AND SETTLEMENT BY EUROPEANS

INTRODUCTION • early European explorers • lives of early European settlers This section discusses the reasons • the effect of early European settlement Europeans explored and settled in what has on indigenous peoples become known as . Students will come to understand the difficulties many • major European settlements indigenous peoples faced as a result of the arrival of the Europeans. Students will also have opportunities to learn about the Europeans themselves. The section includes these topics:

9–12 Canadian History 28 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center Note to the teacher Although “Canada” did not exist as a country until later in history, for the purposes of clarification this manual uses this term throughout.

Note to the teacher Students can create their own timeline of early Canadian history. Students were introduced to timelines in the lower elementary years and are familiar with the concept by Year 4. As upper EARLY EUROPEAN elementary students, they have the opportunity to research and choose EXPLORERS the information that appears on a timeline and explore different methods Background Information of constructing one. The timeline activity in this section suggests making According to some historians, the first a timeline using index cards and a long European arrival in North or South America roll of white paper. However, students happened around 600 BCE. In 1872, an might wish to try other materials, such inscription found in Brazil told of a as a length of black felt or several Phoenician ship separated from its fleet smaller pieces of paper taped or glued during a storm and landing there. Historians together. Students will also need to have also found stories written by Irish decide on the timeline’s dimensions. A monks traveling west during the 5th suggested width for a timeline is 36 century, to what is now known as inches (90 cm), but length will depend , Canada. in part on the amount of information About 499 CE, a Buddhist monk from being presented. The teacher may find China, Hoei-shin, is thought to have this a valuable activity for practicing reached the southwest coast of North math skills such as estimation. America by way of the Pacific Ocean. Hoei- shin called the area he landed in “Fusang,” and he described in writing the great civilization he encountered there. According to Hoei-shin, other monks had visited Fusang before his time. After studying Hoei- shin’s writings and the many Chinese-

9–12 Canadian History 29 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center influenced artifacts found in the area he is widely believed that Leif Ericsson named Fusang, many historians today (c. 980–c.1025), Eric the Red’s son, led believe that Fusang was in . Viking explorers from to the coastline of Canada, and that he possibly Over time, other European explorers went as far south as present-day followed. This section will discuss a few of in the US. It is not known for sure what the most well known who landed in Canada brought these to , but before 1650 and how they influenced, as some historians believe the Vikings wanted well as were influenced by, the indigenous to explore areas west of Greenland in order peoples they encountered: to expand their territories and seek new supplies of game and wood. These Vikings • the Vikings eventually traveled to areas they named • (Stone Land) and (Forest Land) — part of Canada today • known as and .

• In addition to finding Viking dwelling sites, archeologists have found Viking artifacts in Teachers and students will find plentiful winter houses believed inhabited by information about other early European indigenous peoples such as the Inuit. Some explorers active in Canada during that time. archeologists believe that the first European A chart at the end of this section child born in North America may have been summarizes these explorers according to a Viking boy named Snorri. Snorri’s father four categories: name, where from, where was , and his mother was explored, and some of the indigenous named Gudrid. Viking , stories peoples with whom they likely came in passed down orally, recounted the history contact. This chart of basic information can of Viking families and their voyages. These be used by students as a reference when sagas were eventually recorded, and carrying out research projects and can be according to some, Snorri was three years added to as students carry out their own old when the Vikings abandoned their research on other early European explorers efforts to colonize, establish permanent to Canada. settlement in another land, and returned to Greenland. The Vikings About the 9th century, the Vikings had Other Viking sagas tell of expeditions made established a large settlement in , by more of Eric the Red’s family members and by the end of the century, they had also to a place called the Good. established a settlement in Greenland under Historians and archeologists are still the leadership of Eric Thorvaldson debating the exact location of Vinland. (c. 950–c. 1000), known as Eric the Red Some historians have placed Vinland in because of his red hair. Archeological Newfoundland, some in present-day New investigation points to the arrival of Vikings Jersey, and some in the Bahamas and in North America around the 10th century. It Brazil. In 1960, archeologist Anne Stine and

9–12 Canadian History 30 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center Did you know? The name L’Anse aux Meadows began as a French term, “l’anse aux méduses,” or “jellyfish cove.” Over time, “méduses” was misspelled and translated incorrectly into English, becoming “meadows.”

John Cabot In Europe, merchants and rulers wanted to Monument of Leif Ericsson find a shorter route to the riches of Asia, and many explorers set out to find this her husband found evidence route. One such explorer was John Cabot of a Viking settlement in L’Anse aux (c. 1450–1499) from Italy, who sailed under Meadows on the northern tip of the flag of England. King Henry VII Newfoundland. These archeologists found (1457–1509) and several English business buildings, tools, and other artifacts owners had commissioned Cabot to find a indicating that Vikings had lived there for quick way to the Far East. Cabot was approximately 15 years. granted a charter, a written, legal contract Because the climate and geography of the between an explorer or company and a area do not match the descriptions in the country’s ruler. A charter gave the explorer Viking sagas, many historians believe that or company the right to explore and settle L’Anse aux Meadows is not Vinland, but a land in the ruler’s name and granted northern entry to the Vinland region, with privileges such as making profits and Vinland itself likely located between the Gulf creating laws in the new land. In 1497, of and . In 1978, when Cabot arrived at what was most likely L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland was Newfoundland, he thought he had arrived in made a national park and a UNESCO China. With excitement, Cabot planted a (United Nations Educational, Scientific and flag to claim the land in the name of Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site. England. He called the land “new found Wherever Vinland was located, what is true isle,” but the British documented it as “new is that Vikings explored parts of Canada found launde.” In this way, Canada’s long before other Europeans arrived. After recorded history began with the arrival of the Vikings, Canada would not see another John Cabot on June 24, 1497. European for several hundred years. Cabot reported back to England that the sea of the newly claimed land was teaming with cod. One story told in England was that the ocean off the coast of Canada was

9–12 Canadian History 31 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center ACTIVITY 1 Creating a Timeline of Early European Explorers in Canada

Purpose To create a visual representation of some major events and people of Canadian history from 950–1650 CE. Material Timeline of People.

Globe or map.

Chart, Examples of early European explorers in Canada.

INTRODUCTION Reference materials. • Explain that in the thousand or so years Small blank index cards. up to 1650, and especially during the 1500s, a number of early European Ruler, scissors. explorers reached Canada.

Black felt marker. • Demonstrate the Timeline of People. Invite the students to show this time Coloring pencils or markers. period on the timeline. Long roll of white paper. • Demonstrate the globe. Invite the students to identify Canada on the globe, Reusable, removable adhesive. then discuss what Canada’s geography Canadian History journals and pencils. and climate was like in the thousand years up to 1650. Presentation • Demonstrate the chart, Examples of early • Most Montessori teachers introduce this European explorers. Read aloud the four concept in Year 4 and present it in more pieces of information given about the detail in Years 5 and 6. This activity can Vikings on the chart, adding some be done in parts. interesting details about the information in each column. • Announce that the students will have an opportunity to make a timeline showing • Ask the students to trace the route the what Canada and its people were like in Vikings might have taken from Greenland the time of the early European explorers.

9–12 Canadian History 38 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center to Newfoundland, and discuss what whether this information should be challenges these explorers might have presented in point form or in sentences. faced during their voyages. Ask the students to be consistent, whichever form is chosen.) • Repeat this process with the other explorers shown on the chart, • Invite the students to make a picture card emphasizing that these are just some to accompany each information card. A examples of early European explorers picture card can illustrate one of the facts who reached Canada. shown on the card (e.g., for John Cabot, a map showing the location of Cabot CREATING A TIMELINE Strait). Pictures may be hand-drawn or • Demonstrate the length of paper, ruler, copied from reference material. and marker. Ask the students to use the • Invite the students to use the reusable, ruler and marker to draw a line down the removable adhesive to attach the length of the paper, then mark years information cards and pictures to the along the line in intervals of 100 years, long strip of paper in chronological order. starting with 650 BCE and ending with Students may refer to the chart for self- 1650 CE. correction. • Ask the students to make a label for the timeline (e.g., Timeline of the Early Extensions European Explorers in Canada). • Research two or more early European explorers not on the chart, then add their • Demonstrate the reference materials. information to the chart and to the Encourage the students to refer to the timeline. materials as they undertake research on the early European explorers. • Create a collage illustrating events and individuals from one point on the • Ask the students to form groups, then timeline. select one explorer from the chart to research in more detail. • Using the Six W’s, write a research report on a European who explored parts of • Encourage the students to use the chart Canada in the 1500s. Include information information as a base, then find five or about the indigenous peoples the more new facts about their chosen explorer contacted and how they explorer, such as year of birth, year of influenced and affected each other. death, how the person died, major accomplishments, places named after • Write and act out a play about a major the person, and so on. event in the life of one of the early European explorers in Canada. • Ask the students to copy their facts onto the index cards. (Decide ahead of time

9–12 Canadian History 39 © NAMC - North American Montessori Center