Grade Three Social Studies
Communities in Canada:
at the beginning of the nineteenth century (1780 - 1850) and today
Communities in Canada:
at the beginning of the nineteenth century (1780 - 1850) and today
A1.1 describe some of the similarities and differences in various aspects of everyday life (e.g., housing, clothing, food, religious/spiritual practices, work, recreation, the role of children) of selected groups living in Canada between 1780 and 1850
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Here's a look at life in pioneer times. In these pictures, we can see how some things have changed and some have not.
The Community
original log school built in 1830's in Middleville
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original Middleville cheese factory
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early log church built in Middleville
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Homes
early log cabin photo from L. Yuill
bed with cradle at the foot
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the kitchen and dining table where meals would be prepared and eaten
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wash stand with pail, bowl, soap dish and jug for washing up
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iron stove used for both cooking the meals and heating the cabin
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Clothing
woman's fancy dress
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woolen under wear to keep children warm in winter
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longjohns to keep pioneers warm
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Ladies' black dress worn while mourning the loss of a loved one
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woman's boots with laces
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moccasin style footwear
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essential small child's bonnet
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cozy, warm winter mitts
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Household items
a laundry tub with wooden washboard and a rain barrel
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churn used to make butter for the family and perhaps enough to sell or trade with others
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mold for making candles to light the cabin in the evenings
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wooden press with lid used to squeeze the whey from the curd to make a block of cheese
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Early Engineering
wind mill used to pump water from a well
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early outdoor pump with handle and spout
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horse power used to move heavy loads
Transportation
snowshoes used to travel over snowy terrain
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horse and buggy was a common way to travel
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canoe used to navigate the many waterways
Recreation and Entertainment
metal blades that could be strapped on to boots for skating on frozen waterways in winter
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sled for use on winter days
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fiddle music entertained in the home and at community gatherings
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needlework done by women and girls by lamplight in the evenings
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Community Life: School, General Store and Church
students of all ages attended the local one room school house with just one teacher
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when settlers shopped at the local store, bulk items were weighed on a scale for pricing
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an organ played at the community church
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A1.2 compare some of the roles of and challenges facing people in Canada around the beginning of the nineteenth century with those in the present day (e.g., the roles of women, men, and children; challenges related to the environment, work, community life, the law)
Questions:
“What are the main differences between your day-to-day life and the life of a child living in Upper Canada in 1800?”
“What can we learn from the ways in which First Nations lived in harmony with their environment?”
“Where did people get their water? How did they heat and light their homes?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Settler children had a daily routine that really only varied on Sundays and when the season changed. They would get up before dawn to get their many tasks done before having a hearty breakfast and going to school.
Children fetched water from a pump for washing up and wood from the woodpile to keep the fire going. They helped to prepare meals. Animals were often fed by the children before they left for school.
They walked miles to the nearest school house. Their day was spent learning to read, write and do arithmetic. When they returned home, they would help with the evening meal and then girls would learn sewing skills while boys would learn to carve with wood.
When the family needed the children to help with farm crops, they would miss school to work at home. Planting and harvesting were essential to the survival of the family. The school calendar we follow today has its origins in the cycle of the planting and harvesting seasons.
They walked miles to the nearest school house. Their day was spent learning to read, write and do arithmetic. When they returned home, they would help with the evening meal and then girls would learn sewing skills while boys would learn to carve with wood.
When the family needed the children to help with farm crops, they would miss school to work at home. Planting and harvesting were essential to the survival of the family. The school calendar we follow today has its origins in the cycle of the planting and harvesting seasons.
book of reading lessons in the 1800's
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book of arithmetic instruction 1800's
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slate for students to write lessons on
a set of wooden needles would be used to knit warm, woolen socks
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wood carving and whittling skills would be practiced in the evening
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A1.3
Identify some key components of the Canadian identity (e.g., bilingualism, multiculturalism, founding nations, religious freedom), and describe some of the ways in which communities that were in Canada around the early 1800s have had an impact on Canadian identity
(e.g., with reference to Canada’s official languages, cultural contributions, place names)
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Identify some key components of the Canadian identity (e.g., bilingualism, multiculturalism, founding nations, religious freedom), and describe some of the ways in which communities that were in Canada around the early 1800s have had an impact on Canadian identity
(e.g., with reference to Canada’s official languages, cultural contributions, place names)
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Names in Canada have a mixture of origins. Many were derived from First Nations languages. Often words describing the landscape in the area were used and eventually adopted as the official name. Find out where the name for your province or territory originated. Discover the names of Canada's provinces and territories.
Here are some of the original names:
Kanata (village) became Canada
Adawe (to trade) (Algonquin) became Ottawa
New Found Launde became Newfoundland
Mi'kma'ki (First Nation), Acadia (French), New Scotland (British) became Nova Scotia
New Brunswick was the original name
Abeqweit (cradled in the waves) (Mi'kmaq), Ile Saint-Jean (French), St. John's Island (British) became Prince Edward Island
Kebec (narrow passage) (Algonquin) remained Quebec
Kandario (sparkling water) (Iroquois) became Ontario
Man-into-wahpaow (the narrows of the great spirit) (Cree) became Manitoba
Kisiskatchewanisipi (swift flowing river) (Cree) became Saskatchewan
Alberta (British, after monarchy) remained Alberta
Columbia and New Caledonia (British) became British Columbia
Nunavut (our land)(Inuit) remained Nunavut
Yu-kun-ah (great river)became Youkon (First Nations) became Yukon
Here are some of the original names:
Kanata (village) became Canada
Adawe (to trade) (Algonquin) became Ottawa
New Found Launde became Newfoundland
Mi'kma'ki (First Nation), Acadia (French), New Scotland (British) became Nova Scotia
New Brunswick was the original name
Abeqweit (cradled in the waves) (Mi'kmaq), Ile Saint-Jean (French), St. John's Island (British) became Prince Edward Island
Kebec (narrow passage) (Algonquin) remained Quebec
Kandario (sparkling water) (Iroquois) became Ontario
Man-into-wahpaow (the narrows of the great spirit) (Cree) became Manitoba
Kisiskatchewanisipi (swift flowing river) (Cree) became Saskatchewan
Alberta (British, after monarchy) remained Alberta
Columbia and New Caledonia (British) became British Columbia
Nunavut (our land)(Inuit) remained Nunavut
Yu-kun-ah (great river)became Youkon (First Nations) became Yukon
Canada has some pretty famous money. Click here to learn just how special Canada's money is considered around the world. You'll get a history lesson, too.
A2.1
Formulate questions to guide investigations into some of the major challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada from around 1780 to 1850 and measures taken to address these challenges
(e.g., isolation; climate; lack of access to doctors, law enforcement, or manufactured goods in isolated communities)
Questions:
“What challenges faced settlers living far from towns?
“What are some of the ways in which people responded to challenges related to the climate and natural setting of their community?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
A2.1
Formulate questions to guide investigations into some of the major challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada from around 1780 to 1850 and measures taken to address these challenges
(e.g., isolation; climate; lack of access to doctors, law enforcement, or manufactured goods in isolated communities)
Questions:
“What challenges faced settlers living far from towns?
“What are some of the ways in which people responded to challenges related to the climate and natural setting of their community?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Settlers in Lanark Township had a problem to solve. They had to travel many miles around a lake to get to town for supplies or to see a doctor. In the early days of settlement, they walked on planks across a place at the end of the lake called The Narrows where the water was shallow. When Bellamy Mills was settled nearby, a dam was built and it flooded the surrounding land. That made the The Narrows too deep to cross. The settlers missed their passage across The Narrows and decided to build a bridge. A contractor was hired and he designed a novel kind of bridge to solve the settlers' problem. It was a floating bridge. The settlers were a bit skeptical, but decided to trust the contractor and see what happened. The bridge was built on top of the ice during the winter and then in the spring the logs of the bridge floated on the surface of the water. The cedar timbers were held together by chains. A railing of cedar was attached to the sides. People often walked across the bridge or drove over it with horse and buggy. Even cars drove over the bridge years later.
a sketch depicting the Settlers' Crossing by Liseann Johnsen
The Floating Bridge crossing over The Narrows at Taylor Lake
A2.5
Evaluate evidence and draw conclusions about some of the major challenges facing different groups and communities in Canada during this period, and measures taken to overcome these challenges.
Questions:
“What are some adaptations that settlers made in response to the lack of manufactured products available in isolated settlements?”
“What functions did a barn-raising or quilting bee serve?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Settlers were isolated by many miles of forest, but neighbours knew that in order to survive they would need to work together and depend on each other. They quickly organized work bees and met regularly to help each other.
When a settler needed to build a structure, neighbours rallied together and worked in groups to make this possible. They accomplished much more when they helped each other than when they worked alone on large tasks. They did not have the advantage of electricity and modern tools so they needed to accomplish things using the strength of people and a few animals. Working together gave them the benefit of sharing tools. When a barn raising was organized, the men gathered and worked as a team. The women also gathered together to feed the whole group. This also served as a social gathering for people who were often isolated otherwise.
Women attended quilting bees to make quilts together. It took many hours of stitching to create a quilt and this gave them an opportunity to socialize with neighbours and help each other out at the same time. Often a special event, like a wedding, would be inspiration for a quilt and the women would work together to create it for a new bride. Women could share knowledge when they spent time together. New learning and techniques were passed around the group and from one generation to the next.
Learn about a barn raising bee here.
When a settler needed to build a structure, neighbours rallied together and worked in groups to make this possible. They accomplished much more when they helped each other than when they worked alone on large tasks. They did not have the advantage of electricity and modern tools so they needed to accomplish things using the strength of people and a few animals. Working together gave them the benefit of sharing tools. When a barn raising was organized, the men gathered and worked as a team. The women also gathered together to feed the whole group. This also served as a social gathering for people who were often isolated otherwise.
Women attended quilting bees to make quilts together. It took many hours of stitching to create a quilt and this gave them an opportunity to socialize with neighbours and help each other out at the same time. Often a special event, like a wedding, would be inspiration for a quilt and the women would work together to create it for a new bride. Women could share knowledge when they spent time together. New learning and techniques were passed around the group and from one generation to the next.
Learn about a barn raising bee here.
a local barn raising with many neighbours helping out with the job
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a quilting bee with women from the community in the church hall
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A3.7
Describe how some different communities in Canada related to each other during this period, with a focus on whether the relationships were characterized by conflict or cooperation (e.g., cooperation between First Nations and settler communities with respect to the sharing of medicines and technologies)
Questions:
“What types of things could newcomers have learned from the people who were already living in the area in which the newcomers were settling?
What might be some of the reasons for conflict between the newcomers and the people who already lived in the area?”
“What are some of the ways in which First Nations people and European settlers cooperated with each other?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Describe how some different communities in Canada related to each other during this period, with a focus on whether the relationships were characterized by conflict or cooperation (e.g., cooperation between First Nations and settler communities with respect to the sharing of medicines and technologies)
Questions:
“What types of things could newcomers have learned from the people who were already living in the area in which the newcomers were settling?
What might be some of the reasons for conflict between the newcomers and the people who already lived in the area?”
“What are some of the ways in which First Nations people and European settlers cooperated with each other?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
When settlers arrived in Canada, they faced many new challenges. They often lived in remote areas and did not have regular opportunities to buy supplies. They had limited money, as well. The settlers turned to the land to find food. They looked for wild berries, fruit and other plants. Some of these were new to the settlers and they needed help to understand how to use these new plants for food and medicine. There were very few doctors in the area and they were often far away. Families turned to home remedies to treat sickness and ailments.
The greatest source of knowledge and experience came from the Indigenous people the settlers met. Indigenous people taught the settlers how to hunt and fish in the area and helped them build boats to navigate the waterways. Settlers learned to follow bees to a tree to find a hive with honey. They saw how butternuts could be used for flavouring and a source of protein and the bark used to make medicine. Vitamin C was important for preventing scurvy and keeping teeth from falling out. Fresh or dried juniper berries, as well as maple sap, provided a source of this vitamin. When they hunted for food, they learned to use all parts of the animal. The bones were used to make tools. The hide was used for clothing and moccasins and the fur provided warmth.
In springtime, settlers watched Indigenous people harvest maple sugar from the large maple forests in the area.
In summer, settlers learned to use reeds from marsh plants to weave baskets for many uses.
The greatest source of knowledge and experience came from the Indigenous people the settlers met. Indigenous people taught the settlers how to hunt and fish in the area and helped them build boats to navigate the waterways. Settlers learned to follow bees to a tree to find a hive with honey. They saw how butternuts could be used for flavouring and a source of protein and the bark used to make medicine. Vitamin C was important for preventing scurvy and keeping teeth from falling out. Fresh or dried juniper berries, as well as maple sap, provided a source of this vitamin. When they hunted for food, they learned to use all parts of the animal. The bones were used to make tools. The hide was used for clothing and moccasins and the fur provided warmth.
In springtime, settlers watched Indigenous people harvest maple sugar from the large maple forests in the area.
In summer, settlers learned to use reeds from marsh plants to weave baskets for many uses.
fur was used in many ways to keep settlers warm in winter
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basket woven from reeds
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antlers used by settlers as a hook
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boat for fishing and travelling
crabapples are an apple species native to North America that settlers would have picked
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butternuts were used for many things like dying cloth and flavouring food
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settlers found wild honey
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bucket, trough and wooden spiles used to make maple syrup
B1.1
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment of a region and the type of land use and/or the type of community that is established in that region.
(e.g., ports on lakes or major rivers; farming on flat land with fertile soil; resource towns in areas with ore, trees, or other natural resources)
Questions:
“What type of community might be established in an area that is heavily forested?”
“Why are many towns and cities located near lakes and rivers?”
“What are some of the characteristics of the natural environment in regions of Ontario that are recreational destinations?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment of a region and the type of land use and/or the type of community that is established in that region.
(e.g., ports on lakes or major rivers; farming on flat land with fertile soil; resource towns in areas with ore, trees, or other natural resources)
Questions:
“What type of community might be established in an area that is heavily forested?”
“Why are many towns and cities located near lakes and rivers?”
“What are some of the characteristics of the natural environment in regions of Ontario that are recreational destinations?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
“Water was very important to communities in the late 1700s. They used it to cook, drink, and wash their clothes. They needed it for their crops and animals. They travelled by boat too, because there weren’t many good roads. So people chose to settle near lakes or rivers.”
Settling on a riverbank:
Communities grew beside the flowing water
Mills were built along water ways where the current was strong. Bellamy Mills, Halls Mills, Gillies Mills, Adamsville, Woodside Mills and Shipman’s Mills were just a few of the many settlements built in Lanark County on the sites of swiftly flowing rapids. Some of these communities are still thriving while others are considered communities of the past or ghost towns with only a few people living there today. Most of these communities have different names now. Bellamy Mills is now known as Clayton. Adamsville is called Glen Tay. Gillies Mills is known as Herron's Mills. Woodside Mills is know as Mill of Kintail and Shipman's Mills is called Almonte. Halls Mills has kept its name through time with a few area residents remaining nearby.
What these communities have in common is how they began in the early 1800's. When settlers arrived in Lanark County, they needed a place to saw wood as well as produce food and clothing. The swift flow of the water in these areas was ideal to power a mill. To meet this need, many mills were built and served the communities and surrounding areas. The types of mills first built were grist mills to produce flour and saw mills to produce lumber from trees. The settlers needed lumber to build shelters and flour to feed their families. As communities grew, later types of mills built included oatmeal mills and carding mills. It made sense for settlers to live near these mills so they could benefit from the goods being produced and in some cases get employment at the mills.
Communities grew beside the flowing water
Mills were built along water ways where the current was strong. Bellamy Mills, Halls Mills, Gillies Mills, Adamsville, Woodside Mills and Shipman’s Mills were just a few of the many settlements built in Lanark County on the sites of swiftly flowing rapids. Some of these communities are still thriving while others are considered communities of the past or ghost towns with only a few people living there today. Most of these communities have different names now. Bellamy Mills is now known as Clayton. Adamsville is called Glen Tay. Gillies Mills is known as Herron's Mills. Woodside Mills is know as Mill of Kintail and Shipman's Mills is called Almonte. Halls Mills has kept its name through time with a few area residents remaining nearby.
What these communities have in common is how they began in the early 1800's. When settlers arrived in Lanark County, they needed a place to saw wood as well as produce food and clothing. The swift flow of the water in these areas was ideal to power a mill. To meet this need, many mills were built and served the communities and surrounding areas. The types of mills first built were grist mills to produce flour and saw mills to produce lumber from trees. The settlers needed lumber to build shelters and flour to feed their families. As communities grew, later types of mills built included oatmeal mills and carding mills. It made sense for settlers to live near these mills so they could benefit from the goods being produced and in some cases get employment at the mills.
waterfall in Shipman's Mills, now Almonte
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water pouring through the dam and over the rocks in Bellamy Mills, now Clayton
rapids at Herron's Mills showing bridge that was built across the river
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Herron's Mills site map:
1. House, 2. Barns, 3. Shingle Mill, 4. Dam, 5. Saw Mill, 6. Grist Mill, 7. Drive Shed
Types of mills and their purposes:
A grist mill refers to a mill that grinds grain into flour. Grist is the grain that remains when the chaff or outside coating is removed. The grist is separated from the chaff and ground between two mill stones. The bottom mill stone remains stationary and the top mill stone rotates. This early technology was made possible by using the power of the water. The mill would be built on the side of a stream where the power of water would turn a water wheel to move the gears and belts of the machinery. A mill pond was often created by building a dam to control the power of the water. Watch 19th Century Technology at a Grist Mill to see the machinery of a grist mill as it used to be.
A grist mill refers to a mill that grinds grain into flour. Grist is the grain that remains when the chaff or outside coating is removed. The grist is separated from the chaff and ground between two mill stones. The bottom mill stone remains stationary and the top mill stone rotates. This early technology was made possible by using the power of the water. The mill would be built on the side of a stream where the power of water would turn a water wheel to move the gears and belts of the machinery. A mill pond was often created by building a dam to control the power of the water. Watch 19th Century Technology at a Grist Mill to see the machinery of a grist mill as it used to be.
mill stone from a barley mill
An early saw mill would be powered by a type of turbine water wheel. The logs would be driven down the waterways to the mill and collected in a nearby pond created by a dam. The water powered the belts and saw blades of the mill. Visit an 1830's sawmill powered by water.
sawmill at Herron's Mills
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lumber in the mill pond at Herron's Mills
photo by D McNichol
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saw blade
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wooden shingles for roofing
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shingles on a cabin located inside the
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water turbine on display at Bellamy Mills, now Clayton
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plaque at Clayton
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Later on, oatmeal mills were built. There was one at Woodside Mills (Mill of Kintail) and at Adamsville (Glen Tay). The Oatmeal Mill at Adamsville recorded the production of 300 barrels of meal in one year. (C. Bennett, In Search of Lanark)
A Carding Mill was built at Herron's Mills and Adamsville had a Woolen Mill and a Carding Shop. In Adamsville, the Woolen Mill produced 100 000 yards of tweed each year. (C. Bennett, In Search of Lanark)
A Carding Mill was built at Herron's Mills and Adamsville had a Woolen Mill and a Carding Shop. In Adamsville, the Woolen Mill produced 100 000 yards of tweed each year. (C. Bennett, In Search of Lanark)
carding machinery inside a carding mill at Herron's Mills
When woolen mills were built in a community, settlers began to raise sheep to supply the mill with wool. The settlers would often barter and trade wool for the woven material they needed for their family's use. The miller would keep part of the wool as payment for his service.
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The rocky and hilly landscape in parts of Lanark County made it a suitable place to raise sheep. Flocks soon became more common.
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Woolen Mills dotted the landscape all around Lanark County in the nineteenth century.
Read about their histories at Woolen Mills of Mississippi Valley.
Read about their histories at Woolen Mills of Mississippi Valley.
B1.2
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment and the type of employment that is available in a region.
Questions:
“Why are some jobs dependent on the seasons?”
“What are some of the jobs that are connected to forests, lakes, and rivers?
What sorts of jobs are connected to agricultural land use?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
Describe some major connections between features of the natural environment and the type of employment that is available in a region.
Questions:
“Why are some jobs dependent on the seasons?”
“What are some of the jobs that are connected to forests, lakes, and rivers?
What sorts of jobs are connected to agricultural land use?”
Ontario Curriculum, revised
The waterways of Lanark County provided employment for settlers in the region. The mills employed many workers and the related jobs that came from a mill being built in an area were also important. Sawmills being built meant that there would be employment opportunities for drivers to bring logs down the waterways to the mills. Local farmers could get jobs during the winter months in the lumber camps that were built in the forested areas. These jobs provided some wages to support families when farming provided less income outside of the growing and harvesting seasons.
In areas where large maple groves grew, families would be able to make some income by harvesting the maple sugar from the trees in spring. Potash was a vital source of income for settlement families. Trees would be burned and the ashes that were left would be boiled to remove the water content to make potash. It was the settlers' first cash crop.
In areas where large maple groves grew, families would be able to make some income by harvesting the maple sugar from the trees in spring. Potash was a vital source of income for settlement families. Trees would be burned and the ashes that were left would be boiled to remove the water content to make potash. It was the settlers' first cash crop.
Logs were cut in winter and piled on the ice so they would be ready to float down the rivers when the ice melted in the springtime.
an iron kettle used for both making potash and boiling maple sap to make syrup
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a barrel for collecting sap in the bush, a trough that would sit at the bottom of a tapped tree and two wooden spiles
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