Great Enterprise 1b Notes

History Unit 1B: The Great Enterprise

Summary Notes The Underground Railway 1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

Black slaves form the basis of cotton plantations in the American south. Some begin to escape north in an attempt to gain their freedom in Canada. Slave owners were allowed to send bounty hunters after their “property,” and people caught assisting runaway slaves could be dealt with harshly. The Underground Railway was a series of safe-houses run by abolitionists who wanted to help the slaves get to Canada. They would hide out during the day, then continue their journey through the night, often using the North Star as a reference point. This system was operated under the leadership of Harriet Tubman, who was known as the “Moses of her people.” Slaves making it to Canada got their freedom but still suffered from racism. Many accepted jobs doing the same things they ran away from and for very little money. Blacks tended to live in communities of their own which fostered suspicion among the white population. Some returned to the United States when slavery was abolished after the Civil War.

The Irish Potato Famine 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

The potato crop, a staple food in Ireland, failed. This led to widespread starvation among the population of peasants, and many people were kicked out of their homes by landlords for failing to pay their rent. Many Irish sought to escape death by attempting to start a new life in North America. Most went to the United States, but many came to Canada. The ships they traveled on became known as “coffin” ships due to their horrible conditions. Poor sanitation and diet brought about disease, and many began to die. Irish arriving at Quebec City are forced to remain in quarantine on Grosse Isle, an island in the St. Lawrence River where many more die. Orphaned Irish children sometimes taken in by French families, beginning a legacy of French families with Irish surnames, like Johnson, Ryan, and Elliott.

Montreal: Opportunity and Misery 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Advances in technology make Montreal a city of opportunity for anyone who can successfully take advantage of it. Notman’s Photography becomes famous for picture-taking while the Grand Trunk Railroad makes Montreal an important railway hub. It is a good time for the rich. It is a miserable time for the poor. Alcoholism is widespread among the male population, leading to a host of problems in the community, particularly poverty and domestic violence. Samuel Leonard Tilley starts a campaign aimed at prohibition, the banning of alcohol. Working conditions are very poor. People work long hours for very little pay, and there is little protection for workers victimized by harsh employers or who are injured while at work. Child labour is widespread Young infants of poor mothers left on doorsteps, many falling into the care of the Grey Sisters, who baptize them and attempt to care for them. During one winter, of 729 children left with the Grey Nuns, only 33 survive.