Terry Long's Portfolio

The Life of Fathe Angelo Secchi

trlong36 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:51:59 +0000

http://catholic-clergy.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_father_angelo_secchi

Born in June, 1818 Father Pietro Angelo Secchi was a pioneer in the field of astronomical spectroscopy and the director of the Observatory of the Roman College in Rome.

Father Secchi was born in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. As a child, he studied at the Jesuit Gymnasium in his home town, until he was 16. It was at that time that he entered the Jesuit Order. Shortly afterward, he went to Rome to continue his studies where he showed great scientific aptitude.

In 1839, Father Secchi became the math and physics tutor at the Roman College, not far from the Vatican in Rome. In 1840, Father Secchi became a professor of physics in the Jesuit University in Loreto.

In 1844, Father Secchi returned to Rome where he began to study for the Priesthood. He was eventually ordained in 1847. In 1848, the Jesuits were forced to leave Rome as a result of the Roman Revolution, an attempt to replace the Papal State with a democratically elected government.

Father Secchi’s Career

During the next two years, Father Secchi taught at Stonyhurst College in Britain and at Georgetown University in Washington DC. While in the United States, Father Secchi became friends with Commander Mathew Fontaine Maury, the first director of the United States Naval Observatory. Father Secchi studied briefly with Commander Maury and corresponded with him for many years.

In 1850, Father Secchi returned to Rome, where he became the director of the Observatory of the Roman College. Under his care, the Observatory was moved to its current location on the roof of St. Lazarus Cathedral.

Beginning in 1870, Father Secchi’s position was challenged by the newly formed Kingdom of Italy, when it absorbed the remainder of the Papal State, in and around Rome. In 1873, the Kingdom of Italy took control of the Roman College, and in 1875, tried to take control of the Observatory. Father Secchi protested and threatened to accept one of the many positions offered to him by foreign observatories. As a result, Father Secchi was given a number of important scientific and political dignities, and was not required to swear allegiance to the King of Italy.

Father Secchi’s Legacy

Over the course of his career, Father Secchi made a number of important contributions to the science of astronomy. He drew accurate maps of the moon and Mars, discovered three comets and drew an accurate map of Copernicus Crater, on the surface of the moon.

Father Secchi’s main area of study was astronomical spectroscopy, which is the study of light and colour given off by distant stars and galaxies. Father Secchi demonstrated that the light given off by the sun is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere. In doing so, he was one of the first astronomers to demonstrate that the sun is a star.

Beginning in 1863, Father Secchi began collecting spectral images of distant stars, eventually collecting more than 4,000 stellar spectrograms. Through a careful analysis of this data, Father Secchi discovered that stars come in a limited number of distinct categories. Using this information, Father Secchi developed the first system of stellar classification, the Secchi Classes. Even though this method was eventually supplanted by the Harvard System, Father Secchi is still remembered as an important pioneer in the development of astrophysics, thanks to his discovery of stellar classification.

Father Secchi died in 1878 at the age of 59.

Source:

Maffeo, Fr. Sabino, SJ; trans. Fr. George Coyne, SJ (1991). In the Service of Nine Popes: 100 Years of the Vatican Obervatory. Città del Vaticano (Vatican City): Specola Vaticana.

The Life of Herbert Hoover

trlong36 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:32:11 +0000

http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_herbert_hoover

The 31st President of the United States

The son of a Quaker blacksmith, Herbert Hoover brought a reputation of public service to the White House.

Born in Iowa, in 1874, Herbert Hoover grew up in Oregon, where he enrolled in Stanford University, graduating in 1891 as a mining engineer.

Herbert Hoover’s Early Career

Herbert Hoover in China

Around the same time, Hoover married Lou Henry, his Stanford sweetheart. Together they went to China, where Hoover became one of the country’s top mining engineers. In June, 1900, Hoover and his wife were caught in Tientsin, China, when the Boxer Rebellion broke out. The city suffered a month of heavy shelling. While Lou worked as a nurse in one of the city’s hospitals, Hoover oversaw the construction of barricades. At one point he even risked his life to rescue a group of Chinese children.

Herbert Hoover in World War I

While in London and one week before his 40th birthday, in 1914, Germany declared war on France, which signalled the beginning of World War I. Over 120,000 Americans were stranded in Britain as a result. The American Consul General asked for Hoover’s assistance in returning them to the United States. Following this, Hoover took on the even more difficult task of feeding Belgium, which had been invaded by the German Army.

After the entrance of the United States into World War I, in 1917, President Wilson appointed Hoover chairman of the Food Administration. Hoover was able to cut consumption of food at home, and supply American forces fighting in France, without resorting to rationing.

Following the signing of the Armistice in 1918, Hoover became a member of the Supreme Economic Council, in addition to joining the American Relief Administration, which organized food shipments for starving civilians all over Europe. Hoover also extended food aid to a famine-stricken Soviet Union. When some of his critics accused Hoover of spreading Communism, he replied, “twenty million people are starving. Whatever their politics, they shall be fed!”

President Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover as Secretary of Commerce

During the 1920s, Hoover served as the Secretary of Commerce for President Harding and President Coolidge. In 1928, following Coolidge’s decision not to seek a second term, Hoover became the Republican Presidential candidate. During his campaign, he often said, “we in America today are nearer to the final triumph over poverty than ever before.” Hoover’s election as the 31st President of the United States seemed to assure the continued prosperity that had begun under his predecessors. However, in October, 1929, just a few months into his administration, the stock market collapsed and the United States was plunged into the Great Depression.

Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression

In the wake of the market collapse, Hoover announced that he would continue to balance the Federal budget. Hoover also cut taxes and increased spending on public works projects.

By 1931, events in Europe had exacerbated the escalating crisis, despite the fact that Hoover had presented a program to Congress that called for the creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and aid to farmers and business owners. Along with this, Hoover pushed for loans to the states for feeding the unemployed and expanding public works projects.

At the same time, Hoover also believed that, while people should not suffer unnecessarily, caring for the homeless and the unemployed was the responsibility of the individual.

Meanwhile, Hoover’s political enemies attempted to sabotage his efforts for their own political gain. As a result, Hoover was depicted in the media as a cruel and uncaring president. As a consequence of this he was decisively beaten by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1932 Presidential election. Through out the 1930s, Hoover remained a vocal critic of President Roosevelt and the New Deal, claiming that it would turn the United States into a nanny state.

The Death of Herbert Hoover

In 1945, following the end of World War II, President Truman appointed Hoover chairman of a commission with the task of reorganizing the executive branch of the American government. In 1953, Hoover was asked to join a similar committee by President Eisenhower. Hoover was also a prolific author, and wrote many books and articles over the course of his life. Politically active for much of his adult life, Herbert Hoover died at the age of 90, on October 20, 1964.

Source

Herbert Hoover, The White House. US Government. Dec.8/09

Pre-Dynastic Egypt

trlong36 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:05:35 +0000

http://egyptian-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/predynastic_egypt

Ancient Egypt’s Early History

The history of Egypt dates back to 9500 BC, with the beginning of Egypt’s Pre-dynastic Period.

Egypt’s Pre-dynastic Period lasted from the early Neolithic period, which is thought to have begun sometime around, 9500 BC and ended in 3100 BC. It was at this point that Egypt entered the Proto-dynastic period, which marked the beginning of Pharaonic Egypt, however, these dates were ascribed to this period of Egyptian history at a time when there were very few archaeological excavations being carried out in Egypt. As a result Egyptologists are uncertain precisely when the Pre-dynastic Period began and ended.

Ancient Egypt’s Early Pre-Dynastic Period

Egypt’s Pre-dynastic history is subdivided into a number of smaller epochs based on the regional cultures that arose during this period.

Most of the Pre-dynastic sites uncovered in Egypt have been found in Upper Egypt, to the south of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. This is due to the Nile’s annual flood, which deposits large amounts of silt in the Nile Delta. As a result many of the Pre-dynastic settlements in Lower Egypt are permanently buried.

However, in Upper Nubia, to the south of Egypt, sites have been uncovered that provide evidence of a grain-based culture that researchers call the Qaadan Culture.

Pre-Dynastic Lower Egypt

In Lower Egypt, a number of different farming cultures developed during this period, such as the Faiyum A Culture. The expansion of the desert forced the early ancestors of the Egyptians to permanently settle on the banks of the Nile River, in addition to adopting a sedentary lifestyle. It is around this time that the first evidence of weaving appears in the Egyptian archaeological record. However, unlike later Egyptian history, the practice of mummification had not yet developed. Instead families are thought to have buried their deceased loved ones in their homes. Archaeological digs reveal little of this time period, however, the many words in the Ancient Egyptian language for city indicate that many settlements existed in the Pre-dynastic period either as places of worship or as trading centres.

Beginning sometime around 5000 BC, the Merimde Culture arose along the edge of the western Nile Delta. The Merimde Culture is believed to have had strong ties to the Faiyum A Culture, in addition to links with the Levant in modern day Turkey. Like the Faiyum A people, the Merimde people are known to have used stone tools and grew wheat, sorghum and barely.

By 4200 BC, the Merimde Culture had given way to the Maadi Culture. The Maadi Culture represented one of the most important phases in the evolution of Egyptian culture in Lower Egypt during the Pre-dynastic Period because it coincided with the beginning of the Proto-dynastic Period in Upper Egypt.

Pre-Dynastic Upper Egypt

The earliest civilization to appear in the archaeological record in Upper Egypt is the Tasian Culture. The Tasian people are believed to have produced the earliest known black top ware, a type of red and brown pottery. Because the exact beginning and end dates of the Pre-dynastic Period are not known for sure, Egyptian pottery is dated using a method called sequential dating. This method assigns dates based on the size and shape of pottery handles, as well as the over all complexity of the pot’s design.

Following the collapse of the Tasian Culture, the Badarian Culture arose in its place. As with the Faiyum A and Merimde Cultures in Lower Egypt, the Badarian people in Upper Egypt had close cultural ties with the Tasian Culture. However, unlike the Tasian people, the Badarian people were more advanced. This has been demonstrated by the discovery of copper tools at some Badarian settlements.

The Badarian Culture was eventually supplanted by the Amratian Culture, which is sometimes called the Naqada I Culture. The Amratian Culture marked a significant moment in Egypt’s early history because it marked the beginning of the transition from the Pre-dynastic to the Proto-dynastic Period.

During this time, trade between Upper and Lower Egypt increased. The Egyptians also began to trade overseas. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Egyptians may have had contact with settlements in the Sinai Peninsula.

The Amratian Culture was eventually supplanted by the Gerzean Culture. Also referred to as the Naqada II period, the Gerzean Culture is believed to represent the transition point from the Pre-dynastic to the Proto-dynastic period. The Gerzean people also began to build with mud bricks during this period. Around the same time, Egyptian tombs took on the distinctive Egyptian style, and were sometimes composed of multiple rooms. There was also an increase in trade with Mesopotamia.

The Gerzean period eventually gave way to the Proto-dynastic Period, which is also known as the Naqada III period, by which point the process of state formation was fully visible.

This transitional period laid the ground work for the rise of Egypt’s Pharaohs and marked the beginning of one of the great civilizations of the ancient world.

Sources

Redford, Donald B. Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times. (Princeton: University Press, 1992)

Grimal, Nicolas. A History of Ancient Egypt. Librairie Arthéme Fayard, 1988

Gardiner, Alan, Egypt of the Pharaohs (Oxford: University Press, 1964

The Life of Sweyn Forkbeard

trlong36 — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:50:56 +0000

http://monarchs.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_sweyn_forkbeard

The Danish Invasion of England

Also known as Sven the Dane, Sweyn Forkbeard was King of England from 1013 until his death in 1014.

Following the death of his father, Harald Bluetooth, Sweyn Forkbeard became the King of Denmark sometime in the year 1000.

Unlike many other royal nicknames, Sweyn’s was probably used in his lifetime. The name Sweyn Forkbeard is thought to refer to the pitchfork-style moustache that was common in England during that time.

On the northern border of the Holy Roman Empire, Sweyn is believed to have had coins minted bearing the words, “Zven Rex Daenor,” or “Sweyn, King of the Danes.”

Sweyn Forkbeard in the Primary Sources

According to the 11th Century historian, Adam of Bremen, Sweyn’s father, Harald Bluetooth was one of the first Scandinavian Kings to accept Christianity, sometime in the early 960s. He is also believed to have baptized Sweyn as Otto, in honour of Otto I, the first King of the Holy Roman Empire.

Many of the details of Sweyn’s life have come under scrutiny as a result of conflicting accounts found in the historical record. Contrary accounts of Sweyn’s life appear in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the writings of Adam of Bremen, as well as the writings of the 13th Century Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson.

Some historians have even gone so far as to suggest that Sweyn’s second wife Sigrid the Haughty, the dowager Queen of Sweden, did not exist.

On top of this, some primary sources also make the claim that Sweyn was illegitimate, in addition to being a rebellious pagan who persecuted Christians and opposed his father’s rule. These claims may have been influenced by the writings of Adam of Bremen. As a result, he is no longer considered to be a reliable source by medieval historians.

Sweyn Forkbeard’s Invasion

According to the English chronicler, John of Wallingford, Sweyn took part in a number of raids on the English coast between 1002 and 1013. These raids were carried out in response to the St. Brice’s Day Massacre, in which Sweyn’s predecessor,Ethelred the Unready, tried to have all of the Danes in England killed. Sweyn is believed to have taken an interest in the raids because his sister is thought to have been among Ethelred’s victims.

A more realistic explanation for Sweyn’s participation in the Danish raids against England is money. The reason for this may have been because, Sweyn was held captive by his father’s supporters and forced pay a ransom for his release. Doing so may have left him impoverished and short of funds. As a result, he may have chosen to take part in the Danish attacks on England, in an effort to replenish his personal coffers.

According to the Peterbourgh Chronicle, one of the documents that comprised the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Sweyn, exacted large amounts of Danegeld, or tribute, from the English, and in 1013 personally financed an invasion of England.

He began by attacking East Anglia, gradually working his way north to Northumbria, while the Danish fleet sailed up the River Thames and attempted to attack London. However, the Londoners burned all the bridges crossing the Thames, blocking the river and preventing the Danish fleet from entering London. According to the Peterborough Chronicle, Sweyn was not deterred by this setback, however. “King Sweyn went from there to Wallingford over the Thames to Bath and stayed there with his troops; Ealdorman Aethelmaer came and the western Thegns with him. They all bowed to Sweyn and gave hostages.”

Even though the people of London had successfully beaten back the Danish army, they now found themselves surrounded and isolated as the entire country submitted to Sweyn’s rule. Following Ethelred’s abdication, and flight to Normandy, Sweyn was accepted as king. He was crowned King of England on Christmas Day, 1013.

The Death of Sweyn Forkbeard

Following his coronation, Sweyn immediately set about organizing his new kingdom from his capital at Gainsborough. However, he only reigned for five weeks before he died in February, 1014.

Sweyn Forkbeard’s Legacy

Following his death, Sweyn’s oldest son, Harald II, became the King of Denmark. However, the Danish fleet threw its support behind Harald’s younger brother, Canute, who was eventually able to topple Ethelred in 1016. Sweyn’s descendants continue to rule Denmark today, and every English monarch from 1603 onward can also claim descent from Sweyn Forkbeard.

Sources

Howard, Ian, Swein Forkbeard’s Invasions and the Danish Conquest of England, 991– 1017. first edn., Woodbridge&Boydell (2003),

Ashley, Mike (1998). British Monarchs. Robinson Publishing, 1998

Life in New France

trlong36 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:47:13 +0000

http://canadian-settlement.suite101.com/article.cfm/life_in_new_france

The Habitants and the Seigneurial System

The Habitants were the original settlers brought to New France in the 17th Century.

The Habitants settled along the banks of the St. Lawrence River in what is now the province of Quebec. The term “Habitant” is thought to have originated from Samuel de Champlain’s original settlement at Quebec, which he called The Habitation. This term was used by the Habitants themselves and by others in New France. The term was common in Quebec between the 17th and early 20th Centuries. Usage of the term, “Habitant” declined in the early 20th Century in favour of the term “Agriculteur,” which meant farmer.

The Habitants in New France

Unwilling to submit to anyone but the Governor of New France, the Habitants refused to be called “Censitaire,” believing that this made them equivalent to “paysans,” the servile peasants that made up the lowest rank of French feudal society.

Following Confederation, in 1867, the seigneurial system gradually faded from use. As Quebec began to industrialize, much of Quebec’s working class moved to cities such as Montreal and Quebec City in search of jobs.

In spite of this, elements of the seigneural system can still be seen in Quebec today.

The Seigneurial System in New France

The seigneurial system was a semi-feudal system of land distribution used in New France.

The seigneurial system was introduced to New France by Cardinal Richelieu in 1627. The seignuerial system divided the land into long strips called seigneuries which were further divided into long narrow plots of land, and then distributed among the Habitants. Each seigneurie belonged to the King of France and was maintained by a seigneur or landlord, who was responsible for building a church and a mill. In return for their lands, the Habitants would in turn pay rent to the seigneur in the form of food and labour.

The seigneurial system as it existed in New France was somewhat different than the system that had arisen in France. For example none of the seigneurs in New France were from the nobility. In France, all seigneurs were vassals of the king. In Canada, seigneuries were purchased by military officers, Catholic clergy and even co-operatively by groups of Habitants. In New France, the King was represented by an Intendant, who required all seigneurs to live on their seigneuries.

Following the British victory at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, which marked the turning point of the French and Indian War, the seigneurial system was seen as an obstacle to colonization by British settlers. However, the Quebec Act of 1774 took steps to protect French civil law and the seigneurial system.

The seigeurial system remained in use for almost a hundred years. As the seigneuries along the St. Lawrence River made up the best farmland, many English and Scottish immigrants became seigneurs. The seigneuries were also divided between male and female offspring, or tended to by widows until their children came of age.

When Quebec was divided into Upper and Lower Canada in 1791, a 28 mile segment of the inter-colonial border was drawn along the edge of the western seigneiuries along the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers.

The seigneurial system was formally abolished in 1854. A special seigenurial court was established to answer the many legal and economic questions that arose from this action.

Some elements of the seigneurial system continued well into the 20th Century, such as the collection of feudal rents. These were finally abolished when the last of the feudal rents were purchased by the Quebec government through a system of bonds.

Sources

Jacques Mathieu. “Seigneurial system”, in The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Foundation of Canada. Nov. 30/09

Bothwell, Richard. The Penguin History of Canada, Penguin, Toronto (2006) Pg. 136

The Life of Calvin Coolidge

trlong36 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:09:36 +0000

http://modern-us-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_calvin_coolidge

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States

The 30th President of the United States

Following the death of President Harding, Calvin Coolidge was informed that he had become the 30th President of the United States in 1923.

Immediately after being given this news, Coolidge was given the oath of office by his father, who was a Justice of the Peace.

Calvin Coolidge was described by his supporters as being, “distinguished for his character more than heroic achievement.

Calvin Coolidge’s Childhood

Born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth, Vermont, to a village shop keeper, Calvin Coolidge graduated with honours from Amherst College. He then moved to Northampton, Massachusetts where he set up a law practice and began to methodically climb the political ladder, eventually becoming state governor.

Coolidge and the Death of President Harding

After he became President, following the death of President Harding, Coolidge became determined to preserve the old moral and economic precepts amid growing economic prosperity. Coolidge refused to use Federal power to control the growing economic boom or to relieve the depressed condition of the agricultural sector of the American economy. In 1923, he called for isolation in American foreign policy. He also pushed for tax cuts and limited aid to farmers.

In the midst of the unprecedented economic boom that characterized the Roaring Twenties, Coolidge became increasingly popular. In the 1924 Presidential election, Coolidge received 54% of the popular vote.

Calvin Coolidge’s Administration

In his inaugural address, Coolidge claimed that the country had achieved “a state of contentment seldom before seen.” He went on to veto two farm relief bills as well as a project to harness the Tennessee River for cheap electrical power.

According to Walter Lippmann, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and one of Coolidge’s chief political advisors, Coolidge was an effective do nothing President. “This active inactivity suited the mood and certain of the country’s needs admirably.”

Coolidge was also known for being one of the most negative and remote Presidents in American history up to that point. However, he could also be one of the most accessible. In addition to welcoming numerous official delegations to the White House, Coolidge also allowed himself to be photographed in a number of costumes such as an Indian war bonnet and even cowboy chaps.

Coolidge was also known for being a very laconic and tight-lipped President. First Lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge often recounted how a young woman at a state banquet claimed that she had bet that she could get three words of conversation out of President Coolidge. Without looking at her Coolidge replied “you lose.”

Coolidge was also an outspoken supporter of civil rights for Catholics and African-Americans. He refused to grant Cabinet positions to anyone with known ties to white supremacist groups. As a result, hate groups such as the KKK saw a significant reduction in numbers and influence during the Coolidge Administration.

In 1928, Coolidge made one of his most famous laconic statements when he said, “I do not choose to run for President in 1928.” In his memoirs, Coolidge defended the decision saying that another term as President would have been beyond him. He was also against the nomination of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover, who Coolidge claimed had given him nothing but bad and unsolicited advice, ever since he took office.

The Death of Calvin Coolidge

Following the end of his Presidency, Coolidge served as the Chairman for the Railway Commission, the President of the American Antiquarian Society and a trustee for Amherst College. In 1929, Coolidge published his memoirs.

Calvin Coolidge died of a heart attack on January 5, 1933.

Source

Calvin Coolidge.The White House. US Government. Nov.30/09

A Review of Star Wars in Concert

trlong36 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:00:06 +0000

http://instrumentalmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_review_of_star_wars_in_concert

Unique Presentation of Iconic Film Scores

The Force was strong at the Air Canada Centre on November 26, 2009 as Star Wars in Concert played its Toronto engagement.

Consisting of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the largest LCD screens ever built for a travelling performance and a sophisticated light and laser show, Star Wars in Concert wowed both fans and music lovers in Toronto.

A Rare Star Wars Concert

Hosted by Anthony Daniels, the only actor to play the same character in all six Star Wars films, and featuring the voice of James Earl Jones, Star Wars in Concert tells the story of the Star Wars saga through its iconic music. Carefully selected by Star Wars composer John Williams and Star Wars creator George Lucas, the most notable movements from the scores of the six Star Wars films are married to equally and carefully selected and edited video sequences. Touching on the most notable themes and images from the films each segment of the show is essentially an astounding music video with live music, along with a light show and pyrotechnics.

Accompanying the concert is a travelling exhibition of props, conceptual art and costumes, such as Queen Amidala’s royal robes and Darth Vader’s armour and other props and costumes, some of which have not been seen in thirty years. Unlike most film studios, Lucasfilm is famous among Star Wars fans and movie buffs for its decision to retain and carefully catalogue all of the props, weapons and costumes used in its films, especially those used in the making of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. As a result, Star Wars in Concert also offers fans a rare glimpse into the Lucasfilm archives.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Event

At times, taking on the atmosphere of a rock show, the combination of the music, the lighting and Star Wars’ highly active and enthusiastic fan base all contribute to give Star Wars in Concert a unique look and feel.

As some of the most iconic film scores ever written, Star Wars in Concert puts the spotlight on one of Star Wars’ best elements, its music. A well written score can elevate a film and help to set it apart, but most movie goers do not separate the visual elements from the music that serves to accentuate them. In this way, Star Wars in Concert is different, as it uses a technique called “Leitmotif,” which serves to connect certain melodic phrases with certain characters and images, allowing the music to be re-orchestrated as needed.

From the strident notes of the Imperial March, to the whimsy of the Mos Eisely Cantina’s jazz-like music, to the bombast of Duel of the Fates and the subtle beauty of Leia’s Theme, Star Wars in Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear live some of the best movie music ever written and to travel to the galaxy far, far away.

The Life of Samuel de Champlain

trlong36 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:37:17 +0000

http://canadian-settlement.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_samuel_de_champlain

The Father of New France

Born into a family of master mariners, Samuel de Champlain is remembered today as the Father of New France and as one of Canada’s most important explorers.

Samuel de Champlain was born in Brouage, in Saintonge, France. The exact location and date of birth are not known because many of the town records were destroyed in a fire in 1690. In 1870, a Canadian priest, Father Laverdiere claimed that Champlain was born in 1567. As he did not provide any evidence in support of this claim, the circumstances of Champlain’s birth remain the subject of debate.

Samuel de Champlain’s Early Voyages

In 1598, Champlain went to sea for the first time, with his uncle who was a navigator aboard a ship bound for Spain. From there the ship was sent to the West Indies as part of a Spanish convoy. The voyage lasted two years and gave Champlain the opportunity to see Spain’s colonies in the New World, first hand. Following his return to France, Champlain wrote an account of the voyage, which was sent to King Henry, who awarded Champlain an annual pension as a result.

Meanwhile, Champlain’s uncle died in 1601, leaving Champlain an estate near La Rochelle, a number of businesses in Spain and a 150 ton trading vessel. This inheritance, combined with the king’s pension gave Champlain a much greater degree of freedom than other explorers, who had to rely on royal patronage to finance their expeditions. Between 1601 and 1603, Champlain served as one of King Henry’s court geographers, spending much of his time traveling up and down France’s Atlantic coast, gathering information on the New World. He also studied previous French attempts at colonization along the St. Lawrence River, such as Jacques Cartier’s attempt to establish a settlement in the previous century.

The Founding of New France

In 1603, Champlain traveled to what would eventually become New France, as an observer on an expedition led by Francios Grave du Pont. Du Pont taught Champlain how to navigate on Canadian Rivers, as well as how to deal with the First Nations.

Champlain arrived at Tadoussac, Quebec on March 15, 1603, eager to see the places that Jacques Cartier had visited 60 years before.

Using the extensive notes he had made on the voyage, Champlain drew the first accurate map of the St. Lawrence River Valley, following his return to France. He also published an account of the expedition.

In 1604, Champlain returned to Canada, this time staying for several years. Between 1604 and 1607, Champlain explored the east coast of North America as far south as Cape Cod. He attempted to establish a colony on Saint Croix Island in the Bay of Fundy, however, a poor location coupled with a sudden shift in court politics in France meant that the colony was abandoned in 1607.

Samuel de Champlain and Quebec City

In 1608, Champlain was recalled to France, where he was ordered to select a new site for a French colony along the St. Lawrence River. He was placed in command of a three-ship convoy and arrived at Tadoussac, where the men and equipment were loaded onto small boats, arriving at the “point of Quebec” on July 3, 1608.

The Habitation, as Champlain first called the colony consisted of a walled compound and a fort overlooking the settlement. This is where the French-Canadian term Habitant came from. This event was significant because it marked the founding of what would eventually become Quebec City, North America’s oldest city.

In May, 1610 the development of this colony, now called New France suffered a major set back, when King Henry was assassinated by Catholic fanatics. Rule fell to Queen Marie de Medici, who served as regent for her nine year old son, Louis XIII. Queen Marie had little interest in New France and many of Champlain’s supporters were denied access at court as a result. Champlain had no choice but to return to France to build new political connections.

On March 29, 1613, Champlain returned to New France, where he became the colony’s new Royal Commissioner. On May 27, Champlain set out on a new expedition to explore the back country and to search for a rumoured “northern sea” which was probably Hudson Bay. In August, Champlain returned to France where he wrote an account of his life from 1604 to 1612.

In May 1624, Champlain laid the first stone of the fortifications for what is now Quebec City. In 1627, Cardinal Richelieu founded the Comagnie des Cent-Associes, which took over the fur trade and sent a fleet loaded with colonists and supplies to New France in 1628.

In July, jealous English merchants attacked New France and were eventually able to capture the fleet sent to re-supply the colony that April. Champlain was forced to surrender New France as a result. However, the colony was returned to French control in 1632.

The Death of Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain suffered a severe stroke in October, 1635. He died on Christmas Day.

Sources

Fischer, David Hackett, Champlain’s Dream, (Simon and Schuster, 2008),

Trudel, Marcel. “Biography of Samuel de Champlain”. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online.

The Life of Jacques Cartier

trlong36 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:58:04 +0000

http://canadian-settlement.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_jacques_cartier

Jacques Cartier

The Discoverer of the St. Lawrence River

Believed to be the first European to see the St. Lawrence River, Jacques Cartier claimed what is now the Province of Quebec for France.

Born in 1491, in Saint Malo, France, Jacques Cartier first went to sea as a boy, which was traditional during the 15th and 16th Centuries. The primary sources claim that Cartier may have taken part in the expeditions of Giovanni Verrazzano in 1524 and 1528. However, it is doubtful that Cartier would have participated in Verrazzano’s expeditions to the New World, out of regional pride.

Jacques Cariter’s First Voyage

In 1534, the Duchy of Brittany formally merged with France. Around the same time, Cartier was introduced to King Francois I by the Abbot of Mont-St. Michel. Later that year, Cartier set sail under a royal commission. Cartier’s aim was to “discover certain islands and lands where it is said that great quantities of gold and other precious things are to be found.”

On May 10, 1534, Cartier arrived off the coast of Newfoundland and spent the rest of the summer exploring Canada’s east coast. On July 24, he erected a large wooden cross and a wooden plaque, with the words “long live the King of France,” carved into it. He also took two Iroquois natives back to France, promising to return them a year later.

Cartier returned to France in September, 1534, thinking, like John Cabot before him, that he had found the coast of Asia.

Jacques Cartier’s Second Voyage

The following year, Cartier returned to the New World, this time with three ships and 110 men, along with the two kidnapped natives. Upon sighting the coast, Cartier proceeded to sail up the St. Lawrence River to the Iroquois village of Stadacona and Hochelaga,, which would eventually become Quebec City and Montreal. Cartier believed that the St. Lawrence River was the beginning of the North West Passage and named the rapids near Montreal the Lechine, or China, Rapids.

Cartier spent two days at Hochelaga before returning to Stadacona, where he began making preparations to spend the winter.

From the middle of November, 1535 until the spring break-up in April, 1536, Cartier’s ships were frozen in the ice at the mouth of the St. Charles River. During the winter, Cartier’s men began to suffer from scurvy, which is caused by a lack of Vitamin C. Cartier’s crew would have died, were it not for the intervention of the First Nations, who gave the French a tea made with boiled cedar bark. When the ice melted in the spring of 1536, Cartier decided to take Chief Donnacona back to France with him, so that he could tell the story of the Kingdom of Sauguenay, which the Iroquois believed was ruled by blond men and filled with gold and other treasures.

Jacques Cartier’s Third Voyage

In 1540, Cartier returned to Canada with the rank of Captain General, under the command Jean-Francois de la Rocque de Roberval.

On May 23, 1541, Cartier set sail from Saint Malo with a convoy of five ships. His orders were to establish a colony on the banks of the St. Lawrence River and to search for the Kingdom of Saguenay.

Upon arrival in Canada, Cartier sailed upriver, establishing a settlement near present day Cap-Rouge, Quebec. The colony consisted of a walled settlement with a communal garden and a fort built on a high cliff overlooking the colony. Cartier named the settlement Charlesbourg-Royal.

At the same time, some of the colonists found what they believed to be gold and diamonds and Cartier sent two ships home with samples. However, a detailed analysis in France revealed that the samples were actually iron pyrite and quartz. The phrase “as false as diamonds from Canada,” became common in France following this discovery.

Meanwhile, Cartier took the expedition’s longboats and gone in search of the Kingdom of Saguenay. Cartier reached Hochelaga on September 7, but was prevented from continuing by a combination of rapids and bad weather. When he returned, Cartier found that the colony’s mood had changed. There are few details, but the First Nations are thought to have attacked the colony, killing 35 people. Matters were made worse that winter with an outbreak of scurvy. Cartier became convinced that he lacked the manpower to explore or defend the colony.

Cartier returned to France in June, 1542, leaving Roberval in command. The settlement was eventually abandoned in 1543 due to bad weather, disease and hostile natives. A successful French colony was eventually established by 17th Century explorer Samuel de Champlain.

Jacques Cartier’s Legacy

Having located and mapped the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, Cartier made it possible for other European explorers to colonize the interior of North America.

In August, 2006, Quebec Premier Jean Charest announced that archaeologists had discovered the location of Cartier’s colony near the mouth of the Cap-Rouge River. The find has been called one of the most important since the discovery of the Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.

Jacques Cartier died in September, 1557 at the age of 65.

Sources

Trudel, Marcel, Cartier, Jacques. The Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Nov.20/09

The Life of Father Francis McSpiritt

trlong36 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:23:35 +0000

http://catholic-clergy.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_life_of_father_francis_mcspiritt

St. Patrick’s Church, Wildfield in Gore Township was formally blessed on June 27, 1830.

Affectionately known as Father Mac, Father Francis McSpiritt became the pastor of St. Patrick Wildfield parish 57 years later. He would remain in this position from 1887 until his death in 1895.

Father McSpiritt’s Childhood

Born in County Cavan, Ireland, in 1830, Francis McSpiritt immigrated to New York in 1854. From there he moved to Toronto, where he studied philosophy at St. Michael’s College. Following his graduation, he became a seminary student and was ordained in 1865.

Father McSpiritt’s first placement was in the Gore Mission, north of Toronto, where he served as a curate. This was the first time he was assigned to St. Patrick Wildfield parish. He was then sent farther north to St. Cornelius parish in Silver Creek, where he became a pastor.

Father McSpiritt’s Miracles

In 1870, Father McSpiritt was transferred to the Niagara Region. It was here that he gained a reputation as a miracle worker after he restored the sight of a blind man and stopped the tremors of a woman who had suffered from a rare neurological condition known as Sydenham’s Chorea.

In 1875, Father McSpiritt was transferred again, this time to St. James Parish in Adjala Township.

Word of Father McSpiritt’s miracles spread and Catholics and Protestants began to seek him out. When asked how he performed his miracles, Father McSpiritt answered, “it is between the afflicted and God, I know nothing of it.”

Oral tradition in St. Patrick Wildfield parish supports this belief yet also strongly supports belief in Father McSpiritt’s ability to work miracles.

Father McSpiritt and St Patrick’s Church

In 1887, at his own request, Father McSpiritt returned to St. Patrick Wildfield parish, where his reputation as a miracle worker followed him. Pilgrims came from all over Ontario to see him. So many people came to be cured by Father McSpiritt that he began to sleep in the church basement, in order to be readily available.Those who sought him out for cures for their ailments were always given the same penance. Abstinence from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays was common. Alcohol was forbidden. Women were advised not to brush their hair on Fridays and men were told not to shave on Sundays.

By 1895, Father McSpiritt had grown seriously ill. Concerned parishioners began to ask him for words of comfort, in case he should suddenly pass away. “A bit of earth from my grave will do ye,” he said. “Say a prayer for the repose of my soul when you take it.” As a result, local tradition also records the perpetual frustration of the church caretaker, who was never able to keep an adequate covering of topsoil on Father McSpiritt’s grave. For a long time following Father McSpiritt’s death, many parishioners and pilgrims believed that the earth covering Father McSpiritt’s grave had miraculous properties.

Father McSpiritt died on Wednesday, August 14th, 1895 at the Sacred Heart Orphanage in Sunnyside, Toronto. When the news reached the parish, the church’s bell was rung in mourning. On August 16th a Requiem High Mass was said and Father McSpiritt was buried in the church’s cemetery.

Monument to Father McSpirit

On May 7, 2009, the Region of Peel unveiled a new monument dedicated to preserving Father McSpiritt’s memory. This monument, which consists of a large limestone block and a bronze plaque is part of an on-going effort to preserve this nearly forgotten chapter in Brampton’s history.

Sources.

Adams, Rita et al.St. Patrick’s Wildfield: 150th Anniversary.St. Patrick’s Research Committee. 1985

O,Reilly Dan. “Father McSpiritt remembered at St. Patrick’s in Wildfield.” The Caledon Citzen. Published May 7, 2009