HIST 12797
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The earliest
evidence of man in
Canada is the “Old
Crow Site” in
today’s Yukon.
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This humanity seems to have come from Asia by
way of the land-bridge across the Bering Sea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBOsFj_Zr8
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This dates from approximately 27,000 BC (Lascaux Cave,
France, 10K-20K BC. Stonehenge-2.7K BC).
Descendants of
the first people
who settled in
North America
migrated
between the
Laurentian and
Cordilleran ice
sheet
(12,000BP)
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With a warming climate, the glacier covering much of
North America began to recede and a corridor opened
more or less following the Rocky Mountains.
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Animated Map of Glacier Ice Melting
http://drarchaeology.com/map/laurentianice.mov
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Not all of Canada
became occupied
at the same
moment in time.
Occupation was
sequential, with
the area of Canada
known as Ontario,
Quebec and the
Maritimes being
inhabited relatively
late.
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In each of Canada’s geographical regions,
aboriginals developed architectural forms
which responded to environmental
challenges with materials readily available.
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Sophisticated methods of construction for a
variety of purpose for every season
Strips of bark used to tie wooden
frameworks together
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Well insulated structures during winter and
good ventilation for the summer heat
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Dwelling places for hunting
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Permanent dwelling for agriculture and
fishing
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North American history is divided into
two periods: prehistoric (“pre-contact”
with Europeans) and historic (“contact
era”).
Dates of Contact:
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Norse in Newfoundland: approx: 1000 AD
Jacques Cartier in Quebec: 1535
Champlain in Port Royal: 1605
Jesuits in Ste.-Marie among the Hurons: 1639
Large mammals were butchered at this site between
10,000 and 13,000 BP
Tools, bison
bones, a bead
were found in
this cave.
No evidence was
found to indicate
that this cave was
used as a shelter
Video: http://www.sfu.museum/journey/mod/multimedia/video/driver12.html
http://www.sfu.museum/journey/mod/multimedia/video/driver12.html
Module #10: Prehistoric Canadian
Architecture
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The Iroquois and Algonquin occupied much
of Ontario as we know it today.
Two tribes of the different linguistic groups,
the Huron and the Ojibwa were unrelated, yet
lived in relative harmony.
Both groups hunted, fished and gathered.
The Iroquois also depended on agriculture,
growing corn, squash and beans.
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The primary dwelling of both groups was
built with a frame of branches or saplings
and covered by bark or mats.
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Iroquois dwelling: LONG HOUSE
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Algonquin dwelling: WIGWAM
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A long narrow floor plan, and large
enough to be shared by many related
families.
A typical Huron (the Huron were one
subgroup of Iroquois) long house
measured 80 by 28 feet, had three
hearths down the centre, and were
shared by six related families.
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The Nodwell site, near Southampton on Lake
Huron, inhabited around 1340 had twelve
longhouses of varying sizes, the largest
being 139 feet long
These photographs, as well as those on the
previous slide are from the text:
A HISTORY OF CANADIAN
ARCHITECTURE,
By Harold Kalman
Oxford Univ. Press
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The people who spoke Algonquin
included
the Beothuk who lived in Newfoundland
the Micmac who lived in the Maritimes
the Algonquin in the Ottawa River Valley
and the Ottawa, located west of Ottawa
the Ojibwa, located between Georgian Bay and
Lake Superior
◦ the Cree who occupied a large area between
Quebec and Alberta
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Was more mobile than that of the
Iroquois
Moved from summer sites where they
fished or picked berries, to hunting
grounds, and one or more winter homes.
Wigwam was developed to be easily
transportable.
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A Wigwam was generally a one or two
family house 12 to 15 feet in diameter.
A frame of saplings or pliable poles,
wrapped in either sheets of bark or mats
of reeds (some groups constructed
conical forms, other dome shaped).
Algonquin Wigwam
Ojibway Wigwam
Module #10: Prehistoric Canadian
Architecture
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Conically shaped with circular or elliptical
floor plans
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Used by a
Shaman to help
in finding lost
things or persons
Also for locating
good hunting
grounds,
foreseeing the
future and
combat sorcery
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Click to view link
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The trapping of fur bearing animals
became essential to the native economy
once Europeans came to North America.
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Agriculture meant a less-nomadic lifestyle,
which resulted in more permanent building
forms..
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First evidence of contact was in the Strait
of Belle Isle which separates Newfoundland
from Labrador.
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Adventurers from
Scandinavia made their
home on the Strait of
Belle Isle about 1000
years ago.
These adventures were
described in Icelandic
sagas, the most
celebrated being that
of Leif Eiriksson’s
exploration of
Vineland (“wine land”)
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The Eiriksson legend was
first followed up by Helge
Ingstad in 1960 when he
conducted a search for
Vineland.
A number of mounds turned
out to be the lower walls of
buildings that resemble
Norse houses found in
Greenland and Iceland
around the year 1000.
Norse in Newfoundland:
approx: 1000 AD
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Basque is a region which encompasses
northern Spain and south west France.
Between 1540 and 1620 (approx.) galleons
from this region to the Strait of Belle Isle to
hunt whales.
In fleets of as many as 20 to 30 galleons,
they would cross in the Spring and return in
the Fall.
Module #11: First European Settlements
in Canada
In only 50 years, over 20,000 whales were killed
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The Whalers would
establish whaling
stations where they
would process whale oil
and other products for
European use.
At Red Bay has been
found the remains of
more than a dozen
shore stations, and a
number of different
kinds of structures.
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One building type was a
tryworks, which was a
shelter housing between
one and six ovens used
to render the blubber of
whales (extract oil).
Other building types
included cooperages
(places were wood barrels
were constructed) and
whalers housing.
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In the sixteenth
century, the English
and French began to
build seasonal fishing
stations on eastern
side of Newfoundland.
They needed landbased faciliites to dry
cod.
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Temporary structures
called tilts were built for
housing and for storage.
Term is synonymous
with “cabin” or “shack”.
Were constructed of
vertical poles set in a
trench. The spaces
between the vertical logs
were filled with moss,
the process was called
“chinsing”, and a roof of
boughs, bark or boards.
◦ Jacques Cartier: a great
explorer of the Americas
The View of Jacques Cartier
http://seetalkit.blogspot.com/2007/09/view-of-jacques-cartier-compass-of-his.html
Cartier’s first meeting with the Indians
Perce Rock, Gaspe 1534
Settlement
established by
Cartier on his third
visit to Canada
Champlain arriving
at Quebec 1603
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King Henry of France wanted to establish
French settlements in Canada to confirm
his domain over this new land.
To do so he gave Pierre du Gua de Monts
a patent (ie. Sole rights to trade in the
region) in 1603.
The following year de Monts traveled
with 2 ships carrying 120-150 men to an
island just off of Nova Scotia, calling it Ile
Sainte Croix.
(Today this island is known as Dochet Island,
Maine.)
Module #11: First European Settlements
in Canada
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The island was chosen largely because it
could be defended and offered a good
base for trade.
The settlement included accommodation
of various kinds and of varied
construction within a palisade. Even in
this tentative beginning architecture was
used to express social value.
De Monts’ house had a French “chateau”
roof and was built of sawn lumber which
must have been shipped from France.
Module #11: First European Settlements
in Canada
The Habitation Ile Ste.Croix
Storehouse and Magazine
M. Farm
A. De Mont’s
House
P. Village
Housing
(gabled roofs)
D. Gardens
B. Public
Building
R. Champlain’s
House (hipped
pavilion roof
common in
France at the
time
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The winter of 1604-5 was long and hard.
With the island “scalped” by their
construction projects, there was no shelter
from wind or snow.
Ice flows cut the community off from the
mainland and from fresh water, fuel and
game.
Of 79 men, 35 died and 20 became
seriously sick.
Module #11: First European Settlements
in Canada
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With the coming of spring, the survivors relocated
across the
Bay of Fundy
to Port Royal.
Here the community
built a continuous ring of buildings (no palisade)
House of Gentlemen and Officers
De Mont’s House (also housed Champlain)
Workers
Housing
Storehouse
(with cellar)
Cannon Platform
Bakery
Kitchen
Blacksmithy Rigging Storage
Entrance Gate and
Second Bastion
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De Mont’s fur-trading monopoly was revoked in
1607 and the habitation was temporarily
abandoned.
The community was resettled in 1610 under the
leadership of Jean de Biencourt de Poutrincourt
one of the original settlers.
Port Royal was destroyed in 1613 by an English
privateer Samuel Argall and the area was for a
brief while the home of Scottish colony.
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It was not until 1632 that the area was
returned to France. At this time the
settlement moved to the location of
today’s Annapolis Royal.
(This was the Beginning of the Acadian
people.)
The first Port Royal was
reconstructed in 1939,
and accurate or not has
been a tourist destination
for over sixty years.
De Monts lost the fur-trading monopoly but
wanted to control the trade
 He wanted to find a
westerly route to China.
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Sieur de Monts
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He therefore sent Champlain to lead an
expedition of the St. Lawrence River (first
sailed by Jacques Cartier) to an Native
village by the name of Kebec. (Algonquin
name for a community formerly known as
Stadacona under the Iroquois).
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Construction
began with the
storehouse
complete with
cellar.
The complete
construct was
compact and
encircled by a
raised walkway.
Champlain came close to losing his
life to a disgruntled worker (who
was hanged).
The Habitation being constructed
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Champlain was rewarded for his work by
being appointed the Governor of New France
in 1620.
As the colony became more improved he
decided to place a new fort at the top of the
escarpment.
This subsequently became know as the
“magasin de Roi” (the King’s storehouse)
and is known from plans of 1630…
…..and this sketch of 1680 (two years
before it was destroyed by fire) and
archaeological digs under- taken
between 1976 and 1980.
Walls of the Second
Habitation of
Quebec
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A Jesuit mission located near Midland,
Ontario which dates from 1639.
It has been reconstructed as a museum.
Module #10: Prehistoric Canadian
Architecture
Chateau Saint-Louis
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Beauport and
Charlesbourg
properties
Ferme Saint Gabriel Pointe Saint
Charles Montréal Québec begun
1698
Lamontagne House, Rimouski Quebec mid-18th Century
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http://www.rom.on.ca/digs/longhouse/index.html
http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/houses/housingmap.ht
ml
http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Firstnations.htm
SOURCES OF PHOTOIMAGES:
A HISTORY OF CANADIAN ARCHITECTURE,
Harold Kalman, Oxford University Press
slides 1, 12, 13, 14
THE FIRST CANADIANS, Toivo Kiil, Editor
N.S.L., Natural Science of Canada Limited
slides 3, 6
THE CANADIAN INDIAN, Fraser Symington
MacLean-Hunter Limited/McClelland & Stewart
slides 7, 17
Module #10: Prehistoric Canadian
Architecture