Running Head: KINGSTON ONTARIO PALIMPSEST 1
KINGSTON ONTARIO PALIMPSEST 2
Kingston Ontario Palimpsest
Name
Institution
Kingston Ontario Palimpsest
The modern society is a representation of the ancient societies and varied beliefs over the time. The construction of the cities takes notice of the required issues to be kept. In the contemporary cities, architecture advocates for the preservation of history and the making of better avenues for the entitlement of the city. Nonetheless, the cities are changed over time to suit the present and the future needs of the community that inhabits it. The city of Kingston in Ontario Canada is a historic suite that holds numerous monuments for the Canadian society. Notably, there are 22 historic sites in the city (Morgan, 2001). This city stands as a great center of the Canadian culture and heritage. Thus, the following palimpsest shows the history of the country through the past and the present times with an explanation of the history and the pictures that stand to narrate the history.
1. Anne Baillie Building
The building was built in the early 20th century in the year 1904. This building holds significance to the entire healthcare industry in the country. After the education of the nurses and their training, they would reside in this building. Moreover the building showed a great acceptance of the nursing profession in the country (Pelletier, 2006). Thus, through the professionalization of nursing, the members of the society could get into contact with the nurses in this building. However, in the 21st century, the building has held a firm position to serve as a museum for the healthcare sector (EDP011M, 2000). The functions of the building have changed, however the significance remains intact. Therefore, the building stands firm as a great addition to the entire society. Annie Baillie building stack sup the required history of the nursing profession and shows its progression from piece to piece.
2. Cataraqui Cemetery
Cataraqui Cemetery is one of the historic sites in the country. A grave yard, with a rural and garden theme stands to shows the history of the country spanning form the late 19th century. The graveyard shows the great transition from the burial rites of the country and it also stands as a national monument for the founding prime minister and other individuals who held significant positions in the country (Pelletier, 2006). Through the cemetery, the country speaks its past and shows the future too. Therefore, the site is an important piece of the Canadian history.
3. Kingston City Hall and market Square
The hall and market square presents a great piece of the neoclassical art in the society. Through the construction of the hall and the square, the city is shown in eye to the previous centuries where it stood as the capital of Canada province (Manion et al. 2010). The city holds a great significance in the history of the country and comes in handy in the comprehension of the colonial movements in the country (Pelletier, 2006). Through the architecture, the scale of influence of the city is also bespoken. Moreover, the market square stands out as the oldest in Ontario. This site stands out as a critique to the previous years and how the city was important in the entire Canada. Through the square the beliefs of the Canadian individuals is spoken and well shown.
4. Aboriginal culture
The Canadian Aboriginal Culture is shown in the city in various ways. As the original people who inhabited the country even before invasions by the whites and Europeans. The aboriginal culture is preserved in the monuments and museums. The elements of their culture are shown in different ways and also the manner in which the constructions are made. In respect to the culture, the considerations are made to appreciate and also show the original inhabitants of the town. Kingston, a bog town and a former capital of the Canadian province served a s a transition place, there are some areas where the building pay heed to the aboriginal culture while others where the buildings show the new age culture. The visitors to the region in some aspect also picked up the culture and incorporated it in their form of life (Manion et al. 2010). Therefore, the dressings and the construction of buildings makes the city to speak prominently of the aboriginal culture in a way that satisfies the appreciation.
With festivals that are made in specific periods, the city of Kingston has monuments that give heed and respect to the original cultures in Canada. Notably, the country provides an ample environment for the making of a better establishment of cultural heritage. The city of Kingston has a good basis of relations with the aborigines and also makes them recognized in each of their actions. Thus, from the perspective of the contemporary society, the dances and music of the aborigines are well included in the actions of the society. Thus, from the actions of the councils that are set to ensure the life of the heritage, the aborigine culture in Kingston is as strong as the previous years (Manion et al. 2010). Moreover, Kingston stands as a metropolitan area, thus it is multicultural, and it identifies with the cultures of the people who inhabit it.
5. Mercantile Era
The mercantile era in Kingston was received with great advancements in the society. Through the institution of various tools of work in the city, the merchants ensured that they death in the rightful choice of goods. The mercantile era, which was a great height to the economic imperialism in Canada, was caused by the colonialists that made the country to engage in the business to satisfy their needs and achieve a great profitability. In this period, the streets were filled with merchants who sold the stables to the society and aimed at ensuring that they did the required actions, which would enhance their financial outreach. The city, a center for the French and the English inhabitants led to a greater extent of rift and larger trade boundaries being set to enhance the entire course of trade.
For an instance, in the picture above, the merchant deals in goods that sell to the society in an immediate way. This picture shows a native of Kingston at a shop dealing in mechanical tools and home-ware. Therefore, the mercantile era enhanced the trade perspectives of the Kingston residents and led to the establishments of many markets that served as the meeting points of the traders and their customers who were in most cases the aborigines and settlers form different countries (Sutherland, 2000). The mercantile era in the country was a great expansion o the European ideologies and forms of carrying out trade to the Canadian society. The market square offered a great avenue of meeting to the members of the society and enhanced the meetings of the merchants form different countries.
6. Industrial Era
The industrial era in Kingston was faced with numerous changes to the Canadian society. The era marked great transition from the traditional system to the semi modern system that drove the society. The mode of transportation in the country changed significantly from the old system and began embrace the railroad system. The establishment of the railroad system was coupled with great advancements in the employee systems as there were many people and cheap labor was easily provided by the colonized states to help in the construction of the railways (Berry, 2008). On the other hand, the colonial masters in the country helped to propagate the construction of the railways by offering the natives as a chapter alternative for labor. Thus, from the perspective of the colonialists, the industrial era marked a great opportunity for change and assimilation of the natives into the western lifestyle.
In the industrial era too, there was an influx in the number of individuals that attended schools, the schools were filled with young children who saw education as the best alternative. Education in the society during this time helped to make the society a better avenue. Through the right viewing of education, the city had many schools established for both natives and the whites where they could learn (Smaller, 2011). The schoolchildren were educated on the primary sectors of the society and helped to make it a better avenue of the children to gain leverage in the society.
On the other hand, the final picture shows the old train station in Kingston and the changes that have occurred to it. The train station, which was used in the industrial era, has been transformed to a modern day visitor center, where visitors get to see whatever they want. Thus, from the picture, the evident change can be seen.
7. Post Industrial Era
Kingston changed greatly in the postindustrial era. The city, which was inhabited by numerous people die to the strife of the mercantile era accepted people from various orientations to help with governing various aspects. The postindustrial era saw the colonialists existing in a better way with the locals despite little instances of segregation. The society thus improved from its industrial state. The city had numerous laborers who did work to ensure that they lived their required expectations. On the other hand, the laborers also lived in the city.
Education improved greatly in the city in the postindustrial era. The establishments of inclusive schools for the society witnessed a rise in the number of those who were schooled and those who attended the schools to achieve their desired goals (Winder, 2002). These institutions were set up by the rulers of these times, as there was a definite system of governance in the country during these times. Therefore, the literacy rates in the city during these moments were improved to significant levels.
On the other hand, there were instances of the society accepting diversity and integration of multiculturalism on the various aspects of the community. The post industrial era saw the settlement of people from various walks of life and the acceptance of the ethnicities that were in the city. Some religions, associated with specific ethnicities were embraced in the open and no segregation was carried out to them (Sutherland, 2000). The Sikhs practiced their religion in an open manner than helped to establish a better stamp in the society. The acceptance was received by all sectors of the society and also increased the chances of equitable treatment in the society.
8. Twentieth Century Changes
The twentieth century was a period of numerous changes to the Canadian society. Twentieth century marked the peak of white supremacy and initiation of a cult that would protect and champion for white supremacy all over the country. In Kingston, protest would be staged on various issues and only white males would attend these. The KKK clan activities were numerous in the country and this helped the initiation of racism in the country (Morgan, 2001). Despite the fact that the mid parts of the 20th century led to the country having better attitudes towards other races, racism and the KKK was not a gone case since there were several demonstrations held to champion for white supremacy and the dominations of other societies in the country. The clan led to numerous instances and a great change in the demographics as racism was still undertaken in certain sectors.
On the other hand, the century also witnessed the development of transportation means in the country (Berry, 2008). The various means of transport made Kingston accessible by water, sea, and land. The accessibility of the town improved and this marked several migrations, which increased the population of the city.
Canada became an independent country and Kingston as a former capital enhanced the print media and publications to spread news throughout the city. Standing as one of the biggest cities, Kingston stood as a center of journalism and media houses set up their offices in the city. This increased the openness of the city to the rest of the world. Thus, the changes made the city a better place to live and work.
References
Berry, J. W. (2008). Globalisation and acculturation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32(4), 328-336.
Boyd, S. (2002). Cultural and heritage tourism in Canada: Opportunities, principles and challenges. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 3(3), 211-233.
EDP0Ï1M, P. H. L. (2000). Civilization in Eastern and Central Europe, Minsk, 24-26 January 2000. Europe, 24, 26.
Manion, N. C., Campbell, L., & Rutter, A. (2010). Historic brownfields and industrial activity in Kingston, Ontario: Assessing potential contributions to mercury contamination in sediment of the Cataraqui River. Science of the total environment, 408(9), 2060-2067.
Morgan, C. (2001). History, nation, and empire: Gender and southern Ontario historical societies, 1890-1920s. Canadian Historical Review, 82(3), 491-528.
Pelletier, Y. Y. J. (2006). The Politics of Selection: The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and the Imperial Commemoration of Canadian History, 1919-1950. Journal of the Canadian Historical Association/Revue de la Société historique du Canada, 17(1), 125-150.
Smaller, H. (2011). Teachers and Schools in Early Ontario. Schooling in Transition: Readings in Canadian History of Education, 24.
Sutherland, N. (2000). Children in English-Canadian society: Framing the twentieth-century consensus (Vol. 2). Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.
Walby, Kevin, and Justin Piché. “The polysemy of punishment memorialization: Dark tourism and Ontario’s penal history museums.” Punishment & Society 13.4 (2011): 451-472.
WINDER, C. M. (2002). Following America into the second industrial revolution: new rules of competition and Ontario’s farm machinery industry, 1850–1930. The Canadian Geographer/Le Géographe canadien, 46(4), 292-309.
