one of the runners she defeated was a Canadian champion. In the 1920s, women found freedom in sports and competed in the Summer Olympics in 1928 for the first time ever. she won a silver medal in the 100m race. Her contributions to history exceeded sports became a role model for women and girls and was named Canada's top female athlete for the first half of the 20th century.
