Canada, The War, and Your Family
Themes:
Globalization, Development, Justice
Suggested sources:
Canada’s History: Voices and Visions - Unit 1, Chapters 4, 5 and 6, Unit 5, Chapter 25, Unit II, Chapter 9
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Assignment:
1. Trace your family’s involvement in World War 2. Research your ancestor’s contribution. Prepare a report describing your ancestor’s role. Meet in small class groups and discuss the role. Not all wartime contributions are in the armed forces – some gave strong support at home. Make a chart to share the information with the class. As a class, place the wartime contributions on a graph. (soldiers, industrial workers, homemakers, etc.)
2. Research the changing role of women during the two world wars:
a) Write a letter as your great grandmother during World War 1. Address it to a male family member or friend who is serving overseas. Tell him about how the role of women is changing. Write his reply. (Unit 1, Chapter 4)
b) Write a journal as your female ancestor living in Canada (grandmother or great grandmother) after WW2. Describe what she was doing on a day-to-day basis. Tell about changes at home. Include people she might have known and how they were affected by war. Suggestions could be any casualties of war, the changing economy, soldiers who returned with war brides, or the effect of large numbers of discharged veterans returning to civilian life. (Unit 1, Chapter 5, Unit V, Chapter 25)
c) Inquire in the class if anyone has a letter written by a relative who was a soldier in one of the wars, and ask if it could be shared. One of the suggested websites, http://www.mala.bc.ca/history/letters/ has some letters. Have the class write a response to the letter. If there is a series of letters, and the soldier is traveling considerably, follow his journeys on a map.
3.The two most controversial measures implemented by the Canadian government during the two world wars were Conscription and the War Measures Act. Debate the issues from the standpoint of a family member who was conscripted or affected in some way by implementation of the War Measures Act. Have someone not affected by these acts support the government side. (Unit 1, Chapter 4)
4.Write a narrative entitled, “Great Grandmother Votes for the First Time” (Unit 1, Chapter 4, Unit II, Chapter 9)