8C will have a friendly quiz on South American countries, their map on Central America and the Caribbean must be colored; they must have their notes written about the ten factors that influence settlements.

15 Factors that affect Settlements

1.   climatic factors (W.O.W.L.A.M.A. or wind patterns, ocean currents, water bodies or bodies of water,  latitude, altitude, mountain barriers or windward or leeward sides, and air masses) 

2.   physical processes or seismic activities i.e earthquakes and tsunamis

3.   climate change
4.   drought

5.   volcanic activity

6.   desertification

7.   sporadic rainfalls

8.   landslides 

9.   warming temperatures

10. changing precipitation patterns

11. extreme storms

12. rising sea levels

13.  coastal erosion 

14. coastal flooding 
15. pandemic or spread of diseases 

*zombie apocalypse  (This is only featured in science fiction or horror movies.) 

Grade 8: Settlements and the Environment

The Environmental Factors involved in Settlements

climate- the average weather of an area over a long period of time

physical process- any naturally occurring change on or in Earth, such as an Earthquake

climate change- changes in long-term weather patterns caused by natural events and human activity

Severe drought occurred in the Amazon basin in the year 2005.  This happened again 5 years later.  The loss of tree canopy and trees led to trees not growing back in some areas.  The effects include the following: stranded boats, failed crops, extended pipelines to irrigate crops, and a migration away from farmlands.  These factors affect settlements.

volcanic activity- the Ring of Fire outlines where the Pacific plate meets with plates from Asia to Australia and from North to South America

Why do people settle near volcanoes? There are mineral deposits such as gold, silver, and copper in these areas. Therefore, mining communities exist.  The volcanic ash too is ideal for farming.  Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines has ideal soil for growing crops such as papaya.  Most importantly, these areas are known for geothermal energy.  Countries, such as Iceland, can harness this energy.  Above all, active volcanic areas become tourist destinations such Ecuador.

Which is more catastrophic, an earthquake or a tsunami?

In 2011, a tsunami hit northeastern Japan and cased the evacuation of 1/3 of a million people and the deaths of nearly 20 000 people.  An earthquake in Haiti the year before led to the deaths of approximately 300 000 people.  The seismic waves released from the epicenter of an earthquake, where two plates meet and release great levels of energy.  The energy is transmitted through the water and the wave is amplified once it hits the continental shelf and spills deep into the interior of the mainland.  Earthquakes send shock waves that lift, shake or liquefy soil.  After shocks, falling debris, and survival in a modern society that has seized to exist usually results in a tremendous loss of life.  For both, the level of population density determines the number of causalities.  Nations that can afford to rebuild attempt to build more flexible structures while other nations rely on assistance.  In many cases, segments of the population are permanently displaced.

desertification- the unplanned process of turning arable land into a desert because of factors such as reduced rainfall and poorly-thought-out agricultural policies; lands become deserts

drylands- are areas with a long growing season with very light precipitation levels, such as semi-desert scrub and grasslands

Nearly 2/5^th of the Earth surface is too dry to grow substantial crops

China has attempted to build a ‘Great Green Wall’ by planting shrubs, grasses and trees along the Taklmakan and Gobi deserts to attempt to curtail desertification.  Dust storms or seasons when dust storms are common reduce visibility and damage equipment and buildings. Mineral deposits or fine nutrients can be carried by winds from the Sahara Desert in North Africa to the rainforests of Central America.  This is perhaps the only benefit.

Landslides can be causes by heavy rains, melting snow, and earthquakes.  Deforestation or logging too many trees can kill roots and leave the barren mountainside vulnerable to erosion and future landslides.  Mining operations too can trigger landslides as well as earthquakes.  Ideally, settlements should be built far from possible landslides and planting trees, shrubs and grasses can help reduce soil erosion and even mudslides.  In 2014, over 150 deaths were attributed to a landslide in Nepal.

Warming Temperatures

There are pros and cons to the Earth’s temperature rising:

There are some pros: there will likely be extended growing seasons in areas that are 30 to 60 degrees’ latitude; new settlements may occur farther north in Canada, Europe and Russia; transportation may increase once ice melts; and new employment opportunities may develop.

There are definitely cons: invasive species may migrate; desertification will increase; jobs may disappear if new job opportunities move elsewhere; coastal regions become submerged underwater; animals will have difficulty adapting and the number of species will continue to decrease if the change is not gradual. Even industries, such as skiing, may have to diversify to other recreational activities or simply go out-of-business.

Changing Precipitation Patterns

This too is double edged sword.  Less precipitation leads to drought and crop devastation.  More precipitation may help other regions, but too much may result in floods, increased soil erosion, and crop failure.  Too much rain increases the water content of fruits, such as grapes.  Therefore, wine regions could be affected in terms of quality of wines and job opportunities may diminish.

Extreme Storms

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans was destroyed in many parts. Its flood plain is located beneath sea level; many homes had to rebuilt once the levees broke.  The strongest hurricane, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013 with winds over 300 km/h.  Hurricane prevention such as increasing the size of mangrove forests to act as buffer zones is one option. Rather than claiming more land for  settlements, homes must be relocated or built on stilts to prevent future loss of properties.  Early warning systems must be improved.  Extreme storms may simply make certain coastal region uninhabitable or sustainable in the future.

Rising Sea Levels

Global sea levels have continued to rise since 1994 at over 3 mm each year.  Ocean ice and glaciers continue to melt, including the ice cap in Antarctica.  This leads to increased flooding of port lands, business districts and residential areas.  Nearly 1 billion people live along coastlines at that are merely 10 meters above sea level.  Islands in the South Pacific will eventually disappear if rising levels continue. 

Land reclamation efforts create new land in coastal areas.  Nearly ¼ of Hong Kong’s population lives on reclaimed land.  An airport off the coast, which is continually sinking as it settles since the land was not compacted, was built by levelling the tops of a mountain range.  These areas, especially the Netherlands, are at high risk.  Property will become worthless and massive tides of population will need to be re-located.  These people will become the environmental refugees of the 21^st century.

Coastal erosion occurs when there is a gradual or rapid wearing away of the coastline from wind, water and time.  Engineers have created sea walls to slow down the process of erosion but the cost is quite great. 

Coastal flooding often deposit pollutants, such as salt, which make the soil infertile.  Flooding from rivers deposit natural nutrients found in silt along the river banks, but the levees prevent this natural process in order to protect settlements.  The soil is not replenished and artificial fertilizers are used to add more nitrogen to the soil.  The soil depletes in its depth and eventually it becomes infertile.  Coastal flooding may encourage the planting of salt-resistant strains of rice.  Fields may be flooded again to replenish sediments.  Some farmers have begun to farm catfish, shrimp, and crabs.   In efforts to adapt, areas such have Bangladesh, have introduced floating homes, hospitals, and libraries.  These efforts are ingenious but temporary adaptations to a changing environment.

8C will have a quiz on the factors that influence settlements this Friday.

South America

Settlement Patterns

Settlements tend to Follow Four Patterns

linear- this pattern has buildings that follow a natural or human-made-line, such as a river, a railway, or a shoreline

clustered- this pattern occurs when many people reside in an area that is rich in resources; thus, there is a very high density or large number of people per square kilometer; high-rise dwellings, such as condominiums, are common

scattered- in this pattern, residents are spread out; this is common in farming communities; the number or resources are limited or unreliable, so the area cannot easily sustain a large population

peripheral- the population surrounds a feature, like a mountain stadium, or circles the edge of a territory

population- refers to how many people live in the area

population distribution- refers to where people live

population density- refers to how many people live in a given area

population density = # of people / km2

Singapore= 5 469 724 people / 718.3 km2= 7 614.8 people per km2

(It is, of course, impossible to have 8/10 or 4/5 of a person, but this is not to be taken literally.) *

8A & 8B: there is a quiz on the factors that influence settlements on Wednesday, February the 26th; students must have the notes written, too.

Grade 8: The Physical Environment and Human Settlements

Factors that affect Settlements

1.      landforms- people choose low-lying areas with flat land that is best for farming.  There are examples of intensive agriculture in in the world, such as Japan, where terraced forms of cultivation exist.  However, this occurs largely where land is limited.  The population of the Kanto Plain is roughly the same as the population of Canada. Therefore, areas with a very high population density are forced to be efficient with their land.  Even the Civilization of Machu Pichu used terraced farming.

2.      natural resources- whatever materials that are available are used to build settlements.  The Porcupine Gold Rush in Northern Ontario spurred settlements.

3.      soil- the type of soil that is rich in nutrients and low in acidity can determine whether farming is possible.

4.      close proximity to waterways- civilization began along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Major rivers are a source of the following: food, transportation, irrigation, drinking water, recreation, waste removal (this is not advisable unless it is treated), and trade.  The Seven Years’ War demonstrated that the British were keen to gain access to major rivers such as the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi River.

5.      climate- providing that the growing season is long enough, the ideal settlement can grow crops on a regular basis.  Although new varieties can be grown or grafted, areas such as the Mediterranean Region and tropical environments provide ideal growing seasons.  Otherwise, food needs to be imported or dependent on animal sources such as caribou or buffalo.

6.      vegetation- the type of vegetation provides building materials for homes and grasslands are ideal for raising or domesticating animals.

7.      historical factors- exploration routes, colonization, and trade influenced settlement patterns; the triangular trade routes established settlements along the Eastern Seaboard of North America, the Caribbean and settlements along Western Europe

8.      political factors- government make decisions that influence the growth of settlements; for example, a decision to build a railway could lead to linear settlement patterns such as the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok

9.      religious influences- settlements have grown around places with spiritual significance such as Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is a holy site for Islam’s Grand Mosque

10.  economic influences- the greater the economic or job growth in an area, the faster the population grows; for example, Brasilia’s population is growing at a faster rate than Rio de Janeiro’s population. Settlements can be abandoned too once the work has vanished.  In the southern Atlantic Ocean, there is an abandoned whaling station at Leith Harbor.

C.W.H. PLEASER

Climate

WATERWAYS

Historical

Political

Landforms

Environment/natural resources

Agriculture natural/ vegetation

Spiritual

Economic

CRNHVEPLC

PREACH LOSS                          CLENCH PRVS

Factors that Influence Settlements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7_OpN0E-ew

Both grade 8 history and grade 8 geography will touch upon indigenous land claims and Canada's attempts to come to terms with historical and current issues.

We will start to study aspects of human geography or urban planning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl744pwEMjw&t=39s

National Geographic - Megastructures Documentary - Worlds Smart Cities San Diego

Here is one of the documentaries that we will be examining.

Mr. Watt's Grade 8 class, Mr. Ross's grade 8 class, and Mrs. Thomson's class will have a quiz out of 30 on Thursday, February the 13th, based on questions #1-4, previously assigned, on chapters 15, 16, & 17.  I will check your notebooks on that day to see if the questions are completed in your notebooks.

Innovations of the 19th century include the following: canals, railways,

telegraphs, telephones, the mass distribution of newspapers,

early airplanes, bicycles, the light bulb, the phonograph,

the tractor, the thresher, the steam engine,

the car engine, the mass production of glass for windows,

and textile machines.

patent- the legal recognition of the inventor and who can make

the product from five to seven years

literacy rate- the percentage of people who can read in the population

assimilate- people adapt or adopt a new culture

residential schools- under the Indian Act, Natives lost their lands and rights;

children were separated from their parents and housed in residential schools

Industrial Revolution- physical labour is replaced by mechanized labour

in the nineteenth century; more people move to cities and work in factories

entrepreneur- someone who starts their own business with an original product

and or service

industrial heartland- an area devoted to factories or industries

i.e. Sarnia, Ontario, was known as a chemical processing centre and Brantford,

Ontario was known for manufacturing, too

global economy- products and services are sold internationally

A.E.A. ( The Aerial Experiment Association)-Canadian and American

group that produced air crafts

Urbanization-people move from the countryside to the cities which grow in size;

the first residential suburban communities were in the Don Mills

head tax- a tax placed on Chinese people who worked on the railways

to discriminate against their immigration; Sikhs were turned away from British Columbia 

curation-when somebody selects items for an exhibition

2.  Compare and contrast the lifestyles between the rich of Canada and the poor of Canada in the 19th century. You may create a chart.

Rich  Versus  Poor Rich versus Poor

19th century

The rich had palace like homes or mansions. Their children and themselves

had a lot material wealth and their children had access to academies,

better living standards or a tutored education. 

The  poor did not have electricity, running water, living space,

sanitary conditions, and other benefits.  Alcoholism was another

social problem, as well as inequalities between men and women.

One hundred families controlled ninety per cent of the wealth in Canada.

20th century

Because of specialized jobs and factory work, there was an

emergence of the middle class.  Public schools were accessible to all.

However, there still exists a large gap between those who have savings or investments. 

3.  Examine the latest technological innovations of the 19th century

and the 21st century.  Create a chart. 

Life in 1900 Life Today

Home Life: kerosene lamps, light bulb        *multi media, hand held devices...

Work Life: farm, factories or offices              *people can work from home/less factories

Transportation: electric street cars, canals, & trains      *hyper loop, cars, electric bikes

Communication:letters/telegraph/telephone  *e mails/texts/internet/social media

Education: private       *public schools

Industry: factories       *technology, digital, and service sector

Leisure: board games, church, and toys         *tik tok, video games, youtube 

The 31 Main Points of Chapter 15:

1. Bicycles offered greater mobility and personal freedoms over horses and buggies.

2. Since nearly 10% of the population engaged in cycling, clothing became less restrictive and more functional.  Cycling clubs and even the Tour de France originated during this time period.

3. Bicycles were affordable to the rich and poor, so they promoted equality among consumers.

4. There was a glaring disparity between the rich and poor.  Casa Loma or Sir Henry Pellatt’s home sat high above the slums below the sprawling City of Toronto.  Mr. Pellatt enjoyed his 30 bathrooms and 52 telephones while most residents who lived below the hill lived in slums.  The makeshift homes out of discarded material lacked clean drinking water, indoor plumbing, and electricity. 

5. In the 1890’s, Southern Ontario had an extensive electric light rail network and services in most cities.  For example, one could take a light rail train that passed through the following cities and towns: Dundas, Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby, Beamsville, and Vineland.  St. Catharines had electric trains that rain through its downtown core.

6. Timothy Eaton founded the first major department store in Toronto which offered vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, clothing, and electric washing machines.  The greatest invention of the twentieth century was the washing machine which saved hours in the household.

7. Healthcare was not universal.  It was private or hospitals largely relied on donations.  A great deal of misinformation or lack of knowledge existed about health.  Approximately, 40% of military applicants in 1914 were declared unfit for military duty.  

8. Alexander Graham Bell was able to transmit sound through wires in his laboratory in Brantford, Ontario.  The museum is still in Brantford, Ontario, just off of Clench Avenue. This is why Brantford is known as the Telephone City.  (Mr. Gretzky too is recognized by the city.)

9. Silent movies or black and white films with subtitles became popular.  Sometimes the movie was accompanied by an organist.

10. In 1871, laws were introduced to demand that all children must earn an elementary education.  However, full attendance of elementary and secondary schools did not become a reality in Canada until the early 1950’s. 

11. Literacy rates reached about 85% by 1901 for most Canadians over the age of five.

12. One room schoolhouses focused on the 3 R’s (reading, writing, and arithmetic) with an emphasis on rote learning.   Children were often pulled out of schools to help on the farm or poor families would use their children’s wages to help supplement their family incomes. 

13.  Drinking water often became contaminated through sewage pits.  Sewage treatment and removal was nonexistent.    *Even in the 18^th century, people often bought flowers in the summer just to cover their noses while they walked, so they could mask the ‘ripe’ smell of the cities.

14. Infant and child mortality was quite high due to the following factors diseases: typhoid, diphtheria, and cholera, malnutrition, rickets, measles, tuberculosis, smallpox and polio.

typhoid-

smallpox-

diphtheria-

cholera-

malnutrition-

measles-

tuberculosis-

polio-

*American celebrities, such Jennifer McCarthy, and discredited doctors such Andrew Wakefield promoted anti-vaccine beliefs and misinformation to segments of the population that have largely been attributed to the return of many of these diseases which were eradicated.  Historically and scientifically, clear evidence has demonstrated the benefits of vaccines. *

15. In 1870, 50% of all deaths occurred among children under the age of 5. It was not uncommon to abandon children during the winter months in front of churches when the factories closed in the wintertime.

16. In 1876, the Indian Act required the children of First Nations Peoples to be assimilated by banning their cultural beliefs and practices such as the potlach on the West Coast of Canada.

17. Missionaries or Christian religious groups operated residential schools which separated children from their families and punished them for speaking their Native languages or practicing their cultural beliefs.  Estimates include the death of nearly 6000 children, but the government did not keep records.  In 2008, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada began a process of recognize the harm and suffering brought to Native communities through residential schools and to promote greater equality for Indigenous peoples.

18. The industrial revolution involved the introduction of steam and electrical power that made farming and factories more efficient.  This also involved the migration of populations from farms to cities.

19.  The technological advances and change brought new opportunities for entrepreneurs or people who started new businesses.

20.  Winnipeg, Brantford, Montreal and Halifax became manufacturing centers.

21.  Quebec and Ontario became industrial heartlands.  (The closure of factories among large areas is known as the ‘rust belt’.)

22.  Although the British Empire used global trade in the 18^th century, international trade became more extensive and accelerated.   Iron was mined in Canada; cars were assembled by McLaughlin Motors in Oshawa; rubber for tires was imported from Brazil or Indochina (Vietnam). 

23.  Like the Fraser River Gold Rush, another gold rush, the Yukon Gold Rush saw over 20 000 people climb the dreaded Chilkhoot Pass where they were met by the North-West Mounted Police who oversaw law and order in Dawson City.   Numbers soon dwindled once the bulk of the panned gold was extracted.

24. Marconi was able to send a wireless transmission or radio signal from Cornwall, England to St. John’s, Canada.

25. Graham Bell completed nearly 50 flights with his plane named the Silver Dart in Baddeck, Cape Breton.  *Bell devoted much of his life to research.  He even raised sheep to grow thicker and faster growing wool for commercial purposes.

26. Although the German, named Karl Benz invented the car, it was Daimler who opened his company in 1890.  Henry Ford, who forgot to add a reverse to his first cars, introduced assembly line or specialized jobs to make his cars more affordable.  Canadians made cars in Oshawa at McLaughlin Motors.  General Motor bought out the company and was the main employer of Oshawa until the factory closed in December 2019.    In 1968, General Motors employed nearly 20 000 workers in St. Catharines, Ontario. That number is well below 2000 today with the greater likelihood of closure.  One automotive job usually has a spin off effect of creating five other jobs.

27. Elijah McCoy was an African Canadian who studied mechanical engineering in Scotland and later establish the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company in Detroit for industrial lubricants.  He invented, patented, and sold over 50 products from his company.  His work was such high quality that engineers referred to his products as “the real McCoy” or the real thing.

28. Timothy Eaton opened the first department store in Toronto, Ontario.  Most people today have visited the Eaton’s Centre on Yonge and Dundas which still carries his name next to the oldest company in Canada, the Hudson Bay Company or the Bay.

29.  Mary Pickford from Toronto became the first silent film star from Canada who gained an international attention.  Toronto today has become known as “Hollywood North” as seen by the film studies just on the corner of Kipling and Norseman and Islington and Evans.  These are just a few studios in our city.

30. Urbanization or the growth of cities became common. From 1901 to 1911, cities increased in population or over by 60%.        Two hundred years ago, 90% of the population lived outside of cities and 10% lived in cities.  Now, nearly 90% of populations live in major cities and 10% live outside of them.  The first suburban or residential homes were built around the Don Mills area of Toronto in the 1950’s and later to areas such as Rexdale and even remote locations such as Etobicoke.

31. Clifford Sifton focused on attracting traditional and landless farmers from Central and Eastern Europe to help open Canada’s West.  Some English and French Canadians did not agree with Sifton’s “open door immigration” policy.   Prior to W.W.I., Canadian immigration policies became more restrictive and discriminatory against Americans, Mediterranean peoples, Asians, East Indians, people of Jewish decent, and Africans.   Sikhs were not permitted to apply for citizenship.   Immigration today is based on a point or skill-based system.

Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

Terms

1. the Royal Commission on the Relations of Labour and Capital – this was a committee that went to various cites to research living and working conditions; they published their report in 1889.

     sweatshop- women who worked in the textile industries; these industries would take advantage of women and immigrants by making them work from home in their own dark and unsanitary conditions; workers would pay half of their wages for rent

     Territorial Grain Growers Association-  these farmers pooled together their money to build their own grain elevators to store their grain for far less than private companies and they also promoted free trade with the U.S., better roads, better schools, and better health care for farm communities.

*Fun Fact: Farmers still pool together their money to purchase farm equipment, in the case of co-ops, and form political advocacy groups.  Farmers were powerful enough to form a provincial political party and win a provincial election during the 1920’s.

labour union- workers organize themselves to improve their conditions at work and other segments of the economy

craft union- people in the same trade, such as carpenters, form a union

blacklisting- company owners fired workers or vilified them for starting or joining unions; people fought for the legal right to organize

Trade Assemblies- various unions would join together to strengthen themselves and to demand change

Trade Unions Bill- in 1872, the federal government allowed unions to be legal

Factory Act of 1884: a) children under 12 could not be employed b) children could not work under dangerous conditions c) children could not work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week d) children must have an hour for dinner e) workers needed clean and safe working conditions f) inspectors were appointed; despite this bill, the laws were not effectively enforced

Child Labour Act of Ontario- in 1908, children could not work in stores under the age of 12 and they could not work in factories under the age of 14

One Big Union- in 1919, labour leaders in the West combined their labour groups into one big union to demand better wages and working conditions

the Winnipeg General Strike- in 1919, workers banded together to strike and tensions increased between the workers and the industry owners

general strike- all industries and services are shut down

Bloody Saturday- violence erupted; workers were arrested; the Mounties fired on crowds; and people were harmed during the Winnipeg General Strike

inflation-  the wages and incomes of people do not rise with the price of good and services, so people lose their purchasing power and ability to save

yellow-dog contract- employers only hire workers who sign a contract that terminates their employment once they join a union

Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF)- formed by Woodsworth, a former federal member of parliament created the CCF or a political party that represented farmers and workers

2.  a) What sorts of jobs did children do in the late 1800s?

Children performed a variety of jobs such as  working in stores, on farms, in factories, in sweatshops at home, in timber, in mining, on the seas, and even in factories.   Girls would work as domestic servants while boys would often sell newspapers in major cities.  It was not uncommon for children to beg on the streets to help assist in the family income.  Very few attended schools.  Therefore, illiteracy was quite common.

      b) How many hours each week did children work? It was not uncommon to work more than 10 hours a day or 60 hours a week for six days a week. 

      c) What would happen to their education?  The rich could afford private tutors so their children could be home schooled.  Some sent their children to private academies or to be sent away to boarding schools.  Not until the later part of the 19^th century, Ryerson was responsible for introducing a public school system that was modelled after that of Irish public school system.  Generally, children would not go beyond elementary school and the school curriculum lacked diversity in terms of health, physical education and the sciences.

      d) Why was it necessary for children to work?

Because of the low wages, large families, and the mentality of the time, children were seen as contributors to family labour, family income and a means to support their parents in their senior years.   They were required to work at a very young age.  The family was seen as a unit. 

3. How were the conditions women faced similar to and different from those faced by men?    Present your answer in a diagram, list or chart.

Women: mainly garment industry, inside the home, lower wages than men, expected to leave work once they had children, worked in elementary schools and as telephone operators…

Men:  mainly factories, outside of the home, higher wages than women, continued work after children were born, dominated trades…

4. Why would factory owners be unwilling to recognize unions as legal?

Factory owners wished to maximum their profits at whatever cost.   By requiring workers to supply their own materials, pay fines, and to work numerous hours so profits would surpass conditions.  Some criticized this method as a “race to the bottom”.   

15 Main Points and Additional Historical Facts of Chapter 16: Workers Demand Change

1. Printers and numerous other workers marched to Queen’s Park to demand better working conditions.

2. George Brown, responsible for Confederation and owner of the Globe (and Mail), opposed healthy working conditions, shorter work hours and proper wages. (Fun Fact: Despite having a college named after him today, Brown was very much opposed to public education.)

3. During the Industrial Revolution, it was not uncommon for work weeks to consist of 10-hour days for six days a week.

(Fun Fact: Jewish tailors in Toronto were among the first to strike for improved working conditions and the religious right to not work on their Sabbath, Saturday, so they could attend their synagogues.  Strikes were also about religious freedoms.)

4. Wages often were inadequate for basic survival and it was not uncommon to owe companies money due to fines, such as breaking to drink water, and the requirement to purchase living materials from companies.  This was quite common in the case of mines.

5. In the case of the city of Hamilton, workers were burned alive because fire exits did not exist.  Cape Breton coal miners, including children, suffered from black lung or lung cancer.

6.  The following did not exist in the 19th century: job security, health benefits, unemployment insurance, workman compensation for injuries, safety standards, minimum wage, breaks, paid holidays, mandatory holidays, laws against child labour, equal pay for women, safety standards, proper ventilation or any standards that could contribute to a just or advanced society.

7.  Jobs, such as sewing, were outsourced to homes but companies did not provide  thread or pay for delivery costs.  The cost of production was passed onto the worker, which further reduced pay.

8.  Child labourers were used to supplement small family incomes.  Children were often physically and mentally abused.  It was not uncommon to fine children.  Children were used to fit into small spaces such as mines or risky activities such as operating machinery.

*Child labour still exists.   It is documented that these labour practised our outsourced to developing countries, such as the shoe manufacturing industry. This topic will be explored in grade 8 geography.

9. Farmers organized to reduce their rail costs for transporting goods.

10. Despite being blacklisted by companies, workers organized labour and craft unions to improve conditions, as well as larger unions as trades assemblies.

11. Songs, such as Solidarity Forever, were written and sung by works.

12. The Factory Act of 1884 addressed mainly the working conditions of children.

13. It took 50 years of sacrifice and struggle from 1870 to 1920 before conditions slightly improved.

14. The Winnipeg Strike involved workers organizing themselves into larger unions such as the OBU, but the protestors were violently treated by the Mounties on June 21^st, 1919, or Bloody Saturday.  Workers faced poor conditions and returning war veterans experienced unemployment.  Canadian families suffered from inflation.  The Spanish Flu was also brought by soldiers after W.W.I...  This disease spread throughout the world and killed many people.

15. Labour Day, the first Monday of September, is a worldwide holiday that recognizes workers and their historical and current struggles to improve labour conditions.