How does one do history… That seems to be a rather open ended question, there are so many different ways that you can do history. There is the often traditional approach which is learning for the test. Which involves reading the textbook and learning the dates of event that occurs. Another approach to doing history is to learn why an event happened, we learn this way by critical thinking and looking at primary sources and finding out what the context for the event may have been. An interesting part about the way Tracy Penny Light teaches history is during lectures she will give us the outline as to what took place at any given historic event, not many details. We then have to read about the event and make our own interoperation of the event. We have to be able to synthesize information and perform critical thinking versus reading and memorizing context. Both ways of teaching have a place but the way TPL teaches, she teaches us a trait that can be used in all courses no matter the faculty.
Tag: History
This weeks reading were discussing the use of pistol duels in Upper Canada. The events of duels were very common in Upper Canada during the early to mid 1800’s. The main reason for the duels to occur was generally to show the honour of a man regarding, class, religion, politics or another man degrading a related woman honour. Many of the supports for the duels to continue occurring were white, upperclass, anglo-american or British men. While these duels had many supporters there were also many opposers a main portion of the people opposing were women, journalists and family men. When duelling started to become popular, there was a list for rules that were established to ensure that all duels were conveyed in the same order, they were called “Clonmel Code” and it outlines 26 rules that were to be followed during all duels. During the duelling era it became very clear that the different levels of society held themselves to different standards. Many of the people who participated in these duels believed that it was the only way to show there honour. In one of this weeks reading titled “Pistoles at six o’clock” it follows the story of two men who end in a duel due to rumours that had been speed about a certain woman. The duel was purely started because of jealousy, and it ended in one for the men dying from a musket ball to the chest. When the man who survived was on trial the judge, expressed to the jury that all of the mediatory guidelines for the duel had been followed. When the jury returned with a verdict the man was dropped of all charges and was able to go back to his normal life the same day.
This is my statement of process, which was also the tentative outline for my final research paper. One of the comment in my outline was to round out my sources, I also got the feedback on some authors who were experts in the field that I am researching. I then went onto the TRU library and found some very useful sources from Sylvia Van Kirk and Constance Backhouse. I did change my topic from what I was initially considering doing so, I was a little short on time when I was looking for sources.
When we talk relationships in New France between First Nations and European we think of European men and Firsts nations women. During my seminar this week there was an interesting question posed by another student which was; “we often hear about European men and first nations women but did European women and First Nations men every have relations?” I found this to be an interesting questions because we rarely ever think about these types of questions. Tracy, our professor had one person come to mind and that was Joseph Brant. Me, being a person who never likes to have a question unanswered started to research him. I found out that he had quite and interesting story.
Brant did in fact marry a European woman. The tale of how they found each other was quite a tangled web. Brant had not one but three wives. The first wife was a non aboriginal woman named Peggy. Peggy was taken captive when young by Native Americans. She was forced to assimilate with the Northwest First Nations. Joseph and Paggy had two children children before Peggy passed away of tuberculosis.
Brants second wife was Suzanna who was a Peggy’s half sister. When requesting marriage from the Church of England was denied due to close kinship. Brant had to go to German minister to marry them. Shortly after Suzanna dies of tuberculosis.
Brants third and final wife was Catherine Croghan, who was the daughter of a Irish Indian Agent father and mohawk mother. Croghan and Brant had seven children.
I found this tangled web very interesting, I don’t think that many people have thought about First Nations men and European women but it did in fact happen. Sometimes three times from he same men. I think that history has to be looked at from not only a woman’s point of view but from a man’s as well.
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