1911-1939: decades of discord
TRANSCRIPT
Decades of DiscordCanada 1911-1939
©Ruth Writer
Canada 1914-1930s
Great War and
Post War Years
Involvement
Battlefront
Home front
Post War
Concerns
Roaring 20s
Dirty 30s
Road to Involvement in WWI
Part of British Empire
King Edward
VII
Anglo/
Franco
Boer
War
Militarism
In
Europe
New Royalty but Same Old Issues
Queen Victoria died 1901
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria
King Edward VII became king
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:King_Edward_VII_-_Fildes_1902.jpg
Strong Ties still
May 24—holiday
Union Jack flag flew everywhere in Canada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada
God Save the Queen—sang daily in schools
Queen/King Portrait in all classrooms
Debate of the role in Empire
Was Canada really a country
Canada’s Evolution to 1903
1604-1632 New France under control of Champlain
1632-1663 Company of New France [monopoly]
1663-1763 New France under royal control
1763 Treaty of Paris ending French and Indian War
1774 Quebec Act
1783 Treaty of Paris ending Revolutionary War
1791 Constitutional (Canada) Act
1837 Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada
1867 DOMINION OF CANADA formed with BNA Act
1867-1905 Addition of MN, BC, PEI, AL, SK
1899-1902 Boer War
1903 Alaska Boundary Dispute
Divided Dominion in 1911
Francophone
Did not share pride of Empire
Proud of their own language & culture
Felt betrayed by English & Canada
Boer War compounded issues
Fear of Conscription [draft]
Laurier defeated in 1911
By the way…
Titanic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJafWQCOIM&list=PL330ABB39FE971E5E&index=1&feature=plpp_video Museum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjdNpJLkwmo&feature=fvwrel Student
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xKDRmhp6lQ&feature=relmfu Vintage footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bs1dou3SDw&feature=related Irish Rovers
THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918
Lasted longer in Canada than for U.S.
Causes
Nationalism
Militarism
Anarchism
Imperialism
Canada and the Great War
World War I—greatest challenge Canada faced to that point
Involved every Canadian—home and at battlefront
Would change Canada forever
Federal Government more involved in Canadian lives
Altered the Canadian economy
Changed relationship with Francophone population
Most Importantly
At beginning merely colony within British Empire—47 years since BNA
At end more independent on world stage
Would change Canada forever
Canadians Respond to Call
Robert Borden—Prime Minister [Conservative from NS]http://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/people/canadian-leaders/sir-robert-borden/
Canada struggling economy in 1914
Britain declaration of war—CANADA AT WAR
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_in_the_World_Wars_and_Interwar_Years
Canadians took to streets at news of war—CHEERED
Sam Hughes—Minister of Militia
http://parkscanadahistory.com/series/chs/13/chs13-3d.htm
Http://ocanadablog.com/category/history/page/2/
Enlistments
Enlistment of 100,000—eventually 600,000 served
470,000 served abroad
Over 50% of those born outside Canada—i.e. immigrants
25% born in Britain
Most enlistees were Anglo
National identity and ties with Britain
Anglo-Canadians more Canadian than Canadiens
Less excitement in Quebec—Henri Bourassa and Laurier
Exclusively Canadien
35,000 did serve
Ethnic Minorities in Great War Francophone
German Canadians—3rd largest ethnic group [Loyalists]—seen as enemy
Native Canadians
Discouraged their enlistment at first
After 1915 policy changed
1 in 3 able bodied First Nation men enlisted by end
One group sent all but 3 able bodied men in community
Black Canadians
Racism still reality
First battle—right to enlist
Then construction only
Japanese Canadians
No civil nor economic rights, yet
196 enlisted—54 killed, 93 wounded, 59 returned safely
Battle Front
Trench warfare on Western Front
New and improved weapons
Airplanes—Billy Bishop, greatest ace of the war
Tanks along with horses [Warhorse]
Barbed wire
Machine guns
Big guns
Gas and germ warfare—chlorine, mustard, anthrax, phosgene
Ross rifles
Major battles with Canadian involvement
Ypres—1915—gas first used
Somme—1916—1,000,000 killed
Vimy Ridge—1917
Passchendaele--1917
In Flanders Field--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkKEynoTwp8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e4jqTF6aks
http://canadaonline.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=canadaonline&cdn=newsissues&tm=197&gps=71_11_1536_805&f=00&tt=11&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/keys/webtours/tourID/GE_P3_3_EN
Life in the Trenches
War at a standstill by winter 1914
Dug in for winter—ragged line of ditches
Sanitation—garbage, no sewage, rain, snow
Food—biscuits, bully beef, jam, pork, beans, butter
Water—undrinkable due to bodies & blood
Clothing—no change for weeks
Rats, lice
Canadians at home—no clue
http://ww1.canada.com/battlefront [first three]; http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/how-first-world-war-medical-advances-still-benefit-patients-today-1.2017970
Passchendaele
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Passchendaele;
http://www.passchendaelethemovie.com/html/trailer_lg.html --for the film information
11/11/18 at 11 a.m.
War over
7,000,000 battle deaths
60,000 Canadian deaths=10% of those who served
BTW—Winnie, the Pooh
The most famous Canadian mascot was a black bear cub named Winnipeg which traveled overseas from White River, Ontario. The unit decided to place Winnie in the London Zoo, rather than subject him to the rigors of the front. He delighted thousands of visitors and later became the inspiration for A.A. Milne's 1925 Winnie-the-Pooh . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_River,_Ontario#/media/File:Canada_Ontario_location_map_2.svg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winn
http://www.critterfiles.com/ happy-birthday-winnie-the-pooh-story-naming-huggable-bear-first-published-christmas-eve-1925/ipeg_(bear);
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh
Home Front
Home Front
Financing
Farm Goods
Industrial
Output
Propaganda
&
Fear
Conscription Crisis
Women
Financing War
Costliest conflict in world history to that point
Cost Canada $1 million per day
Expenditures exceeded revenues
Three ways to pay for war--$2.377 billion
Government bonds sold to investors—war loans
Victory bonds sold to general public—5.5% return—3 million bought victory bonds
Taxation—first direct tax in Canadian history—3% if earned $1500 or more [most made less than $800]
http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/posters/index.aspx
Farm Production
Europe no longer able to produce wheat, etc.
Armed forces needed food
Farmers essential to war effort
Farm families gained wealth
Farmerettes
Government controlled economy
Crop distribution
Control of transportation
SOS "Soldiers of the Soil." http://cla.blog.ryerson.ca/children-at-the-homefront-in-edith-lelean-groves-saluting-the-canadian-flag-and-the-soldiers-of-the-soil-and-the-farmerettes/
http://www.ww1propaganda.com/ww1-poster/boys-farm-bring-your-chums-and-do-your-bit-sos
Industrial Output
Government determined production
War materials from 600 factories
$2,000,000 ammo and war goods each day
Industrialization expanded
www.Vintagewings.ca ; www.theglobeandmail.com
Fear and Propaganda
Major concerns and reaction to the concerns
Communication
Role of Transatlantic telegraph cable and radio
Cable connected--Britain and Newfoundland—1866
First wireless radio communication—1901
BRITAIN CONTROLLED ALL “INSTANT” INFORMATION
How did this impact the war?
Transatlantic Cable--1858
Map of the 1858 Atlantic Cable route from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, August 21, 1858,
http://atlantic-cable.com/Maps/
Cable brought into Heart’s Content, Newfoundland
http://www.worldhistory.biz/modern-history/81713-steam-packets-and-the-atlantic.html
http://atlantic-cable.com/Article/1865Leslies/index.htm;
Photos taken on site by R. Writer 2010—this slide and those that follow
unless otherwise noted
Connection with Britain NOT Germany
On to New York City
The next BIG THING—Radio 1901
G. Marconi
Photo by R. Writer 2010
Photo by R. Writer 2010
Ethnic Tensions Rise
Anti-German, Ukrainian & Austria-Hungarian sentiment
Labeled as “enemy aliens”
Faced arrest without charges, detained indefinitely
Berlin, Ontario, became Kitchener
German language official banned in schools
German language papers now English only
Fired German workers; German Clubs shut down
POW camps in Prairies
Slackers
White feathers passed out to able bodied men not in uniform
Persecution and harassment
http://torontothenandnow.blogspot.com/2015/03/49-toronto-first-world-war-part-ii.html
http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/photos/2800/e-19860131-084.jpg
http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/peace-activists-e.aspx
Conscription [Draft] 1917
Enlistment shrinking; death and injuries increasing
Borden to England to visit injured Canadians
Laurier opposed—would alienate Quebec [unity concern]
Anti-conscription riots in Montreal; later in Quebec City
Strikes threatened by unions
Military Service Act—June 1917
All men
19-45
Required to enlist
Could appeal—only 24,000 served of 400,000 drafted
Election Called for December 17, 1917
http://vimyridgehistory.com/kit-3/gov/consciption/military-service-act/
Women and the War
Women given right to vote prior to 1917 election
Due to men on front, women worked in munitions
Paid less
Unions protested but Imperial Munitions Board won out
Nurses—2400 in Canadian and British field or convalescent hospitals
Royal Flying Corps & Royal Air Force—1000 women
British Red Cross
Civil Service workers
Knit [or Fight]—socks especially
http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/guerre/nurses-e.aspx
Halifax Disaster
December 6, 1917
Crisp, bright day in inner harbor of Halifax
Mont Blanc—French munitions ship going out to sea
35 ton of benzoyl
200 ton of TNT
2300 ton of dry picric acid
10 ton gun cotton
Imo—Norwegian tramp steamer entering harbor
Collided about 8:30 a.m.—sparks
Less than hour to live for many
Laura M. Macdonald. CURSE OF THE NARROWS.
Blast Site
http://www.svpproductions.com/halifaxexplosion/blastcloud1.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3DU95ZLxw8explosionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yViaCDJbgJk City of Ruins
Halifax Burns
Mont Blanc burning
Crowds gather on shore to watch fire
Boat with 7 reached ship at 9:05 to put out fire
Warned incoming trains of danger
9:06 explosion which was largest until atomic bomb
Felt 200 miles away on Cape Breton Island
1000 pound anchor sent two miles inland
Prime Minister Borden from Halifax riding
Aftermath of disaster
Wave swept harbor, destroying ships and wharves
Flattened two square miles of city then fire raged
1,963 dead or soon to die—likely 3,000
9000 injured—many blinded by flying glass
1,600 buildings totally destroyed [600 homes]
12,000 homes damaged with in 16 mile radius
25,000 without food, shelter
Then the MAJOR blizzard hit that night
Damage of $35-50 million
Many helped out--Boston
fromatob.org; www.halifax.ca; dic.academic.ru; www.collectionscanada.gc.ca
Post War Concerns
Economy
Expansion of farming in west--wheat—then competition
Paper and pulp production soared
Hydro power=better mining
Auto industry
Consumerism—Eaton’s store—spending rose
Labor Demands of laborers meant unrest in some sectors
Spanish flu pandemic
Great Influenza Pandemic
September 1918-February 1919
Headache, chills, cough, fever, aches—dead in 24 hours
Hit 20-40 year olds in prime of life—not youth or elderly
50,000 died in Canada; 500-700,000 US; 50,000,000 world wide
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/005/005-1142.18-e.html ; www.collectionscanada.gc.ca;
http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/medicare/medic-1h10e.shtml
Roaring 20s
Political Upheaval
Women VotersEconomic
Transformation
Temperance to Prohibition
Cultural Changes
Political Upheaval
Canada became stronger nation economically, diplomatically
Two parties maintained power
Conservative—Borden to Meighen defeated in 1921
Liberal—Laurier to Mackenzie King
New Liberal Government—Wm. Lyon Mackenzie King
King in power from 1921-1930 [1926] & 1935-1948
Other parties formed
Progressives—in West and Ontario—labor
New National Policy—toward Socialism
Brought back to Liberal Party by King
Wm. Lyon Mackenzie King
New leader of Liberals in 1919
Prime Minister in 1921 with support of Francophone
Grandson of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie—Rebellion of 1837
Basically in power for next 3 decades
Three goals
Lower tariff
Old age pension
New autonomous role in British Empire
http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/compilations/federalgovernment/primeministers/gallery.aspx
Personal journals
Revealed much about King’s personal demons
Influenced by less than normal “advisors”
Mother’s influence after her death—spiritualism
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mackenzie_isabel_grace_14E.html
Loved animals—especially dog
https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/king/023011-1020.02-e.html
Never married—did seek advice of “ladies” on streets
http://apt613.ca/streetscape-memory-bank-who-photographed-ottawa-in-1938/
Women’s Suffrage
Could vote in BNA if owned property, land—early in 1800s
By mid 1800s only property owning males
International movement for women’s rights
Favorable impact of war on women’s suffrage
Progress on the Prairies—WHY???
Nellie McClung of Manitoba—1916
https://www.historica-dominion.ca/content/heritage-minutes/nellie-mcclung
All provinces but Quebec by 1922—QC in 1940
National suffrage by 1918
Agnes Macphail first MP in 1921 from ON
https://www.historica-dominion.ca/content/heritage-minutes/agnes-macphail
Workers in field and factory
Farmers and workers joined forces
Grange
Knights of Labor
American Federation of Labor
Industrial Workers of the World--Wobblies
Goals
8 hour day
Health and safety
Child labor
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/women-in-the-labour-force/;
http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/exhibits/online/GWG/en/images/t-1920.html ;
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/meat-processing-industry/
Strikes across Canada
Causes
Inflation,
Unemployment
Working conditions
Winnipeg General Strike—1919
Shut down city for weeks
Fear sent in RNWMP
Violence
http://cupe.ca/winnipeg-general-strike-remembered; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_general_strike; http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/winnipeg-general-strike/
Prohibition
Temperance movement—partial or total abstinence
WCTU
Laws to govern making and transporting alcohol
Factors: urbanization, religion, abuse of booze
Gaining momentum during 1800s
World War I—grains used for war effort
All but QC banned sale during the war—WHY NOT QUEBEC?
Federal prohibition in 1918—making, sale, importing
By 1920s abandoned prohibition
Illegal trade with U.S.—Windsor, Winnipeg, St. Pierre & Miquelon
http://windsorstar.com/life/from-the-vault-prohibition
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/prohibition/
Dirty 30s www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/king/023011-1020.02-e.html;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression_in_Canada ; https://evelynhartthetorontoglobeandmail.wordpress.com/
Direction of Nation Depression
Dirt
Direction of the nation
Triangle of Foreign Policy—Britain, Canada, & U.S.A.
Halibut Treaty—1923
Important step in self determination
Reevaluation of British Colonies and Empire—Balfour
More autonomy
Equality of status
Statute of Westminster—1931—became Commonwealth
Independent foreign policy
Not required to do as Britain did
EVOLUTION again
Depression
Causes
Boom of 20s
Companies owned by
U.S.
Stock market crash
Reliance on U.S. trade
Natural cycle
Real estate and land
speculation
Impact of Depression
Prices declined
Foreign orders down dramatically—66%
World tariffs higher
National income down by 50%
Free fall of economy across entire nation
Farming
Forestry
Fishing
Mining
Manufacturing
Transportation
Banking
Service
Response of Government
King in power when depression hit in 1929
Thought to be temporary dip
Had passed Old Age Pension Plan in 1927—only safety net
Turned to provinces and local governments
Richard Bennett—took power with Conservatives 1930
Unemployment Relief Act of 1932
Bank of Canada established in 1935
Canada’s New Deal
Too little too late—Bennett blankets, barnyards, bowls
“King or Chaos”—1935
Dirt—Dust Bowl of Canada
Continuation of Dust Bowl in American West
Drought did not stop at border
Natural disaster
Man-made dilemmas on top of disaster
Palliser Triangle’s revenge
http://www.hgis.usask.ca/rethinking-the-dust-bowl/
Culture—1914-1939
Self-definition—Canadian identity emerged
Culture embraced geography—focus on regions
Group of 7 and Tom Thompson—geographic focus
Magazines—Maclean’s, Saturday Night, Chatelaine
Jazz--Montreal
Radio diversion during the era
American programing [1920] did not stop at border
Canadian Broadcasting Corp—1932
To assist birth of cultural identity—Hockey Night in Canada
Film industry—NFB but drain to Hollywood
Mary Pickford
http://www.biography.com/people/mary-pickford-9440298
Mack Sennett
http://www.macksennettstage.com/history.html
Creation of a Canadian identity
Art
Tom Thompson
http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/canadian/Tom-Thomson.html
Group of Seven http://www.mcmichael.com/collection/seven/
Franklin Carmichael
AJ Casson
Lawren Harris
AY Jackson
Frank Johnston
Arthur Lismer
JEH MacDonald
Frederick Varley
Red Maple—1914—A.Y. Jackson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_Seven_(artists)
Emily Carr—British Columbia http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/canadian/Emily-Carr.html; http://www.aci-iac.ca/emily-carr/key-works/big-raven; http://www.wikiart.org/en/emily-carr/totem-walk-at-sitka-1907
Resources
Anonymous. “Canada’s Home Front—the Great War,” http://www.warmuseum.ca
https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/king/023011-1020.02-e.html
Goldenberg, Susan. “Killer Flu,” The Beaver. October-November 2006, pg. 27-32.
Hill, Charles. The Group of Seven: Art for a Nation. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc., 1995.
Hallett, Mary E. and Davis, Marilyn I. “Votes for Women,” The Beaver. October-November, 1993. Pages 17-22.
http://www.mcmichael.com/collection/seven/
See, Scott. History of Canada. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001. [111-129].
Sprague, D.N. Post Confederation Canada: The Structure of Canadian History Since Confederation. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall Canada Inc., 1990. Pages 131-147.