Katelyn Saint John, New Brunswick
Fair address: Anglophone South Regional Heritage Fair (Saint John)
Project: The Maritime Connection to the War of 1812
My project looks at four aspects of the War of 1812 which are connected to the Maritimes: Carelton Martello Tower in Saint john, the St. Andrews Blockhouse in St. Andrews, the March of the 104th Regiment, which began in Fredericton, and General Robert Ross who is buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I did a video documentary on the history of each aspect and also included a display with artwork on each subject and a written history.
What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?
I have learned a lot about the history of the War of 1812 and all of the ways in which the Maritimes are connected to it. Most people don't think that we played much of a role in the War, but there are a lot of little connections that in the end, add up to an important role.
What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?
One of the most interesting things I learned was that the March of the 104th Regiment was one of the most important marches in military history. I also learned that Carelton Martello Tower was built for the War of 1812 but never actually got used for this purpose, which was a good thing, because it didn't actually get finished until the War of 1812 was over. Also, General Robert Ross, who is buried in Halifax , was the man who was responsible for burning the White House in Washington, which is a huge piece of American history.
How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?
After doing all the reading and research for my project, I realize how lucky I am to be alive now instead of in the 1800s .Life was very difficult and uncertain in those days. Many of the soldiers who fought in the war were not much more than boys and those who marched in the 104th Regiment marched through the winter all the way from Fredericton to Kingston, Ontario, a journey of 1100 kilometers, which took 34 days to complete. This makes me very grateful for the life I have and thankful to all of those soldiers who fought so hard. If they hadn't have done what they did, things would have turned out very differently, and I might not have the life that I have now.