Pioneer Life

In Upper Canada
Where did the Pioneers
come from?
The earliest settlers who made their homes in the
wilderness were known as pioneers.
Many pioneers of Upper Canada came from
France, England, Scotland, Italy, Germany and
other countries in Europe. Some settlers went to
other parts of North America and later moved into
Upper Canada.
They came to Upper Canada for many
reasons. Some came so they could freely
practice their religion. Some did not like the way
their home countries were being run. Some just
hoped they could have a better life in a new
country.

Fun Facts
In 1800, only 10% of the
population lived in towns or cities
- most lived on farms
In 1800, the population of Upper
Canada was 35 000
After 1815, large numbers
of immigrants started to come
from the British Isles (England,
Ireland, Scotland)

The green areas show where
the earliest pioneers settled in
Upper Canada

Many pioneers settled along the
shores of the Great Lakes or the major
rivers of the area

CLICK BELOW TO FIND OUT WHY!
http://www.projects.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/pioneer/water.htm
Aboriginal Peoples In Upper Canada
Before the Early Settlers Arrived

The pioneers and Aboriginal peoples had different ideas about
how the land should be used. The pioneers believed they had the
right to own land and change it by clearing the forest for their
settlements and building villages. The Aboriginal peoples believed
that the land was for everyone to use and share.
Ideas About the Use of Land
Aboriginal People Helped
The Pioneers
FARMING

They showed the pioneers that planting different crops each year in a field
would help keep the soil rich. This is called crop rotation. They showed them
how to plant corn, beans and squash together so they helped each other
to grow. These were known as the "three sisters". The corn provided support
for the beans, the beans as they grew, provided nitrogen for the corn and
the large prickly squash leaves shaded the soil, preventing weed growth
and keeping away pests. They showed them the importance of corn as a
food both for humans and animals.

FOOD AND CLOTHING
They taught the pioneers how to catch fish, how to get sugar from maple
trees, which plant roots and nuts were good to eat, and where to find honey
trees. They also showed them where to find animals to hunt and trap and
how to preserve meat and use the animal hides for clothing.

Living in a Pioneer
Village
Pioneer Homes
The kitchen with its fireplace was the most important room in
the pioneer house. It was usually the only room in the house.
The floors were made of dirt
Sometimes the house was so crowded that the children had
to eat while standing up!
Tables were made from planks and chairs and stools were
often made with logs.
School was held in a settler's home, the
general store or village church before a
schoolhouse was built.
The parents had to build the school, pay
the teacher and buy school materials.
The first schoolhouses were simple log
cabins with a big box stove in the
middle. The students sat on two or three
rows of benches and worked at a big
table. The floor was dirt and the
windows were covered with greased
paper instead of glass. Rags were
stuffed in the cracks in the walls to keep
out the cold.

The Grist Mill
Bread was a very important food that pioneers ate
every day. To make bread they needed flour.

Flour is made by grinding grains of wheat, corn, rye
or oats.
The pioneers could grind the grains by hand but it
was a very difficult job and took a long time.

In most pioneer villages, a grist mill was built as soon
as possible because it used machinery to grind the
grain.
The blacksmith made things mostly out of iron,
which is black. That's why he was called a
blacksmith.
It was a hot and tiring job but very important to
the pioneers.

The General Store
Click Here to find out more about
the General Store!
Resources
http://www.projects.yrdsb.edu.on.ca/pioneer/
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/settlement/kids/index-e.html
http://www.uppercanadavillage.com/index.cfm/en/about-the-
village/1860s-life/