John Graves Simcoe is a notable name in Canadian history; he is commemorated for his achievements for the British through local holidays, statues, and his virtuous legacy. Although the contemporary narrative perceives Simcoe as a hero, this project will question whether his actions justify that perception and praise. We will examine his role in ending slavery, the slave rebellion in Saint Domingue (present-day Haiti), and the American Revolution. These were regarded as his most influential contributions to history, despite not all of these events being included in Simcoe’s traditional narrative. It will be through examining both sides, his memorialized, and the dishonourable actions, that we show the complexity of John Graves Simcoe.
Here is a link to connect you to a driving tour of Simcoe’s most memorable moments in his history. The link will bring you to The Clio, an interactive website designed to entice the reader with history all over the country and other parts of the world, as well. This project includes the collaborative work of Karen Giulietti, Louissa Connolly, and Jordyn Hahn.
https://www.theclio.com/tour/1718
Bibliography:
Karen:
-Fryer, Mary Beacock, and Christopher Dracott. John Graves Simcoe 1752-1806: A Biography. Dundurn, 1998.
-“John Graves Simcoe” Encyclopædia Britannica. October 22, 2020 https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Graves-Simcoe
-Mealing, Stanley R. “John Graves Simcoe.” In Our Living Tradition, 57–92. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2019.
-MPL, Karen. “Why We Celebrate Simcoe Day.” Markham Public Library, July 31, 2020. https://markhampubliclibrary.ca/blogs/post/why-we-celebrate-simcoe-day/.
=“Simcoe Day: what is it & why do we celebrate” City News, August 1, 2016. https://toronto.citynews.ca/2014/08/01/simcoe-day-what-is-it-why-do-we-celebrate/
-Talman, James John. Huron College, 1863-1963. London: Huron College, 1963.
Jordyn:
-Bunch, Adam. “John Graves Simcoe’s weird relationship with slavery.” Spacing Toronto, September 5, 2017, http://spacing.ca/toronto/2017/09/05/john-graves-simcoes-weird-rel ationship-slavery/
Cooper, Afua “Acts of Resistance: Black Men and Women Engage Slavery in Upper Canada, 1793-1803”. Ontario History 99, no. 1 (2007): 5–17. https://doi.org/10.7202/1065793ar
Henry, Natasha L., “Chloe Cooley and the Act to Limit Slavery in Upper Canada”. The
Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published October 30, 2013; Last Edited January 05, 2016. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/chloe-cooley- and-the-act-to-limit-slavery-in-upper-canada
Mealing, Stanley R., “John Graves Simcoe”. In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited February 01, 2017. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/john-graves-simcoe
Rossignol, Marie-Jeanne, and Bertrand Van Ruymbeke. The Atlantic World of Anthony Benezet (1713-1784): From French Reformation to North American Quaker Antislavery Activism. Boston: Brill, 2016.
“Slavery or Free.” Black Presence Exhibition. The National Archives. Retrieved 24 November 2020. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/rights/slave_free.htm
Louissa:
Fryer, Mary B; Dracott, Christopher. John Graves Simcoe, 1752-1806: A Biography. Toronto, Dundurn Press, 1998
Glover, Richard. Peninsular Preparation: The Reform of the British Army 1795-1809. Cambridge University Press, 1963
Lender, Mark Edward. The War for American Independence: A Reference Guide. Santa Barbara: ProQuest Ebook Central, 2016
Riddell, William Renwick, The Life of John Graves Simcoe, First Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Upper Canada, 1792-96. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1926
Simcoe, John Graves. A Journal of the Operations of the Queen’s Rangers from the End of the Year 1777, to the Conclusion of the Late American War. England: Printed for the author, [178-?], 1789.
Wilson, W. R. John Graves Simcoe. 2007.Retrieved 19 November 2020