Ethnic regions and housing in north America Mr Kuhn

North America at the beginning of the 18th century

WHY DOES THE PAST MATTER? Some times “Folk Housing” is more complex than one group adapting to their surroundings In North America, many of the immigrants came overseas and brought their own culture with them This culture affected the way these new immigrants adapted to their surroundings and as a result it is crucial to understand them It is important to note, however, that these groups must adapt to their new geography in order to survive

MARITIMES The Maritimes was the first region to be contacted from Europeans when the small Viking Settlement “Vinlad” was created in Newfoundland This new settlement was founded in the year 100, but lasted only a short while before being abandoned largely due to the new migrants being unable to adapt to the new geography Beginning in the 14th century, a number of French explorers would begin to settle the area leaving the area predominately French until the “Great Expulsion” in 1755 With the removal of many French, the area became more British in the following centuries

QUEBEC In the 16th Century, Jacques Cartier began to explore the area that is now Quebec but was unsuccessful in creating a colony In the 17th century Samuel de Champlain laid the foundation for New France and was successful in creating a French Colony In the 18th century, Britain defeated France on the Plains of Abraham during the Seven Years War and New France was succeeded to Britain Due to the Royal Proclamation, however, Quebec was guaranteed their traditional rights and freedoms and the area has remained predominately French

ONTARIO The British Explorer Henry Hudson claimed the area that is now Ontario for the English While the area became more and more French with the arrival de Champlain, they were pushed from the area due to the British Alliance with the Iroquois in the area The British cemented their cultural footprint in the area when they defeated the French in the Plains of Abraham and made Upper Canada their cultural hearth

WESTERN CANADA While the Prairie Provinces were initially settled by both the French and British it was hit with a massive influx of Scandinavian and Western European migrants in the 19th century The large influx was due to the “Last Best West” campaign in which Canada gave away cheap land in order to fill the region with people and have a claim on the area The influx grew rapidly until the North West Rebellion in 1885

BRITISH COLUMBIA Immigration to British Columbia was unique as the Rocky Mountains stopped Westward Expansion from the rest of Canada British Columbia was originally inhabited by small amount of French and British until the Gold Rush The majority of those who inhabited British Columbia came via California and the United States The Majority of Ethnic Groups include Germans, Scandinavians, Maritimers, Australians, Poles, Italians, French, Belgians and others, as well as Chinese

North America Today

TODAY IN THE TEXT… Ethnic cultural regions in the United States The Great Expulsion (Kicking out the Acadians) Cold winters in French Canada When the States was Spanish