This past week saw the celebration of both Canada Day and the Fourth of July, and many border cities combined the two holidays into one big celebration. Yet two centuries ago both countries were at war?with each other. In honour of the bicentennial of the War of 1812, this week’s links dig more deeply into the battles and beyond.
There are countless historical treasures dating from the war era, but not all are easily accessible; for heritage conservation purposes, many are kept in a secure location and rarely prepared for public display. This CBC video takes viewers behind the walls of one of these conservation centres for a peek at some rarely-seen artifacts.
If your history is a bit rusty, check out this interactive timeline/map of the battles of the War of 1812. Its time slider and clickable map make it easy to navigate and figure out what happened when.
The War of 1812 wasn’t just a fight between white armies, but history books have traditionally glossed over First Nations involvement. This CBC article and video shed light on the untold stories.
Want to know what special exhibits, commemorations, and events are going on in your local area? The Government of Canada’s War of 1812 portal links up by region.