Building a Nation
By Travis Regnier

The Victorian Era
The Victorian era of Canadian history was
Queen Victoria’s reign over Britain from 20
June 1837 until her death, on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self­confidence for Britain.
The Victorian era had many effects on canadian culture. Fashion, architecture style, religious ideas and technology. Victorian fashion comprises the various fashions and trends in British culture that emerged and developed in the United Kingdom and the British Empire throughout the
Victorian era
, roughly 1830s to 1900s. The period saw many changes in fashion, including changes in clothing, architecture, literature, and the arts. During this era women's gowns had wide puffed sleeves. Dresses were simple and pale, and incorporated realistic flower trimming. Petticoats, corsets, and chemises were worn under gowns. The men wore tight­fitting, calf length frock coats and a waistcoat or vest. Men also wore top hats
, with wide brims in sunny weather.

( http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Yh83VAUFMHg/TT7g5RmKxZI/AAAAAAAAAEs/k2YXj7HpiCU/s64 0/1794­1887­Fashion­overview­Alfred­Roller.gif
)

Architecture was also majorly affected during the early 19th century, the romantic medieval Gothic revival style was developed as a reaction to the symmetry of Palladianism
,
and such buildings as Fonthill Abbey were built. By the middle of the 19th century, as a result of new technology
, construction was able to incorporate steel as a building component; one of

the greatest exponents of this was Joseph Paxton
, architect of the Crystal Palace
.

( http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~blinkofamily/images/OLDBURY% 20CIVIC%20BUILDING%201900.jpg
)

Queen Victoria was an Anglican which made many people convert and created an even bigger religious following than before.
Technology advanced greatly in this era. Much of our technology today is based off of that from this era. The Victorian Era was full of imaginative people who had great ideas on how to improve living conditions during their life ime. Here is a short list of the things built from
1835­1900: photograph, paddle steamship, postage stamp, Christmas cards, sewing machine, underground railway , typewriter, telephone, electric light bulb , motor car , moving pictures, X­rays , radio . Many of the inventions that we take for granted were created by the industrious people of the 1800′s. It is hard to imagine that Mr. Tinker was born into a post­Colonial world that was similar to the 18th century, but died in an era where the car and airplane were a common sight.
These are all ways the Victorian era effected Canada and other country’s alike.

First nations
The First Nations at this during this time period were also changing, one major one

was Grey owl. Grey Owl was the name Archibald Belaney adopted when he took on a First
Nations
identity as an adult. Born in England as Archibald Stansfeld Belaney, and migrating to
Canada in the first decade of the 20th century, he rose to prominence as a notable author, lecturer, and one of the "most effective apostles of the wilderness". In his experiences with the
Ojibwe
Indians, Belaney learned the Aboriginal harvesting techniques, trapping, and Ojibwe culture. The pivotal moment of departure for Grey Owl's early conservation work was when he began his relationship with a young Iroquois girl named Gertrude Bernard, who assisted in his transition from trapper to conservationist.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grey_Owl.jpg)

Leading Up Towards Confederation
All the former colonies and territories that became involved in the Canadian
Confederation on July 1, 1867, were initially part of New France
, and were once ruled by
France
. Nova Scotia was granted in 1621 to Sir William Alexander under