Quote:
Originally posted by Fletch XXX@Nov 27 2003, 08:02 AM
Without the use of early germ warfare, we might not HAVE a Thanksgiving OR Montreal!
Small pox blankets and handkerchiefs for everyone!
And americans act like Saddam invented germ warfare?
hahaha
'On Amherst's order, General James Wolfe captured Quebec in 1759. Amherst personally captured Montreal the following year, thus ending French control over what would become Canada. He became Governor General of British North America in 1761.
The new Governor General saw no reason to continue the French practice of allying with the native people. He dispensed of the practice of giving natives presents to ensure their loyalty. His "get tough with Indians" policy insulted and angered the native people. Many, in turn, united under Pontiac and captured several British forts in 1763. In letters to his subordinate officers, Amherst suggested they "inoculate the Indians by means of [smallpox infested] blankets." Several officers followed his suggestion, which resulted in smallpox epidemics among some native communities.'
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That is a really touchy topic here in Montreal which we avoid to talk about and which we tend to not remember... Purpusely. It starts way to many flaming war if we bring that subject up and we live in a multicultural community where we have to speak French and English since half of our population speaks one and the other half speaks the other language.
Since most of us are against most wars, and especially language wars, we prefer joking about it and making fun on how some Frenchies and some Anglos who are so proud of their mother language and don't consider any other language can get in stupid argument just because they don't speak the same language.
If I was a hard headed, too freaking proud of language Frenchie, I wouldn't speak English, I wouldn't welcome tourists especially English ones and most of all, I would reply to this : Let's remember Le Chevalier de Lévis who fought to stay French and to keep the Nouvelle-France French. Thanks to François-Gaston, Chevalier de Lévis who burned his French troups flags so the British wouldn't take his pride! Thanks to all the French people who built the beautiful province and the really nice city I live in because I am proud of my French heritage. Before being English, North America was mostly French and had a territory larger than Europe. French European still comes to Quebec to visit what their ancestors built. Amherst changed history as for what North America has become but also as for what the world has become making England a more powerful kingdom than France, those who had wars over territorys for century. but they sent him back to England a few years later. Unfortunatly, French people aren't arrogant enough towards their origins, we are able to live with what is left of the territory we once had (3/4 or north america). Giving Indians Infected blankets was in itself a Genocyde and lots of people here have French and Native ancestors... I am one of them. We still are able today, in a somewhat more civilised population, live along with the Natives. Last year, we were celebrating the 300th anniversary of the signature of "Montreal's Big Peace" which was signed by French and Natives (24 tribes) in 1703. That was diplomatic! and that is still what we are using nowadays. In Quebec in 2008 we will be celebrating 400 years of French presence in North-America...
And we also have to remember that even if American people have to be proud of that British man, they later fought to free themselves from the British... We also have to remember that a lot of Americans have French ancestors and many of them try to find their French roots instead of being ashamed of it the way they used to be.
That is the kind of passion that such topic rises in us in Montreal... We live all together, we we're killed by the other but we made peace and we chose to ignore where that hatered came from. We purpusely don't press on the Pride button.
