At that time, the term Canada had not yet emerged. In the east, the scholars and masters of the Song Dynasty enjoyed the glory of ruling the world with Emperor Renzong, the commoner peasants silently shouldered the heavy responsibility of paying grain and paying gifts, apportioning the changing care, and the lucky ones would be sent to the forefront of the northwest to watch the oncoming charge of the party's iron cavalry. This ushered in an early spring in the first half of the 11th century.
At the same time, the people of the far West were struggling to survive, even the Vikings, known for their tenacity and fierceness. With the increasing vigilance of the countries of the European continent, plundering has hardly been rewarded. In the context of the rise of religion, the struggle for the field of thought is better than the direct destruction of the flesh, and the bloody and brutal "Viking Age" is coming to an end.
Once brave warriors slowly became farmers who worked with their heads down, or hunters and fishermen who followed the rules. Pioneers of adventure in the past who sailed the oceans were also plagued by the problem of eating every day. Unable to withstand the double whammy of declining trade and a deteriorating climate, they could not help but bow their heads in pride and pack up their bags from various strongholds. Canada— and indeed the north American continent— is the first and last official Viking immigrants to board a ship and return home.
Although the Vikings had only been here for three years across the ocean, they had built a small home after all. Now, at the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, the Viking village in Meadows Bay is empty. The blacksmith's shop was devoid of the heat of the wind stove, the shipyard could not see the sawdust flying, and the few turf wooden houses that used to be full of laughter and curse suddenly remained silent. All the houses are now like tombstones scattered in the tomb, telling the hustle and bustle of the past without a trace of life.
The dragon ship set sail. As the paddle moves evenly, the horizon behind it looks farther and farther away, and finally inadvertently disappears under the slight waves. Leaving North America and leaving this land known as "Vinland" made the Vikings feel mixed, as if the people who did not know wei and Jin were forced to leave Taohuayuan. Thoughts of silence drift through the mind. For most of the Vikings, looting was not the only option, and if there was a fertile land that could be cultivated freely, who would want to be chased to the battlefield by the Valkyrie in a hurry? Even the legendary Valhalla Temple has endless grape wines to drink.
Storms and snowstorms destroyed the hopes left behind, fighting with the locals made them sleep and eating, and with the frightening plague, the Vikings were left exhausted and determined to return to Northern Europe. For the future of Canada, the present land of the end of the world, let it return to tranquility, everything seems to have some illusion of the old days of ten thousand years ago.
Initial North America:
What was Canada like ten thousand years ago? Like everywhere in the world, there are no humans in this land. In the wilderness, there are only animals and birds chasing. Bison and musk oxen gallop in flocks, mammoths and mastodons roam leisurely, and ancient reindeer and giant beavers roam the river.
About 20,000 to 10,000 years ago (14,000 years ago in early studies), the first humans visited the North American continent. At this time, early humans have spread their footprints all over Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, leaving some traces of civilization everywhere, such as buried ancestors, destroyed shacks, smashed stones and even gnawed bones. They lived and walked, about to reach the last continent, the Americas.
These first North American inhabitants came from the cold Siberia of Asia and migrated eastward at the Beiling Road Bridge. In addition to the huge glaciers that stood in the way, the relatively mild climate and the beasts on the tundra also retained people, allowing them to form an isolated, unique population over thousands of years, the ancestors of all later Native Americans. When the North American ice sheet melts, a road to the interior of the continent is revealed. Go or stay? Out of natural curiosity and an unstoppable desire to explore, as well as the practical need to track down prey to fill today's belly, people crossed Alaska and headed south along the ice-free zone on the east side of the Rocky Mountains, with the North American continent at their feet.
Early Canadian humans – (c. 24000–8000 BC)
In the Yukon region of modern Canada's northwestern frontier, the site of the "Bluefish Caves" (Bluefish Caves) that document early human activity in North America has been left behind.
Three small, inconspicuous caves are piled high with mammoths, Yukon horses, tundra musk oxen, and bones of fish and birds, with unnatural marks of tool smashing on the surface of the bones. After scientific testing, the remains of 4 species of fish, 1 amphibian, 23 species of birds and 35 species of mammals were found, which were detected by radiocarbon as about 24,000 years old.
It is not difficult to deduce that the ancient humans who entered North America used the Bluefish Cave as a special kitchen. They dragged all kinds of booty from the tundra into the cave, skinned and broken bones, cut them into pieces, and ate their flesh. People not only fed their stomachs and intestines, but also used the remaining bones to make more weapons and tools, which was convenient for more hunting and processing, which can be regarded as the originator of recycling Dafa.
Humans who came to North America were called Paleo-Indians. They are skilled in hunting and can use tactics against giant mammoths, mastodons, and ancient bison. This depends on the carefully crafted fluted stone spear tip, and even today, when we see the sharpness of the all-handmade spearhead with a beautiful streamline, we will lament the difficulty of making it. This is the famous Clovis culture among the Paleo-Indians.
(The different characteristics of stone tool processing can distinguish the cultures of different early human groups.) The picture shows Clovis's spearhead)
The Paleo Indians hunted animals and gathered fruits and vegetables, rarely staying in one place, accustomed to wandering life in search of food and migration. They moved slowly south together in large families of 20 to 50 people. From the territory of modern Canada to the United States, through North America to Mexico, and later deeper into the jungles of South America, becoming the ancestor of most Native Americans. In the process of ancient human beings constantly moving, they will always pay special attention to those places where water and grass are abundant and animals are flourishing. At that time, in western Canada, due to the lower sea level, a prairie (modern Heda Guay Islands) appeared near the Queen Charlotte Strait and the Heikat Strait, which was very suitable for birds and animals. The ancient Indians regarded this place as home for 4,000 thousand years, leaving behind a lot of household garbage, that is, the unique stone tools and leftover remains of large animals that we have excavated in modern times.
More than 10,000 years ago, the "New Fairy Wood" incident broke out, and the world cooled down rapidly. North American animals have experienced widespread extinction. Many large animals, such as mammoths, mastodons, camels, and horses, did not survive, and the Clovis culture gradually disappeared. Harsh environments test all living beings. Compared with animals, ancient humans can rely not only on the survival instinct, but also on the thinking and analysis brought about by the developed brain. Clovis's years of tradition were gradually abandoned, and people used new strategies to adapt to survival.
Beginning in 9000 BC, surviving humans in the Great Plains region of central Canada to the central United States developed Plano cultures. The ancient Indians used their thoughts on the new hunting techniques in the wilderness. Although there are no mammoths, herds of bison are good targets. Instead of fighting with complete brute force, they use a unique strategy of intimidating, driving, guiding, and rushing down the cliff in a panic against the cattle. Initially, it may come from a flash of inspiration after someone's long-term observation, but it has been successful after repeated practice. Over the next few thousand years, this method developed from rough to mature, and even became a strange culture called "bison jumping".
With no native horses, driving bison was not an easy task, and the paleo Indians had to rely on their minds and techniques to make up for it. According to modern blackfoot records, they would place two rows of hundreds of thousands of stone piles near the cliffs in advance, stretching for about 3 kilometers, forming a road-like passage. Some experienced young people then put on animal skins, dress up as wolves or coyotes, and go to scare the cattle. They are also responsible for leading frightened bison into the passage. Next, the instinct of the cattle will make them run all the way to the end of the passage, a cliff more than 10 meters high. Indian warriors are already waiting here, and will use spears and sticks to kill the bison with their legs and feet injured. The prey tends to be plentiful, so the processing camps are set up close together. The women are also not immune, they are responsible for further processing of the initial processing of bison parts, such as sewing cowhide pockets to store fresh beef marinated in thick butter, turning the sturdy cow bones into hand-held tools, and tanning the cowhide into leather clothing or tent materials. The food, clothing, shelter and transportation of dozens of people came almost entirely from the dedication of the bison herd.
(Located on Highway 785, 18 km west of Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada, the Bison Cliff Jump Site Museum has been used for about 5,000 years, and several similar hunting ground sites have been found in North America.)
A successful hunt is hard-won and often requires all of them to sweat together, but the beef feast that follows will satisfy everyone, and even accidentally produce an early artistic impulse to splash ink on the rock wall. Because of the spectacular hunting, a young blackfoot tribeman once wanted to witness the shocking scene of cattle jumping off a cliff at close range, but he was accidentally trapped in it. When people found him, he had been crushed into a meat paste by a large pile of heavy bison bodies, and even his head was completely shattered into slag.
Favorable technology naturally spread, and about 8,000-7,000 years ago, indigenous peoples of many different cultures began to adopt the method of repelling bison to hunt, which gradually became one of the characteristics of North America.
Archaic period - (c. 8000 BC - 3000 BC)
As the North American climate gradually returned to normal and glaciers retreated, newly revealed grasslands and lakes nourished bison, reindeer, and expanded the living areas of the Paleo Indians. Traces of humans have appeared in the Arctic, the West Coast, the Northwest Region, and the Central Plains. Some ancient Indians began to adopt the settlement method, relying on deer hunting in the mountains, slaughtering cattle in the plains, and fishing on the seashore, each of them showing their abilities, not only eating and drinking enough, but also sewing leather clothes and pants adapted to the environment, and building wooden-framed skinned tents to protect them from the wind and rain.
In 8500 BC, the Folsom tradition appeared in central North America. Their stone tools and weapons differ from the Plano culture, and both also live on Canadian soil, perhaps as neighbors. The Falthams also hunt bison, but the daily diet is much richer, ranging from bulky bison, deer, goats, to tiny marmots and cotton-tailed rabbits. There is archaeological evidence that they may have begun to build fixed dwellings instead of ordinary tents.
(The spearhead of the Folsom culture, more sharp in a streamlined shape)
Like all the inhabitants of the rest of the world, the paleo-Indian brothers and sisters of early Canada hunted and gathered together, with only a different division of labor and nobility. Over time, people became more skilled in obtaining food and materials, and they ate more privately. The days of being strong and fast are better, the weak and sick are in trouble, and the rich and the poor begin to differentiate. Some of the tombs of the ancients, which have been found today, contain only a few crude tools, and some are covered with shells, flint, bone tools and exquisite weapons. Chieftains or chieftains arise naturally in silence.
Around 8000 BC, the climate of North America stabilized and already resembled the environment of modern Canada. As sea levels rise, the Bering Land Bridge is submerged by the oceans, and the Americas and other continents are completely isolated. As immigrants, the ancient Indians had to settle in their new homes. They migrated more widely, and during the hike, people continued to sum up their life experience and began to grow artificial crops, such as melons and beans. One of the Paleo Indians, the Na-Dene, is distributed throughout northwest and central Canada. They are the earliest ancestors of the Ababascan indigenous peoples, such as the later Shangwu Apache people and the Navajo people, who were familiar with agriculture and animal husbandry. The villages where they gathered were built with large houses for multiple families to live together. Know how to hunt and fish to store winter grain. In the south, the Wendats are active between the Great Lakes, and they are accustomed to killing reindeer more than bison (Wyandot).
In 7000 BC, the inhabitants of Canada's west coast also had a characteristic way of life. On Vancouver Island in the southwest, Nuu-chah-nulth residents are becoming more sophisticated in whaling. They hunt gray whales and humpback whales near the coast with special spears. There are records that the Nuchanurts, in order to show bravery, sometimes hunted down the sea overlord, the killer whale, at any risk. In their culture, killer whales dominate the ocean, with better flesh than other large whales. Whaling activities vary from tribe to tribe, but basically include bathing, abstinence, prayer, and unique rituals before and after hunting. Once the whale is caught, the whale meat becomes people's food, the balm is used for illumination, and the whale bone becomes the material, and the whole whale is almost never wasted.
Woodland Age – (c. 3000 BC – 1000 AD)
In 3000 BC, on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Canada, many longhouses and houses with boats as roofs could be seen. Some residents do not live permanently because they spend time communicating and selling goods between tribes. The scope of the transaction expanded with the successive runners, and later extended from eastern Canada to the vicinity of modern-day New York. From this was the currency, which was a beautiful white flint from the Labrador Peninsula.
People here are known as the "Red Paint People" because of their preference for the heavy use of red ochre in tombs. Some tribes live on the coast in the summer and in the interior in winter, and some tribes live on the coast all year round. The Figure of the Red Paint Man is active in the waves of the current, is good at fishing and gathering, and can even make boats that specialize in fishing for ferocious swordfish. On weekdays, in addition to cooking fresh fish and shells, they sometimes eat animal meat and rhizomes, acorns, berries, nuts and the like. In this era, the red lacquer people had not yet mastered pottery making and metal processing, and bones and stones were still the main source of tools for the tribe.
In 2500 BC, the eastern shore of the Bering Strait near the Arctic, where some humans who did not migrate south, also became shining. Ancients hunted for seals on the snow-covered seashore and caught fat salmon by streams where the snow melted. Countless hunting experiences and long-term processing of skin and flesh have enabled them to create a series of small and practical processing tools, such as scrapers, engraving knives, antiquettes, arrows with barbs and sharp spears. The advent of bows and arrows has greatly enhanced the success rate of hunting for Arctic people.
It is not difficult to imagine the scene at that time, a few Arctic ancestors were drilled out of the turf house on the shore, leather felt hats, holding bows and arrows, and a solid tool kit tied around the waist, a good old hunter style. Known by scientists as the "Arctic Small Tool tradition," they live in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, where they excel at making knives and bows and arrows, and later learned to fire pottery. The "Arctic gadget traditions" of different regions have their own characteristics, some of which later evolved into the Dorset culture, and many tribes and traditions have disappeared into the long river of history.
In 2000 BC, the ancients who lived inland also gradually transformed nature, and the inhabitants of the Great Lakes stumbled upon natural brassite. The yellow things in the gravel were first curious, and later found that they could be deformed by tapping, and then quickly processed into various simple tools. Although not too hard, the flexibility and ductility are much better than ordinary stones. In addition, the process of excavating clay and burning paper pottery began to spread to various ethnic groups. On the North American continent, this technology was first invented by laurentians in southern Ontario. They creatively produced pointed cups and decorated them with rope patterns. With the introduction of large-bladed grass from southern Mexico, Canadian Aborigines began to cultivate and domesticate it continuously, and early corn appeared. Supplemented by pumpkins and beans, people's diets are guaranteed and the population continues to grow. However, because horses and camels in North America have long been extinct, and bison are difficult to domesticate, it is difficult for Canadian residents to achieve large-scale farming, and the taste of ploughing the fields without cattle and horses is unimaginable.
(Unearthed ancient corn)
In 500 BC, a Dorset culture emerged in the northern nunavut region. In the cold snow and wind of the Arctic, human traces have never completely disappeared. The Dorsets differed from the later Tulles and Inuit (Eskimos) in that they were tall and stronger. Not very accustomed to communicating with other races, encountering situations "easy to escape".
Compared with the earlier Arctic gadget tradition, the Dorsets did not have the habit of using bows and arrows, and they hunted marine mammals with harpoons and spears. For example, seals, walruses or narwhals. Once the animals breathed through the holes in the ice, the ambush hunters would suddenly attack. For terrestrial animals such as polar bears and reindeer that also appear near the coast, the Dorset people rarely choose them as targets, and they seem to have their own fixed habits of relying entirely on marine animals. Although the Dorsets do not drill holes, they use stone knives to make elaborate small wood carvings, bone carvings, and characteristic masks.
The Oral History of Baffin Island records some of the characteristics and experiences of the Dorset people:
"The earliest inhabitants [there] were giants with broad chests that could catch an entire seal with bare hands. They walk on the ice and never fall. Although they are strong, they do not have weapons for war. Later, the new arrivals drove them away from the sea. ”
Beginning in 300 B.C., the Hopewell culture of central and eastern North America flourished, known for its elaborate crafts and elaborate burials, as well as its trade experience. As the Hopwells sold clay pots, water glasses, pipes, earrings, and children's toys to the Lake Ontario area, Canada's ancients were also deeply influenced. Who would have thought that the simple place where the north and south were interconnected at that time would become a bustling city toronto in the future.
(Hopeville Cultural Trade Network)
(Complex rituals of the Hopwell culture)
In 200 BC, some new faces appeared near the Bering Strait. Thule people, who were the ancestors of the future Inuit. The neighbors, the Dorsets, already existed, and the Tules were still able to show a very clear advantage of their own ethnic group. They are lean and short, tough, very hands-on, and quite adaptable to life on the ocean. Archaeologists have found kayaks and large skinny boats they used to work in a strong and durable way. In the early days, the Thule people hunted seal walruses in a single boat, and later were able to cooperate in rounding up bowhead whales in wind and waves. They continued to learn, first using puffs and antlers to make harpoons, then adding inflatable buoys to the harpoon line, making spearheads of various shapes for harpoons, and finally inventing bone bows and arrows and bone helmet armor.
(Modern restored image of the Thule people)
Ships make it easier for the Thule to hunt and transport, and unity makes the collective cooperation of the Thule more smooth. In the wilderness by the sea, sturdy houses made of snow-white whale bones and cold hard rocks proudly demonstrate the strength of this group. The dorsettians, on the other hand, preferred to back down to the expansion of the Thules rather than go to war, and eventually disappeared around the 16th century.
(Remains of a whalebone house of the Thule people)
After entering the Common Era, villages and towns of all sizes were scattered throughout Canada, and the dots and invisible trade routes naturally connected them to each other. Some tribes are friendly and mutually helpful, and some tribes are hostile. Some ethnic groups disappear and new ones emerge.
To the northwest, there are Athapaskan, Slavey, Dogrib, Tutchone and Tlingit.
On the Pacific coast, there are Tsimshian, Haida, Salish, Kwakiutl, Heiltsuk, Nootka, Nisga' a, Senakw, and Gitxsan.
In the central plains, there are Niisitapi, Káínawa, Tsuutʼina, and Piikáni.
In the northern woodlands, there are Nēhiyawak and Chipewyan.
Near the Great Lakes, there are Anishinaabe, Algonquin, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat.
On the Atlantic coast, there are Beothuk, Wolastoqiyik, Innu, Abenaki and Mi'kmaq.
Viking Visits:
In 986, the North American continent finally had a visit from outside, and although it was only a glimpse from a distance, Canada came into contact with other civilizations for the first time.
It was a Viking captain, Bjarni Herjólfsson. In the tenth century, conquest and adventure were still popular in the eyes of the Vikings. As a captain of a merchant ship, Biyani often traveled across the ocean to and from his own cargo business. Although he lives in Norway, Bjärni is very filial and regularly visits his parents in Iceland every summer. The Legend of the Greenlander records that in that year, Biyani sailed to visit his parents as usual, and when he arrived in Iceland, he found that his father had gone to Greenland with the famous explorer Erik the Red. Greenland is a new land that has just been developed for a few years, and the father's old Ji Futuo makes people sigh. But there was no greeting before going out, and it was difficult for my son to see the old man, so he had to run again. In the summer, Briani and his crew set sail west. The straight line from Iceland to Greenland is more than 800 kilometers, which was not an easy journey in the Middle Ages. And the sea is no better than the land, and sure enough, it will not be long before the problem is solved.
A sudden storm blew Byanni and the crew to pieces, and the ship was greatly off course. Because there were no charts or compasses, they could only control the direction as best they could as they could as experience. Three days later, the worried crowd finally saw a patch of land, but it wasn't the same as Greenland described by the explorers. Although it is covered with forests and mountains, there are no villages or ports, or there are no people at all. As far as the horizon can see, the green grass is slow and the trees are verdant, which is a paradise scene. No one on board had ever been to Greenland, only that Greenland was very short of wood, and the crew wondered where it was. Did you discover a new continent?
However, Byanni was so interested that he was anxious to visit his father. The crew suggested landing to investigate, and even pleaded with Byanni to seize the opportunity. As the captain of the ship, he was unmoved and directed the departure. Later, Biani got what he wanted, arrived in Greenland to meet his father, and lived there with the old man until his death. After taking care of the matter, Bjäani returned to Norway, where he was already known for seeing the new lands in the west. At first the news didn't get noticed. As the street liquor store spread more and more widely, the gods became more and more depicted, and the leaders and commoners gradually became interested. The Vikings, living in the barren lands of Iceland and Norway, tried to change the status quo, not to mention the ordinary people who suffered from the "recent famine". Some people want to move and migrate, some people want to develop forests. Like immigrants to Greenland, new land means new opportunities and new hopes.
Modern archaeology has shown that Byanni did discover the North American continent, and the land he saw was most likely Newfoundland, Labrador and Baffin Island. Given that Byanni himself was not willing to take risks, the other Vikings would not let go of this opportunity.
Red-haired Eric is known for his adventures, and his son Leif Eriksson inherited the genes. After receiving the news of the New World, Leif directly found Biyani, not only inquired in detail about the discovery in person, but also immediately bought the ship at that time, hired 35 crew members, and embarked on an adventure to the West without stopping.
To ensure the success of the expedition, Leif persuaded his experienced father. They were supposed to set off together, but Eric, a redhead, accidentally fell on the shore on horseback and was unable to make the trip due to injuries. The ominous omen did not stop Lef, and a strong desire for adventure drove him to set sail. They followed the route provided by Byanni, and with the currents, wind directions, and reef landmark references, the voyage was relatively smooth.
One day around 1000 AD, Lev and his companions arrived in the New World, the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Looking at the beach where the waves are lapping in front of you, the green grass on the plain, flowers and fruits dotted with the color of shrub groves, is like a dream. Joy permeated everyone's face, and their efforts to find a better life were rewarded. After some exploration, the Vikings named the area according to its characteristics, and deservedly became the owner of the new land?
Who does this land belong to? Maybe it should belong to nature. Before the arrival of the Vikings, five indigenous groups had made their home in Newfoundland. According to scientists, the oldest can even be traced back to 6,000 years ago. But for various reasons, most of the indigenous people chose to leave. When Nordic immigrants arrived, the last group of inhabitants, the Dorsets, had been moving away for about 300 years.
A new life begins in a jubilant mood. Lev and more than 30 companions found a good place on the west side of the land with a mild climate, lush water and grass, and a stream full of fat salmon. As they built their houses, they continued to send out squads to explore the surroundings. Go to your companions to the south to find something good, the field is crawling with vines, green or red or purple, and the dense clusters of wild grapes are appetizing. The Vikings couldn't help but move their brains, not only the fruits after the meal, but also the best ingredients for intoxicating wine. That's why they named it the "Land of Wine" – Vinland/Wineland. Compared with the previously discovered "flat stone land", "forest land", "wine land" is obviously more attractive. In addition, cranberries, gooseberries, and pumpkins also grow randomly without human labor. Reindeer, bears, wolves, foxes, lynxes, martens, and birds of all kinds are everywhere, and waterside seals, walruses, whales are often seen, and no human tracks have been found nearby.
Leif and the sailors were so satisfied that they soon logged here and established a small settlement for their own convenience and those who came after them. Modern historians have suggested that the viking records of Vinland may have been located around the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the southern tip of Newfoundland. Even today, colorful scenery is still one of the highlights of tourism.
(Restoration of Viking ruins in Meadows Bay, Newfoundland, presumed to be a ship repair site and small stronghold at the time)
Winter is coming, and canada is known for its cold, but the Vikings survived the abundant food and fur goods they collected. In the spring, Leif decided to sail back. He knew his expedition had been successful and it was time to go home and honor his father. Laden with delicious grapes and fine wood, the dragon ship sailed back to Greenland. On the way, Leif also rescued a group of Icelandic crew members who were shipwrecked at sea. Everyone was very excited, and simply called him "Lucky Leif".
After returning to Greenland, it was found that the New World had brought people after tea and dinner. Although Lev was too busy with family chores to leave, his brother Thorvald Eiriksson was eager to try. The brothers approached Lef and thought that the exploration of the new land was far from enough. A few years later, Sovald led a crew of 30 men along the old road to Vinland. The camp that Leif had left behind was of great help to the newcomers, with supplies and houses for the winter to survive the winter. As soon as the snow melted, Sovald was impatient and began to explore with his companions.
Unlike Lef's calm personality, Sovald pursues excitement. When they reconnoitered along the northern coast (around the area of modern Labrador), they first identified the local inhabitants, the Tule people (the Vikings called the aborigines "Skræling", which is probably presumed to be The Tule people).
At the time, nine locals were sleeping under a kayak. Originally, a friendly greeting could have avoided a lot of trouble, but Sovald suddenly became murderous, did not say hello, and took the lead in drawing his sword and killing 8 sleeping locals on the spot. Only one person survived. As they did in churches of England and in the Frankish countryside, the Vikings once again showed their bloodthirsty animalism. Sovald's sword opened and was overjoyed, but it didn't take long for revenge. The survivor soon returned with his clan killed. The Bone Bow Ande Spear may be inferior to the Viking Iron Sword, but it is no problem for killing people. The invaders, Hito, relied on the camp to hold their ground, but the rudimentary barricades and thin shields could not help them. With a roar, an arrow pierced through the barriers and pierced deep into the armpit of the culprit, Sovald.
(Paintings of different eras have a great deviation from the restoration of scenes, and the author shall prevail with new information)
The Nordic settlers barely fended off the Thule counterattack, but Sovald died hopelessly. The remaining people were able to survive the coming of winter until the following spring, and once the ice was thawed, the Vikings fled by boat.
Europe's first relationship with the Americas was such a bad start. But the Viking expedition to Canada is not over. Soon after, the famous Thorfinn Karlsefni led 3 ships and 140 men (some say 160 people, including women) to set sail again for Newfoundland to formally establish a colony. Torfin intends to take the legendary Vinland home seriously, and for this reason he also carries female relatives and domestic animals, including Leif's cousin. Upon arrival, they did find wild grapes and wild wheat that they had heard about earlier. In the first winter, migrants lived by fishing by the water, hunting in the woods, and even picking up bird eggs. In the following year, the Vikings began to explore the distance.
Out of prudence, Tolfin personally led the team. Soon after, they did meet the locals, most likely still residents of Tulle. Thorfin was not reckless and openly expressed goodwill, and the natives declared peace to them. The two sides did not understand each other's words, relying on gestures, movements, and expressions to communicate, and even started a barter business. The Thules quickly produced the best quality gray squirrel skins and various furs, and the Vikings also laid out milk and red cloth that could not be seen in North America. It seems that the local residents are most interested in red cloth, and they have made many strips of cloth to tie to their heads, which has become a popular decoration. For his men, who were keen to exchange for fur goods, Tolfin strictly forbade them to exchange iron swords and spears. He understood that weapons were the life of the Vikings.
When communicating closely, Europeans finally took a closer look at the appearance of the indigenous people, and wrote in the history books: "They are short in stature, fierce in appearance, and their hair is disheveled. The eyes are large and the cheeks are wide. ”
The two sides lived in peace for a short time, and soon after, an accident occurred. According to different accounts, two very different statements appear here. There are records of a local who tried to steal the Vikings' iron weapons during a trade and was killed, leading to war between the two sides. Another record says Thatrfin's bull suddenly burst out of the woods in fright, frightening the unprepared locals. They fled in kayaks, and three days later a large group of people gathered in anger and came back.
The natives seem to have used some sort of catapult, shooting "dark blue" orbs the size of "lamb's tripe" at the Vikings, "making a terrible noise" when they landed. Torfin and the others retreated in a hurry, and it appeared that two were killed. During the retreat, Lev's cousin, who was too pregnant with Rokko, to keep up, called on her companions not to be scared away by "these poor people." And she shouted that if she had a weapon in her hand, she could do better. Seeing that they would be caught up, Leif's cousin simply picked up an iron sword from his newly dead companion and turned back to stand still. In the face of a group of pursuing soldiers, the strange woman ripped open her corset, slapped one breast with her sword, and perhaps roared desperately like a warrior. Where the aborigines had seen such a scene, they were frightened and fled on the spot.
After the battle, full of surprises, the Norse claimed to have killed "many locals". But Torfin was determined to abandon the settlement, and he had no confidence to settle internal divisions and hold on to a land full of foreigners. For the usual diplomatic approach of Viking society, violent conquest seemed easy to trump peaceful coexistence. They are more adept at assault battles than at communicating compromise.
On the other hand, later accounts of the Inuit (descendants of the Thules) also mention clashes between the two sides, in which a kayaker stabbed a heavily armed foreigner to death with an accurate spear. The natives were not happy about this, and were equally worried that outsiders would gather their troops for revenge.
Blood feuds brought the Viking colonization to an abrupt end, and Tolfin led the team back home. Their attempt lasted a total of 3 years, and the scene of finally leaving was like the beginning of this article, fearful, lonely, and helpless. As for the next European visit to the Americas and Canada, it will be 500 years later.
Today, when people come to the Meadows Bay in northern Newfoundland, they can still see the remnants of the Nordic immigrants (L'Anse aux Meadows) - "Prairie Bay".
A civilization that matured – (after 1000 AD)
Canada is back in undisturbed. Various human races grow naturally like trees.
In the north, the Inuit, a descendant of the Thule people, thrived. As the Vikings weakened in Greenland due to trade and disease, the Inuit tribe was able to spread eastward from Canada.
In the 14th century, the Inuit seized a Nordic settlement in western Greenland, and then invaded abandoned villages and towns in the east, basically controlling the entire island of Greenland. They gave the Vikings a taste of the bitterness of defeat. Through exchange and raids, the Inuit possessed some iron weapons, tools, and domesticated dogs as transport animals, which were very adapted to life in cold areas. War, as a means, naturally appeared in the lives of the Inuit, even in the far north of the earth.
In the late 14th century, the Xiaoice River came and the global climate turned cold. Even cold-resistant people like the Inuit were in trouble. Their important prey, the bowhead whale, disappeared from northern Canada and Greenland, and traditional habits were greatly challenged. Some groups stay in Alaska to continue their whale hunt, while others migrate to labrador, which is slightly warmer to the south. Due to the difficulty of adapting to the southern climate, their migration was very slow and their lives were more difficult.
In the south, The Indian civilization tended to be stable, and many tribes were scattered and lived in various places. Some rely on traditional hunting to survive on bison and white-tailed deer; Some rely on fishing and gathering, looking for salmon, picking fruits and vegetables; Others developed early agriculture, slash-and-burn farming, and cultivated corn, beans, and pumpkins. Some ethnic groups maintain friendly relations because of their kinship or interests, trade and cooperation with each other, and further form tribal alliances. Similarly, the contradictions between different ethnic groups due to the competition for the living environment have become enemies, and bloody wars have broken out.
For example, the famous Iroquois originated near Montreal in southeastern Canada, relying on the St. Lawrence River to survive, and later developed to today's New York and the Great Lakes area. They were originally part of the Algonquin group and were expelled for a failed rebellion. Since then, the Iroquois and the Algonquin ethnic group have become increasingly resentful, and conflicts have continued.
(The man in blue was a Frenchman who stood on the side of Algonquin and fought against the Iroquois.)
In the 15th century, five Iroquois tribes took the initiative to unite to form the Iroquois Confederacy. They are Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Cayuga. The alliance, led by a powerful chief, expanded militarily into the surrounding areas. Due to the concentration of forces, the elimination of internal struggles, and the tradition of martial arts, the Alliance repeatedly won wars against neighboring tribes, expanding a large area around the Great Lakes. Internally, the Iroquois Alliance maintained a more equal relationship, with sources recording that "they had an absolute sense of freedom, did not allow anyone to regard themselves as noble, and would expel all acts of slavery from the territory." This meant that the Iroquoi Alliance would not turn captives into slaves. The defeated, then, has only two choices: either to be forced into the adoption of a family, or to be brutally tortured to achieve an "honorable" death.
As rivals, the Algonquins are a large group that is a continuation of the indigenous cultures of the Atlantic coast in the past. Although they made long migrations and separated many tribes, they all spoke Algonquin. Language also becomes a link between people. They were distributed throughout North America, including present-day Canada and the central and eastern parts of the United States. Later, the famous Indian hero Temkusai came from the Shawnee tribe, which is one of the Algonquin tribes, and the other Blackfoot, Cheyenne, and Kikap tribes are known.
The social structure of ancient Canada and even the entire North American continent gradually took shape. First of all, dozens or hundreds of people of the same blood gathered together to live together, forming villages according to clans. Then, villages with close relationships form tribes with villages. Finally, tribes with converging interests form alliances with tribes.
Between each other, exchanges, trade, marriage, war. People not only work together to hunt and cultivate, but also worry about family chores, marriage and love, and also fight for the ownership of hunting grounds and water sources between ethnic groups, and even form a blood feud on impulse. All of this has become a daily routine on the mainland every hour.
North America has entered the childhood of human civilization. Clan tribes are maturing and the state is about to emerge. However, humans arrived in North America tens of thousands of years later than on other continents, and the huge gap caused by these tens of thousands of years is not easy to bridge. Moreover, congenital restrictions and closed environments make it impossible for them to understand the outside world. Without cattle, without wheels, without stirrups, without iron smelting, without silk paper gunpowder, without the Crusaders and Mongol iron horses, and even less could they know that the magnificent era of great navigation had arrived.
Second contact:
500 years have passed since the vicissitudes of the sea and the viking side, and canada's indigenous people are about to welcome new visitors.
Jacques Cartier, an experienced French explorer holding the side of the ship. Seeing the cheers of the excited sailors, he knew he could deliver on his promise to the king to open up a route to rich Asia, "to discover islands and lands where you could find great amounts of gold and precious goods." ”
In May 1534, the 20-day hard-working industry was completed, and French sailors jumped on Newfoundland Beach one by one. They think this is about the edge of Asia in Marco Polo's travels. Soon, Cartier encountered the indigenous Mi'kmaq, an Algonquin tribe. Both outsiders and local residents were surprised by the sudden meeting, but both sides expressed a friendly attitude and made some simple deals. The French continued to move forward, met the Iroquois again, and still lived in peace.
On July 24, they found the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, and it is conceivable that going up the river may be the land of legendary "gold, rubies and other treasures". Cartier could not hold back, and immediately instructed the sailors to erect a cross up to 10 meters high. It says "Long live the King of France"! Declare that the land beneath your feet belongs to France, far away from the ocean. Although the Iroquois onloquists did not know the French of the dragon flying phoenix or the meaning of the cross, they were shocked by the excitement displayed by the outsiders.
Considering that the treasure hunt had hope, Cartier played a clever trick and took advantage of the situation to kidnap the two sons of the Indian chieftain, and later kidnapped the local leader. The French did not intend to carry out a bloody massacre, but to bring the indigenous people to the French magnates and personally tell the secrets of the unknown lands, such as the magical "Kingdom of Saguenay" and its countless gold and precious stones, in order to consolidate their position and invest. Later, Cartier returned to North America several times and built a settlement on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Perhaps the effort paid off, but the French really found a lot of crystalline diamonds and yellow gold around them.
What is the purpose of the arduous voyage? The dream of getting rich lay in front of every explorer, who went crazy and took all the treasures into their pockets, taking as much as they could. Pockets, pockets, cargo boxes, floors, until they fill all the cabins. A few days later, the French returned to Europe, and what a journey it was. Titles, mansions, beauties, fragrant cars, all their desires for wealth and status have become a reality?
No, when the first basin of cold water is poured out of all illusions. Because the connoisseurs identified the "diamonds and gold" they brought back were actually worthless quartz crystals and pyrite. At the time, the Frenchman's helpless lament turned into a proverb: "as false as a Canadian diamond" (faux comme les diamants du Canada).
Not only did the disaster, but also the new settlements established in Cartier were in turmoil. Due to deteriorating relations with the Iroquois, coupled with poor weather and the spread of disease, French villages in North America were abandoned years later.
New Beginnings:
However, as an adventurer, Cartier still had something to gain, after all, he was the first person to give "Canada" a name. It was the second year of arrival on the North American continent, and Cartier had ventured into the Iroquois village of Stadacona, the area of modern Quebec City.
He asked the local guide where was this? The aborigines replied bluntly: "Village (kanata). ”
This is the Iroquois word for "kanata" in St. Lawrence, which means a village or settlement. Cartier may have mistakenly thought that the term was a local place name, or perhaps only for convenience, and later habitually referred to the area around the village of Stardacona as kanata. As the discoveries of Cartier spread, Kanata became Canada, and the name Canada first appeared on maps in 1565.
(The first one has a map of Canada printed on it)
For Canada, modern history has officially begun.
The French emerged as an emerging force on the North American continent, and they would cooperate with the Algonquins to wage war against the Iroquois. The fur trade, the beaver war, the Netherlands, and the English intervened one after another. The French profited, and the British Empire occupied its land. Money and blood, tradition and innovation. Over the centuries, the Indians, Inuit, immigrants from foreign countries, and mixed-race Métis have gradually written their own unique stories.
The remains of the Bluefish Cave skeleton have not disappeared, and Vancouver's high-rise buildings have risen from the ground. The land has ranged from no one to manned, from a single group of people to multi-party competition, to the compatibility of modern cultures.
Canada, the original name of a village settlement, has been given a new meaning by time.
(Insist on providing high-quality original historical texts for everyone.) Picture from the Internet, invasion and deletion)
Comparison of ancient history between China and the United States - the eternal regret of the ancient civilization of North America
The Success or Failure of the Indian Anti-American Alliance: Telling the Life of the North American Hero Tkumse (Part 1)
The Failure of the Indian Nation-Founding: The Life of the North American Hero Tkumse (Part II)
Bibliography:
- Prehistory of the Americas
- A brief history of Canada
- Encyclopedia Britannica
- Legend of the Greenlander