Diary Entry: 14

June 17, 1812

Dear Lost Diary That Was Found By Me,

Hi, I’m Isaac Brock. But you can call me Brock. Oh wait, you can’t call me anything because you are a diary… But let’s not ruin the moment. But before I go on, and on about my life’s story, let me introduce myself.

I’m a successful man, a major general, and also the administrator of Upper Canada… That’s it… But for now! (Dun dun dun) I was born in 1769, in the Channel Islands of England. And I came here, to Canada in 1802. My most important part of my job was to improve the colony’s ability to defend itself; but mostly against United States. They are vicious…VICIOUS I TELL YOU!!! Although, I’ve been waiting for ten years, yet nothing has happened. In other words, I hate my job.

Let me tell you the story of how and where I found you…

*Flash Back*

I was walking down the street, until I found this leather – covered, brass cornered booklet, and I was just dying to see what words laid in it. I looked around, trying to find the owner of this beaten up book. Seeing that nobody claimed it, I opened it up; I thought maybe somebody wrote their name on the front page. When I flipped through the pages, there were billions of handwritten words that looked exactly like mine… Could this possibly be my book…? I looked back at the pages, and noticed that it was a diary that belonged to… Kristen Taylor. Well that’s a bummer; I was hoping it would be mine… Without myself knowing… It would have been so epic. But I guess since this is not mine, I have to return it to its rightful owner… But what’s the fun in that? I had to write in it…

*Flash Back Ends*

Ya, that’s it…

But let’s get to the real news: I HAVE A FEELING THE AMERICANS ARE GOING TO INVADE CANADA!!!! The problem is; we won’t have enough reinforcements because British are already at war with Napoleon in Europe. But to make matters worse, I’m not even sure how many people are willing to fight for Canada! Maybe two people… but that’s not enough! At times like this – when I’m stressed out – I usually go do some yoga. So that’s it for today…

June 18, 1812

HOLY SMOKES has it been a bloody day! It’s chaos. Gun shots and screams surrounding the air, the aroma of smoke coming from here and there. Blood stains… Whoa, I’m going a little too far there. Although, it was outrageous though! Out of nowhere, the Americans come and attack us. It was unexpected, unpredictable, unannounced, it was… AWESOME!!!!!! At least an event occurred. Those other days just go on, and on. Day after day. Well I better go now. We are still in the middle of the war. What kind of general am I, hiding in a corner, writing in a diary that was found on the floor?

August 11, 1812

Ahh… Tecumseh, a more wise or brave warrior does not, I believe, exist. He was the admiration of everyone who spoke to him.

 I have joined forces with him so we could plan an attack on the American fort. It’s going to be so exciting…YIPEE!!

What the best part of this sneak attack was, was when the First Nations yelled their battle cry, and General Hull surrendered immediately, even though he had more men than us. Ha ha, chickens… I’m sorry, that was the wrong thing to say… Let me rephrase that… What unrealistic warriors.

August 12, 1812

Wow, not only did that early victory build confidence in the people in Upper Canada, but it also improved my reputation; a strong military leader. But the new arrival, General Henry Proctor, built hate in my eyes. He was a stubborn man, and he still is. I know he will ruin our chance of winning this war; I'm feeling a vibe from him... Grr...

Love,

Isaac Brock

Diary Entry: 13

Dear Diary,
Napoleon, Napoleon. I'm here to ask a question. Who is he?! I mean, I heard that he's some short French war dude, and wears this funny hat so that he could look taller, but why is everybody talking about him?! Is it really that important?

Dear Diary,
Well, I have to deliver this letter from the  Britain, but of course, like always, I read it:
Dear George,
I am really concerned about France. I'm suspecting them to attack us in  few seconds by now. I think it's Napoleon who is leading the troops to attack Britain. So we need a strong army to be able to protect us. However, our ships are in bad condition, so some of our soldiers deserted us and joined the American merchant navy, where there ships are in better condition. It was sooo bad, that we had to stop the American ship, and look for the deserters. But I could tell by the look on their faces, the Americans weren't so happy about that...

Sincerely,

Roberto

Woww...He answered my question completely...I can't believe there is so much anger in that little man.... Well, I'll try to give you as much information as I can on...well, everything. I just have a feeling another war is going to happen. At times like this, there's always a war. 

Love,

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 12

October 1, 1793
Dear Diary,
Timber. It sounds like something a sailor would shout out when the ship is tipping: TIMBER, me mate - ies!!
But...unfortunately, that's not what it means. But I believe it means...wood? Well, this...timber...was really important at this time. Well, here was the deal: England needed this timber to build ships...AHAH! At least I was close.
October 2, 1793
Dear Diary,
Well, I just did some research on this...timber thing - Yes, I actually studied - and it turns out that they actually used timber for shoes! SHOES! I wonder who wants shoes made of wood... Anyways, a lot of people 
use timber these days, even I do. My carriage that's attached to my horse is made of...of course...TIMBER!!!!
Well, there is this lumber industry that's crazy busy, because like I said again, EVERYBODY USES TIMBER!
Well...ya...that's it for today. Hey, at least we learned something. HEY! Maybe I should have this weekly thing where we learn something every diary entry... Ya...let's not do that...Ok bye.

Love,

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 11

September 30, 1793

Dear Diary,

I have AMAZING NEWS!! I don’t have to work for Simcoe anymore! But the only reason why I’m not working for him, is because he said that I ‘don’t help him’ and ‘I don’t even try.’ Like, where did he get that from?!

Anyways, ‘fur trading’ was all anybody would talk about these days.

Well, there was a ‘battle’ between the Hudson Bay Company and the North West Company (they are fur traders.) I heard that the Hudson Bay Company doesn’t cost much to transport their furs, but the North West Company got the best furs. And the NWC was so successful, that the HBC had to leave Hudson Bay and move farther west to make more posts there. That’s crazy right?!

But another reason that the NWC was successful is because they got help from the Métis. I guess the Métis had a great experience of fur trading or something…

Obviously, you could tell I read this from a newspaper article. Why would you think I knew this from the top of my head?!

December 11, 1821

Dear Diary,

Finally the competition finally ended between the companies ended. It’s about time, I mean, that competition has been really intense. I should know, because I read their letters. I mean, name calling, threatening, they give me nightmares. Well, the two companies finally joined to become one company, under the name of the Hudson Bay Company. But I was surprised, but even though the NWC was ahead of the HBC, the HBC managed to catch up.

Well, that’s all the facts I got for today, so I guess I’ll TTYL (that means talk to you later.)

Love,

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 10

September 24, 1793
Dear Diary,
Bad news...ANOTHER WAR IS STARTING. What's up with these people and war? Why can't they just compromise? And since Europe is involved with this war, it upset Simcoe because he wanted more settlers in Upper Canada, so now I have to help him...again. But luckily this time, I didn't have to talk to him face to face. Since he's been travelling around Upper Canada, he sent me a letter:

Dear Taylor,
I have no trust and strongly dislike the United States. But I do think that it would be a great place to attract settlers. So...I kind of bribed them with offers of land to come to York. I only did it because I wanted to create a society like England. And I also bribed some Late Loyalists. I didn't mean to do something so bad and harmful. Is it ok?

John, Simcoe

I mailed him back this letter:
Dear Simcoe,
IS IT OK?! IS IT OK?! You're making me tear up right now. I'm so proud. But you always have to take a risk to become a hero!

Kristen Taylor

Ya...that's it for today...

Love,

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 9

July 30, 1793
Dear Diary,
I am following Simcoe to York - I sound like a stalker - with his wife, members of Queen's Rangers and servants. Apparently, I had to be his servant in order to join him on his 'adventure,' as he would like to call it. But I think he calls it that just to sound like a hero. I hate hero wannabes. For some reason, they seem all stuck up, and think they could fly or something, and always end up with a broken leg, and come back crawling to me, and that's when I say 'I told you so.' Well, that was mainly my little brother, but I can still relate to some other people. Although Simcoe seemed different, he didn't jump off a 2 story building, all he did was just lead us and give us a lecture on how he wanted to save the 'world.'
Once we got there, all he did was make sure that the fort was built. Well, they call the fort, a garrison, but I don't exactly find that catchy...

July 31, 1793
Dear Diary,
Guess what? Simcoe desides to live here, so that means I have to, too. Yay... The only reason I have to, is because I don't know the way back, because he has the map. Boo... And now he is drawing town plans - whatever that is - and for some strange reason, York suddenley became the colony's capital.

August, 1, 1793
Dear Diary,
I just found out what my job is for Simcoe, his therapist. A THERAPIST! I'm supposed to help him out with his 'problems.' That's crazy! I hardly know how to work out my problems, so how am I supposed to help him out with his? He gave me a letter from Sir Guy Carleton to read:

Dear Simcoe John, 
I strongly disagree with you for York being our government and colony's capital. York is an easy target for the Americans to attack, we would lose the battle immediatly. I prefer that Kingston should be the capital of Upper Canada, and York should be almost like a wall of protection, so we would have a better chance to win the battle. And so, I refuse to give you some financial support to you. If York will be the capital, and not Kingston, you should be in charge of convincing the government to move to your filthy land.

Yours Truly,

Sir Guy Carleton

P.S. I am not pleased with your work. You should think again. If we lose our land, I'll say it in advanced, I told you so.

"So, what should I do?" Simcoe asked, "I mean, I'm not sure what to do. With him on my back and all, I feel so much pressure, like I'm letting everybody down."

I wasn't sure what on my back meant, but I don't think he meant it literally. I didn't know what to say, but part of me just bursted out, "Don't feel sad, you aren't letting anybody down. You are a hero, you want to change the world, and that's what you're going to to do," then I side commented, "I'm not sure you're going to change it in a bad way, or a good way."

But he didn't hear that. He thanked me, "Thank you, my young grasshopper. Taylor, I'm giving you a raise."

I was kind of annoyed by people calling me by my last name, but at least he payed me. He put some money in my hand, and left the tent. I looked down and...Oohhh, that's enough to buy me a horse....

August 11, 1793

Dear Diary,

Oh, what a relief, the Queen's Rangers helped me sooo much. They helped him through his 'challenges' as he likes to call them, by protecting the city, served its first labourers, built buildings, and built some roads and named them Yonge Street and Dundas Street. It sounded kind of weird, but at least I had a certain ground to ride on, instead of getting pelted by farmers' rotten tomatos, and yelling, "GET OFF MY LAWN STREET GIRL!"

Sincerely,

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 8

January 31, 1787
Dear Diary,
There's this...guy named Sir Johnson, the Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs, met with the people at the Bay of Quinte. They agreed to sell the land along the shore of Lake Ontario. Although the 'Crown' did not know the exact amount of land that was purchased, and later on, it was blank. They didn't have any description of the purchased land. 
But then when the 'Crown' noticed this mistake, they asked Mississauga to redo the purchase. So they...did, I guess. I had no idea what happened, but I thought it would be important.
I'll get back to you ASAP...or not. 

Love, 

Kristen Taylor

Diary Entry: 7

June 22, 1793
Dear Diary,
 There was something all over the newspapers in Canada, something called a government structure. Something like: 

Government Structure after 1791

From the opinions fo many people of the British government, the American Revolution resulted from too much democracy. 

Wait, what is this... democracy? Why do newspapers use so many big words? Here, let me go look it up on a dictionary...democracy....democracy...here! Democracy: a government in which the population elect all or some of their government. Ok...that doesn't really make any sense, but let's just move on with the article.

The British think that the Thirteen Colonies had gained too much power over the British governors.

Ok, I'm  not going to read anymore, because this isn't making any sense. I mean, who's a governor? I thought we had a king...What does gain mean? I'm pretty sure that this is all anybody would talk about, so I'm going to go study. 

Love, 

Kristen Taylor 

P.S. I'll be studying for a long time...I have trouble reading

August 13, 1792

Dear Diary,

 See? I told you it'd take a long time. I mean, it took me nearly half a year to learn the definition of government, governor, gain, and structure. And the other part of the year I was reading newspapers. They were talking about something like...the Government of Upper Canada. But I  still don't get it. What's legislative? Anyways, I'm riding my horse right now, carrying some man name John Simcoe. Well, I wasn't carrying him, I was giving him a ride, to Newark, which was the capital of the colony, and his job was to report to Lord Dorchester (Sir Guy Carleton) who was the new governor of the two Canadas. Carleton was in Quebec by the way. Although, for some reason, he would keep on talking to me about his...problems, on the ride there. He was saying that he didn't think that Newark was a good location for the capital. He was still 'thinking' about the memories of the American Revolution. He was concerned - whatever that means - about the future conflict - would he stop using such big words? - with the United States, because Newark was right on the American borders - what's that supposed to mean? - so the capital would be an easy target. Then he said that his 'dream' is to build a colony that looked like England, and build a capital city and name it London. But his first goal was to build a military base. So he 'turned his eyes' to York - what was that supposed to mean?

I'll be back after I understand what these words mean...

Love, 

Kristen Taylor